Newburgh Senior Center manager battles loss, loneliness amid coronavirus and tornado

NEWBURGH – Nancy Lybarger is a study in resilience. She’s dealt with loss, loneliness, COVID-19 — like all of us — and now, the latest was a tornado to hit Downtown Newburgh.

“It’s a bunch,” said Lybarger, manager of Newburgh Senior Center. “You just put one foot in front of the other.”

She is helped by friends from the Senior Center, the Newburgh United Methodist Church and others.

“They’ve got my back,” Lybarger said.

When the latest tornado hit on Saturday night, all she could hear was the wind roaring – and the rain pounding her house on West Jennings Street.

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“I’ve never seen rain like that and the wind blowing,” Lybarger said. “All I caught was the wind and the rain. I didn’t catch the tornado.”

The National Weather Service labeled it an EF-2 tornado.

She was asleep in the early hours of Nov. 6, 2005, when a F3 tornado hit Newburgh, the Eastbrook Trailer Park a few miles away in southeast Evansville, Ellis Park and other areas.

“Jon (her late husband) had surgery on his nose, and he was sleeping in the family room,” Nancy said. “He had the TV on and said ‘get dressed. It’s coming at us.’ The dog (Blue) wanted to go outside, but we weren’t going to let him go outside.”

They were lucky. All the damage they incurred was a few downed tree limbs.

“We’ve dodged all of (the local tornadoes) by the skin of our teeth,” she said.

However, Saturday’s tornado came awfully close to doing some real damage. One block away on the corner of Washington Avenue and Water Street, a downed tree was nestled up against a house.

Dealing with loss

Jon Lybarger, who had been Newburgh Town Treasurer and pastor of the Richland (Indiana) United Methodist church, died in December 2018. Their beloved cat, Leo, died a few months later. One of their senior dogs, Bonnie, died in February. Blue, Bonnie’s brother, who will turn 15 in July, has difficulty walking.

“It’s hard for him to get up the steps,” Nancy said.

But she has two young cats, Humphrey Bogart and Rod Stewart, who are full of mischief.

As she said, she puts one foot in front of the other. Her advice to others is "don’t be afraid to ask for a little help." She was given a number by Newburgh Police Major Jonathan Scully, who said to call if there was anything he could do.

“That means a lot,” Lybarger said.

Along those lines, SWIRCA is offering drive-through meals at the Senior Center from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for those 55 and over. The suggested price is $3.50, but if you don’t have the money, you still get fed.

“You have to make reservations before you come up,” said Lybarger, noting that the Senior Center is not open to the public because of the virus. In the past, the Senior Center had been bustling at lunchtime. For some of them, it was the only interaction they got with other people. They can drive through and get their lunches, but the camaraderie is gone.

She got a phone call from Craig Duke, her pastor, to make sure she was OK.

“We lost trees on East Jennings,” Lybarger said. “The community keeps everybody up.”

Lybarger said the Senior Center mailed the April newsletter to its members for the first time.

“We’re just trying to keep people connected to the Center,” Lybarger said. “And I try to post updates on our Facebook page. We are also part of the SWIRCA Meals on Wheels program. If people need meals delivered, they can contact SWIRCA and get registered.”

She also added a little levity in these trying times.

“I complained about the cost of having a tree removed and the others trimmed last fall,” Lybarger said. “Sunday morning, I realized it was the best $1,600 I spent all year.”

To realize the sense of humor and compassion Lybarger possesses, all you have to do is walk into her old-fashioned home that’s so inviting, at least before social distancing and stay-at-home orders became the norm. There was always a cup of coffee waiting to be served. It'll be that way again soon, at least she hopes it will be. 

Contact Gordon Engelhardt at gordon.engelhardt@gordon.engelhardt or on Twitter @EngGordon.