History

Growing numbers of people are facing questions about health care and retirement living for themselves or their loved ones. These questions are nothing new to us at Lutheran Life Villages. For over 75 years, we’ve been providing care, respect, and dignity to our residents.

It all started in October 1926, when the Northern Indiana Pastoral Conference of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod began to consider urgent requests to establish a home for the elderly.

In June 1927, the Central District of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod approved such a home and established a permanent organization titled the Lutheran Old Peoples' Home of Kendallville, Indiana, to oversee development of the home.

In 1931, the “Oak Street Home” opened to seven residents. Within five years, we had outgrown this location, and in 1937, we moved to “The Walling Home,” located at 612 East Mitchell Street, Kendallville. This new facility provided accommodations for 16 residents as well as a chapel, reception room, and offices.

In 1940, just three short years later, we expanded, providing accommodations for 20 additional residents. And in 1950, we expanded this location to include 40 more residents.

Eleven years later, in 1961, growth and urgent need prompted adding another location, and the board purchased approximately 49 acres of bare ground on South Anthony Boulevard in Fort Wayne, Indiana. After approximately 18 months of construction, the Fort Wayne unit was dedicated, and our name was changed to Lutheran Homes Inc.

Finally, we broke ground at our current Kendallville location in 1989 and began serving individuals in 1989. At this time, we can accommodate 111 residents at our North Allen Chapel Road location.

Over the years, with God's blessings, we’ve seen years of significant growth. We’ve experienced quite a few changes, too, including four different locations and nine major additions to our current locations.

Our most recent update is not of location, but of identity, making sure our name and brand match who we are—a premier retirement living provider with a focus on life-enriching opportunities. Our new name, Lutheran Life Villages, represents our efforts to create a place where people want to live, professionals want to work, and family and community members want to visit.

It is our strong hope that as we move forward, this new identity will help us communicate all we are and hope to be to a world ready for a new era of living for older adults. More and more people are reaching retirement age. Many of them have high expectations and standards for their long-term retirement plans. These are needs and desires that Lutheran Life Villages can readily fill.

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