Tribute to a cherished experience
$500,000 gift honors Deerfield resident
The unveiling of Deerfield’s renovation and expansion project in early 2017 included a new residential living dining option named Hap’s Bistro.
Deerfield resident Bob Maddox met the woman of his dreams more than seven decades ago on a blind date. “Fifteen minutes after meeting her, I told my friend, ‘I’m going to marry that woman,’” Bob recalls.
One year later he did. His bride, Mary, was nicknamed “Hap” by her family as a child because she was so happy and pleasant. Bliss is how Bob describes their marriage of nearly 70 years, until Hap suddenly passed away of cancer. “I loved my wife dearly,” Bob says. “She was just a fantastic person. She made everyone around her happy and she never met a stranger.” The couple moved to Deerfield in Urbandale, Iowa, in 2005. With much of their family living out of state, residents and team members at Deerfield became a second family. After Hap’s passing, Bob wanted to create something special in her memory to reflect what the Deerfield community meant to them. When he learned of plans to open a coffee shop and bistro at Deerfield, he saw it as the perfect way to honor his wife. With Bob’s $500,000 gift to The Foundation over a multi-year pledge, Hap’s Bistro was established — a place for residents to gather and socialize with family and friends. “Hap’s Bistro is a place that people enjoy and has such an energy. It’s a very touching and fitting tribute to the Maddox family,” says Amy Brainard, director of The Lifespace Foundation. “The Foundation is focused on helping residents fulfill aspirations and make a difference in a meaningful way.”
Hap’s Bistro is part of Deerfield’s redevelopment and expansion project unveiled in 2017. The Foundation is committed to establishing legacy gifts and naming opportunities at other communities undergoing redevelopments, and at all campuses in the Lifespace organization.
“Hap’s Bistro is a place that people enjoy and has such an energy. It’s a very touching and fitting tribute to the Maddox family. The Foundation is focused on helping resident fulfill aspirations and make a difference in a meaningful way.” – Amy Brainard, Director of The Lifespace Foundation
