LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – One of Hospice of Lake County's volunteers works to bring an extra helping of comfort to those facing loss.

Hospice volunteer Jan Stewart crafts one-of-a-kind memory bears for the families and loved ones of hospice patients.

Each bear is handmade from articles of clothing that reminds families of their loved ones. Stewart transforms the clothing into a cuddly, soft bear to be hugged, talked to and serve as a companion during times of sadness and loneliness.

“What I do is simple,” said Stewart. “I just sew.”

Stewart got the idea when her mother passed away in another state. The local hospice made two memory bears from her mother’s clothing so the family had something to remember her by.

Stewart and her sister wanted all the grandchildren and great-grandchildren to have a bear too, so they gathered familiar articles of clothing and started sewing.

Seeing how much the bears meant to her family members, Stewart realized what a precious gift memory bears could be to other families who had lost loved ones.

“I wanted to give something back to hospice to say thank you,” Stewart said.

She contacted Judy Krings, RN case manager at Hospice Services of Lake County, and offered to make memory bears for the loved ones of Lake County’s hospice patients.

“I delivered Jan’s first bear to a recent widow. Her immediate reaction was to grab the bear and hug it while thanking me through tears of joy,” said Krings.

Each bear ends up with a personality of its own. Some are fatter than others; some have an arm or a leg that sits in a particular way. One bear even needed a nose job; its nose was just too big for its head.

Stewart has made cowboy bears, plaid flannel bears, flower print bears and one bear in shocking pink satin. She provides the special nose buttons, eyes, ribbons and stuffing for the bears. Hospice Services of Lake County reimburses Stewart for the expenses.

Hospice Services of Lake County relies on volunteers like Stewart who help in the thrift stores, visit patients that need companionship, package supplies for patients or perform light office duties.

For more information on how to become a volunteer at Hospice Services of Lake County, contact Laurie Fisher at 707-263-6270, Extension 130, or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .