Geraldine Mercer was a fiercely independent mother of six who lived in her own home in New Westminster until she was 95. But dementia was increasingly causing short-term memory loss, and one day she couldn’t find her way back from the grocery store. A care home was the only answer.
Covid restrictions preventing visits from son Jim and worsening short-term memory loss only deepened the dementia issues as Geraldine slowly slipped away from her past. Jim remembered the adventures, trips and outings he and his siblings had in their mother’s favourite car, the 1958 Chevrolet Brookwood station wagon she bought new and would drive for the next 14 years.
“The Brookwood played an important part in our active family especially for my mom,” Jim recalls. “It was a reliable constant in our busy lives. It not only was transportation for our family, but often carried neighbourhood kids, teammates, animals and sports equipment.”
Jim Mercer with his 1958 Chevrolet Brookwood he bought in memory of his mother who bought hers new the year he was born. He’s holding a photo of his mother holding him with her own Brookwood wagon in the background. CREDIT: Alyn Edwards Photo by Alyn Edwards
He says the Brookwood was classed as a six-passenger car, but often transported more people as there were no seatbelt restriction in that era.
“With the rear seats folded down, it could carry four-by-eight plywood, even with the tailgate up”, he says.
Jim decided a car just like that one could be a link to the past that might bring his mother’s memories back. The search was on. Rusty examples, poorly restored and overpriced 1958 Brookwood station wagons were all he could find until an online search took him to the bringatrailer.com auction site. The car he was interested in was in Rhode Island and couldn’t be further away from Vancouver.
He started bidding and became the top bidder. But the seller had set his reserve price at much more. The auction ended but not the negotiating. The car’s owner listened to Jim’s story and generously lowered his expectations. Jim had the car shipped from Rhode Island to Vancouver. He had to wait six months for Covid restrictions preventing care home visits to ease before he took the ‘new’ Brookwood to the George Derby Centre.
Geraldine Mercer holding son Jim shortly after buying her 1958 Chevrolet Brookwood station wagon new. CREDIT: Submitted Photo by Submitted
“It was amazing to see how my mom reacted to drives in the car,” Jim says. “Though my mom recognized the similarity between her wagon and the new one, she thought the new one was a bit flashy with the chrome wheels, as hers had the ten-inch poverty hubcaps, and the carpets, power steering, and air conditioning were unnecessary luxuries.”
Riding in the car brought back a flood of recollections with Geraldine alive with stories of how the car carried the family on a cross-Canada adventure, numerous trips to Alberta and vacations in the U.S. including tour of Yellowstone and Yoho National Parks. As her health began to decline, the drives got shorter and finally the car visits became tailgate parties with Jim and his mother reminiscing while sitting by the car. She remembered her car had a roof rack that carried the family’s camping gear when they would go on road trip vacations.
“An ironic and accidental bonus of my mom’s dementia was that she had terrible short-term memory. So, each time I picked her up, it was as if it was her first time seeing the station wagon,” Jim says
The inside of Jim Mercer’s 1958 Chevrolet Brookwood station wagon portrays the racing image General Motors designed into their cars. CREDIT: Alyn Edwards Photo by Alyn Edwards
Geraldine only stopped driving her car when it was stolen and wrecked. She replaced the Brookwood but would always say it was her favourite car. She drove until she was 86.
“I think her seeing the outside of the car evoked more memories than being in it. In fact, by doing this she met many other residents as their grown children often stopped by with them to chat about their cars and their good old days,” Jim says. “It was amazing to see how these elderly men and women suddenly became happy and animated.”
He encourages owners to take seniors to car shows and classic car clubs to put on mini shows at care homes as old cars bring back fond memories.
Geraldine Mercer passed away shortly after her 97th birthday Now, Jim Mercer displays his 1958 Chevrolet Brookwood station wagon at car shows with a photograph of his mother holding him in her arms as an infant beside the car she got new the year he was born.
Geraldine’s final ride in a 1958 Chevrolet Brookwood was from the funeral home to her gravesite.
Alyn Edwards is a classic car enthusiast and partner in a Vancouver-based public relations company. [email protected]
Keyword: Collector Classics: 1958 Chevrolet Brookwood station wagon