Lisa Masters – A Testament to ‘Open Doors’

BY JACLYN ROSE –

A native of Louisiana, Lisa Masters moved to Texas in 1989, when she married her husband Tim. “Tim and I try to be sensitive to one another’s feelings and we put each other first. We also have the same values which has helped us in our marriage,” explained Masters. The couple have four children: Anna, Neal, Hillary, and Alex, and three grandchildren: Truett, Clara, Grace, and Cohen. “Our grandchildren are perfect,” said Masters with a laugh. “No really, they are our biggest blessing. I enjoy being a grandmother so much.”

Masters spent 13 years working as an Executive Administrative Assistant with Verizon before moving to Mena in 2011. “Tim was born and raised in Mena and we moved back after my mother-in-law passed away so that we could take care of my father-in-law who had alzeheimer’s. While it was a little bit of culture shock, I had been raised in a small town, and of course, we had visited Mena throughout the course of our marriage since Tim’s parents were here. It was definitely worth the trade-off to be where we were needed,” explained Masters.

Around the same time that the Masters were looking to move to Arkansas, the Oak’s Assisted Living was opening its doors and was in need of an Administrator. Master’s brother-in-law was with a management company overseeing the new home and offered her the position. “We had prayed a lot about the move and my brother-in-law knew I would be needing a job here and it all just fell together. God had his hand in it or it wouldn’t have worked out the way it did,” said Masters.

Since 2011, Masters has served in the position of Administrator and her husband serves as the Director of Maintenance. “Working for the Oaks is very rewarding, in fact it is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. It is challenging sometimes but I have learned so much. The Oaks services more than just Polk County. We have people who call and want to move their parents back to Mena, or who had moved away but want to come back home. We have thirty apartments, each with a kitchenette and a private bath and we offer assistance with all the activities of daily living. This includes meals, medication, dressing, grooming, mobility, and transportation,” Masters explained.

Masters also serves on the Board for the Polk County Chamber of Commerce and is an active member of Christ Community Fellowship. “I love the feel of community in Polk County and how close the community is, and we love our church and the people in it,” Masters said. She is also passionate about Remembering Hearts Forever, an organization for families that have lost children. Masters and her husband lost their youngest son, Alex, in 2011 and have found support from this incredible group. “Losing a child changes you completely. It is the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. Remembering Hearts Forever is a wonderful organization that hosts several events throughout the year, especially on holidays or special dates, Christmas, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day. I don’t always attend every event, depending on how I feel at the time, but I’m passionate about it because it is always there when you do need it and that is very important,” explained Masters.

About Author

Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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