Every Wednesday, Mary Stodola’s apartment at Cedar Community’s Cedar Ridge Campus fills with laughter, conversation, and memories as her siblings gather for lunch.
For the Baldus family, the weekly tradition is more than a standing date. It’s an opportunity to stay connected through every stage of life, with Cedar Community serving as a familiar gathering place for generations of the family.
A Family Tradition at Cedar Community
For nearly 23 years, Mary has called Cedar Community home. She and her late husband, Bob, moved to the Cedar Ridge Campus after deciding it was the right place for their next chapter.
Today, Cedar Community continues to be at the center of family life not only for Mary, but also for her brother Joe, who moved to Cedar Ridge about five years after Mary.
Joe originally became familiar with Cedar Community through an uncle who once lived there. That uncle’s son now also lives at the Cedar Ridge Campus.
Joe now lives at The Cottages, Cedar Community’s memory care neighborhood, and each week his brother Bob picks him up before heading to Mary’s apartment for the family lunch.
[INTERNAL LINK: Link a natural reference to Mary’s Cedar Ridge residence to the Independent Living page.]
Wednesdays Are for Family
Mary’s siblings Bob, Joe, Liz, and Katie, along with Katie’s husband, Jim, travel from Brookfield, Thiensville, and Sheboygan Falls for the weekly gathering.
After years spent raising their own families and managing busy lives, the lunches have given the siblings an opportunity to reconnect.
“It means more every week because it’s so great that we can still do it,” Katie shared. “Four of the seven siblings are now in their 90s, and we treasure this time together.”
The siblings range in age from 83 to 96.
Joe, 96, describes the gatherings simply as “the greatest privilege I could imagine.”
“It’s fantastic that we’re all alive,” he laughs. “And it’s fantastic that we’re all friends.”
From “Sib Fest” to Wednesday Lunches
The Baldus family has always been close.
They grew up in Whitefish Bay in what they jokingly describe as “the smallest house with the biggest family.” They attended the same Catholic school alongside numerous cousins, making plenty of memories despite crowded bathrooms, bedrooms, and even shared beds.
As expected in a large family, there were also plenty of sibling squabbles.
“We did a lot of fighting when we were younger,” Mary laughs.
Today, the bond they share has only grown stronger. Between them, the siblings have nearly 30 children, along with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Before the Wednesday lunch tradition began, the family hosted what they called “Sib Fest.”
Beginning in the early 1990s, the annual gathering brought all seven siblings and their spouses together. As their families grew and children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren spread across multiple states, the gatherings became an important way to remain connected.
Sharing Stories Across Generations
Today, the siblings begin gathering around 10:30 a.m. each Wednesday.
They talk about their children and grandchildren, reminisce about old neighbors and childhood memories, and catch up on everyday life.
“There are always memories,” Liz says. “The younger ones still get to hear stories from the older ones.”
Bob adds, “We talk about our families, the grandkids, and memories from our old neighborhood.”
Their conversations also turn to their careers and experiences.
Joe spent much of his career as a civil engineer specializing in hospital construction throughout southeastern Wisconsin. Bob was a mechanical engineer. Mary worked as a nurse in long-term care and nursing homes. Katie was a teacher, while Liz devoted many years to raising her four sons.
Their sister Sue lives in New York and is a Maryknoll missionary nun, while their brother Bill lives in Minnesota and was a doctor.
Meal preparation is shared among the siblings, often including sandwiches, casseroles, or dishes prepared at home and finished in Mary’s apartment kitchen.
They typically eat by noon and wrap up around 1:30 p.m.
A Place the Whole Family Feels Welcome
The welcoming atmosphere at Cedar Community has also made an impression on family members who come to visit.
“The people here are just so friendly,” Katie shares. “Every time we come, everyone seems so happy to be here. It feels like a good place.”
That positive experience has influenced the family’s own plans.
At the time this story was published, Bob, Katie, and Katie’s husband, Jim, were on the waitlist for independent living at Cedar Community.
Staying Connected Through Life’s Changes
The family also appreciates the support Cedar Community offers as residents’ needs change.
After Joe lost his vision about 10 years ago, Mary and the rest of the family rallied around him, helping him navigate everyday life until his move to The Cottages.
With Cedar Community’s transportation services connecting campuses, Mary is able to visit Joe every week.
Their experience is a real-life example of how family connections can continue even when loved ones need different levels of support.
Where Family Traditions Continue
Even after decades of family gatherings, the Baldus siblings never run out of things to talk about.
Their Wednesday lunches are filled with memories, family updates, stories from years past, and appreciation for the time they still have together.
For Mary and Joe, Cedar Community has become more than a place to live. It is a place where family traditions continue, treasured friendships are formed, and meaningful moments are shared.
It’s easy to see why so many residents describe Cedar Community as feeling like family.
Originally published in the Summer 2026 issue of Live More magazine.
