Estelle, a patient at Heartland Health Care Center of Galesburg, Illinois, has been fascinated by the musical arts her whole life.  While she plays the piano, organ and cello, her true passion has always been teaching rather than performing.  After receiving her bachelor's degree from Carthage College in Illinois and her master's degree from Western Illinois University, she started her teaching career in Navoo, Illinois and eventually moved on to teach in Ames, Iowa.  For the last 29 years of her teaching career, however, she taught in Alwood, Illinois.  She taught music at every level from first grade through high school and included seasonal choral programs and musicals every step of the way.  To go along with teaching, she was also the choir director at Bethany Lutheran Church in Woodhull for many years.

Throughout her career, Estelle has been blessed with many students who have touched her life.  Among these students was Marion, who sang in Estelle's choirs, both at school and church, and played brass instruments in a church ensemble.  Marion and Estelle grew very close over the years, so when Estelle's husband passed away a few years ago, Marion and his family began inviting Estelle to their family functions.  When the staff at Heartland Galesburg heard of this, they began planning a Heart's Desire for Estelle.

On Easter Sunday, the staff at Heartland Galesburg took Estelle in the center's van to Bethany Lutheran Church, where Marion and his family met her.  After church, they all enjoyed a delicious buffet dinner at Homestead in Woodhull.  Estelle saw people she had not seen in years and enjoyed seeing her friends and former students gather together with her.