OUR NEIGHBORS: Mammoth undertaking leaves local woman puzzled

WASILLA — Sue Schwartz has more patience and determination than a lot of folks.

How else does one explain why she’s taken on the challenge of assembling a 12,096-piece jigsaw puzzle?

Schwartz doesn’t seem especially impressed with her 10-foot long and 5-foot wide project, but her friends at Chinook Villa Retirement Community are.

“Most people would be overwhelmed even with the thought of it,” said director Darlene Cudia. “She works on it every day. She’s very diligent.”

Schwartz said her plan of attack is to work on the puzzle in stages as if it were three, 4,032-piece puzzles instead of one mammoth view of New York City before the World Trade Center was destroyed with a supersized planet Saturn hanging in the sky.

To date, Schwartz said the largest puzzle she’s assembled was a 3,500-piece one she built while living in Pennsylvania.

She is building the puzzle between volunteer commitments at Providence Alaska Medical Center and Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage. She said she thinks it will take her more than a year to complete the project she started Feb. 24.

The oversized puzzle is too big for her apartment, so director Cudia gave the OK to take over four tables in the main lobby. Chinook Villa provides housing for low-income seniors age 62 and older and disabled people.

But as the puzzle has grown, it’s highlighted a new challenge — the tables aren’t exactly the same height. Cudia said a plan is in the works to cover all four tables in sheets of plywood to make an even base for Schwartz.

“A couple of guys are working on that now,” Cudia said.

Schwartz said she’s had some help with the puzzle so far, but mostly she’s doing it herself.

Cudia said Chinook Villa received several puzzles as donations around Christmastime. So she wrapped them and gifted them to residents. It seemed perfect to bestow the mammoth puzzle on Schwartz, she said.

Puzzles are on her short list of favorite things, along with puzzle books and most things Disney. Especially the music, Schwartz said.

She said she plans to take a hiatus from construction for a trip to Disneyland later this month.

When the puzzle is complete, the plan is to glue it together and hang it on the wall in the main lounge at Chinook Villa, Schwartz said.

“If folks like doing puzzles, they are welcome to come help out,” she said.

For more information, contact Chinook Villa at 373-0590.

Contact managing editor Heather A. Resz at 352-2268 or heather.resz@frontiersman.com.