Walnut Manor has its own 
‘queen’ in residence

WALNUT — When Dorothy Swanson looks in the mirror, all she sees is Dorothy Swanson. However, there are many who believe she is the twin of England’s own Queen Elizabeth.

Shellee Monier, the activity director at Walnut Manor, noticed one day after Swanson had her hair done, that she looked remarkably like the Queen Elizabeth of England.

“I didn’t think anything would ever come of it, but I couldn’t just let this go. So I wrote a letter to the queen herself, found her address on the Internet, and who would have guessed? The queen’s lady in waiting answered in return,” Monier said.

Swanson, a resident of Walnut Manor, was very surprised.

“Shellee and others here tell me that I look like her, and I guess maybe I do a little. They call me ‘Queenie’ now, and that is kind of nice. My sister, Marilyn, and her husband, Wayne, were very proud when they heard,” Swanson said.

“Dorothy’s family took copies of the letter to show their other family members; they were very pleased and happy for Dorothy,” Monier said.

“This was kind of a big deal for Walnut Manor, receiving mail from the Royal Post Office in England, and then having the contents be an actual letter on Buckingham Palace letterhead,” Monier said. 

To help other Walnut Manor residents acknowledge their in-house celebrity, Walnut Manor dedicated their bulletin board to Swanson’s photos and the letters, so other residents and families could see them and be a part of the wonderful event.

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