Connecting Services & Sharing Stories in Greater Waco
Cover photo by Travis Tucker
Jerry and Betty Mars enjoy the road
of life together along with their
vintage cars and collection
of 1950s-era memorabilia
Story on Page 4
2015 Member
Staff
Lesly Rascoe
Publisher
Advertising &
Digital Media
Director
Margaret Sanders
Contributing Editor
Travis Tucker
Photographer
Michael Rascoe
David Rascoe
Distribution Managers
SeniorConnectionWaco
P.O. Box 716
Hewitt TX 76643
(254) 749-7073
[email protected]
SeniorConnectionWaco.com
Copyright © 2015
Senior Connection Waco
No part of this publication may be
reproduced in whole or in part
without express prior written
consent from
Senior Connection Waco.
2
{
{
SeniorConnection
SeniorConnectionWaco.com
“I love you not only for
what you are, but for what
I am when I am with you.”
Roy Croft, poet
A Heart for Seniors
Long-lasting love is a precious resource, and in this issue of Senior
Connection we meet some special couples who have endured the test
of time. They have weathered life’s storms and made it through to the
other side with common memories and a sweet companionship that
only those who have been together for most of their lives know.
These romances for the ages share something in common. Each of
these endearing couples resonate a mutual respect and shared kindness
that brings out the best in each other. It’s not the over-the-top puppy
love of the young but the seasoned, more refined love that matured
through the years during the mundane and chaotic, beautiful and
precious days they have spent together.
As we cherish the matters of the heart, we also talk about heart
health for seniors. Many older adults experience cardiac episodes that
can diminish their ability to enjoy life like they once did, but with
proper exercise and dietary changes they find restored energy and
vitality.
While cardiac issues can affect adults of any age, we are inspired by a
local senior who has made a difference in his own life and encourages
others to embrace lifestyle choices that allow them to live each day to
the fullest. A nutritional expert and renowned chef weighs in with her
heart health advice and recipes.
A nurse shares her story of caring for others for 70 years beginning
in World War II where she treated young soldiers on the battlefields of
Europe. She also has a heart for seniors and has enjoyed a long career
in geriatric care where she has touched so many through her gracious
humour and generous wisdom.
We love to share the stories of the wonderful
seniors in our community and be reminded that
their lessons for living are timeless. SC
SeniorConnectionWaco.com includes a searchable online
directory of hundreds of service providers in Greater Waco who
touch seniors. In addition, this website features stories about and
for seniors, and an online calendar provides information about
events, programs and special days unique to seniors and their
families and professional caregivers.
Coming up
World War II nurse
still giving back
Page 16
Banjo Buddies pass down
the heritage of their music
Page 14
If these walls could talk
Page 20
Preserving keepsakes as
pieces of art
Page 9
Caregiving Conference
March 20 This conference is for anyone who provides care
whether they are professionals or family members. Topics
covered will include: Legal Issues, Making Difficult Decisions,
Financial Issues, Pain Medications/Vaccinations and Caregiving
& Depression. Cost: $5 registration fee. The conference will be
from 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. at Columbus Avenue Baptist Church,
1300 Columbus Ave., Waco, Texas. Registration begins at 8:30
a.m. Participants must pre‐register by March 13 by calling (254)
757-5180 or e‐mailing [email protected]. For vendor
information, call Janet Enders at (254) 292-1843. The conference
is presented by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
All you need is love,
ConnectingSeniors
Seniors&&Sharing
SharingStories
StoriesininGreater
GreaterWaco
Waco
Senior Connection Connecting
Lesly Rascoe
Publisher
SeniorConnectionWaco.com
February 2015
3
Keeping
Love
By Maggie Sanders and Lesly Rascoe
Some couples just seem to have that
special something. Whether it’s the sparkle in
their eyes when they are together or the way
they build each other up. No matter what life
throws their way, they team up and make it
work. They grow through the hard times and
relish the good times, making memories and
blessing others in their path.
It’s been said that “Love doesn’t make the
world go round. Love is what makes the ride
worthwhile.”
In this issue of Senior Connection, we
feature three couples who have enjoyed the
ride for decades keeping love alive through
faith, family and service.
going for the long haul....
Their journey began on a
softball field in Irving. Both
were working for the same
company, though they didn’t
know each other, when their
employer decided to have a
picnic and softball game. Betty’s
legal department didn’t have
enough to make a team, so she
ended up playing with Jerry’s
department. They’ve been on the same
team ever since.
They married in August 1981 and continued
living and working in Irving. Although he had
success in engineering and accounting, Jerry
had always wanted his own business.
Jerry and Betty Mars
Leaning against their
vintage Chevrolet, Jerry and
Betty Mars look like two
teenagers in love, but the
couple is actually entering
their 34th year of marriage.
Their journey has included
raising a family, starting
and running two successful
printing businesses and a
track record of active
involvement in civic
organizations and
community service.
4
Senior Connection
Betty and Jerry Mars are still cruising together after 34 years of
Photo by Travis Tucker
marriage.
Connecting Seniors & Sharing Stories in Greater Waco
The couple began exploring
They weren’t ready to retire, however, and
franchise options and in 1984 wanted to open a printing business again,
purchased a printing
this time on their own. Betty worked at the
franchise. For the first few
Heart of Texas Council of Governments
years, Betty ran the
while Jerry began researching the busicompany while Jerry
ness climate in Greater Waco. He realized
continued working at his
that Bellmead would be the perfect place to
regular job, joining her to help
launch the new business.
in the shop during the evenings.
They established Advantage Press as an
“It was tough,” he said. “Sometimes
independent full-service print and copy
we’d work until 11:30 at night, go home
shop in 1991, with their pastor blessing the
and start all over early the next morning.”
business before they opened the doors. They
When they reached the point of needing
quickly became involved in the community,
more help, Jerry came to the print shop full
active in the Bellmead Chamber of
time.
Commerce, Bellmead Lions Club, La Vega
Managing took cooperation and commuIndependent School District committees and
nication, they said.
councils and the Heart O’ Texas Fair.
The couple maintained a clear
distinction between work and home.
“Our common commitment to
“We had disagreements, as do all
Christ is the foundation. It’s
business partners,” Jerry said, “but
the glue that holds everything
when we left work, any
disagreements were left at the shop.”
together.” Jerry Mars
They operated their print shop in
Irving and were active in chambers of
commerce, merchants associations and civic
That spirit of service was especially helpful
groups until 1989 when an opportunity arose in building a business in their new
to sell the shop. With both of their daughters community, but that is not why they did it.
grown, Jerry and Betty acted on a longtime
“We became involved in these groups
interest in moving to a smaller community
because it was the right thing to do,” said
and relocated to Limestone County where
Jerry.
Jerry had purchased land several years
Love continued on Page 6
earlier.
SeniorConnectionWaco.com
February 2015 5
Love continued from Page 5
“We would have done that service anyway. But
the contacts we made through these networks really
helped our business.”
After operating the print shop for more than 20
years, the couple sold the business in 2013 to “really
retire.”
Soon afterwards, Betty was diagnosed with breast
cancer, and the couple began a new challenge together.
“Jerry was with me every treatment, every day of
that journey,” Betty said. Their faith and his support
brought her through to the other side, and she is doing
well today.
It hasn’t been all work and no play for this couple,
however. For years, Jerry had kept the 1964 Impala
Super Sport, the first new car he ever purchased. He
began expanding his collection after meeting fellow
Bellmead resident and car enthusiast Coy Emert. They
soon joined the Heart O’ Texas Old Car Club and
enjoy attending car shows with other members.
Their interest in vintage cars led Betty to create Betty
Lou’s Collectibles started out of a trailer, which she
filled with memorabilia and collectibles and pulled to
car shows and swap meets. Eventually, she began
selling similar items out of the print shop.
They like to be active, traveling to watch their
grandchildren play softball and baseball. Dancing is
another interest. Betty and Jerry performed in Branson
on the Brazos for 10 years and appeared at the HOT
Fair, Stars across Texas and other festivals throughout
Central Texas.
They also continue their own interests. Betty is the
Queen Mother of the Red Hat Mamas, the Bellmead
chapter of the Red Hat Society, a group of women
dedicated to fun and friendship. Jerry is part of the
Williams Creek Brotherhood that is cleaning the old
Shead cemetery in Limestone County.
While many couples marry their first loves, Jerry
and Betty are part of the “second-time-around” club.
They said prior relationships helped in their own
marriage. “You learn to be more tolerant, feeling and
Mary and Dean Hodde recently celebrated their 59th wedding
understanding,” Jerry said. Betty said experience also
anniversary, a milestone they reached by holding on to their faith
helps you understand more about yourself and what
and family values.
Photo by Travis Tucker
you want in a partner.
If there were a secret to this couple’s success, Jerry
Mary and Dean Hodde
said, it’s something that is no secret. “Our common
Mary Corley and Dean Hodde met as teenagers at
commitment to Christ is the foundation. It’s the glue
West High School in the 1950s. Now married for 59
that holds everything together.”
years, they share four children, 11 grandchildren and
five great-grandchildren.
6
Senior Connection
Connecting Seniors & Sharing Stories in Greater Waco
They have weathered the ups and downs of life
together raising a family, changing careers when times
called for it, growing a business or two and moving all
while staying grounded in the roots of church, hard
work and a family farm.
Mary grew up in Gholson where there was no high
school, and Dean’s family moved to Rogers Hill Road
from Woodway on Thanksgiving Day 1950. They both
landed at West High School where Dean graduated in
1953 and Mary in 1956.
“When I grew up in Gholson, my grandpa was A.O.
Gassaway, who owned the Gholson store and the cotton gin. My other grandpa was a big farmer and drove
the school bus,” said Mary.
She recalls coming home from school and changing
clothes to help with the farm chores where hogs, chickens, canning and growing watermelon and cantaloupe
were part of daily life.
“It was a treat for us to get to come to Waco from
Gholson,” said Mary.
Meanwhile, Dean helped build the house on the
land that is still in the family and where they continue
to make memories enjoying the outdoors.
After the couple married, their early days were not
easy.
“My mother died at the age of 38,” said Mary, who
was 18 at the time. “I was the oldest of five, and my
baby sister was 20 months old.”
As newlyweds, Mary and Dean stepped in to help
her family while Dean and her father worked at
General Tire.
“It was very hard. We lived in a four-room house
with no running water and no indoor facilities,” said
Mary. “Things were different back then. I guess we’re
dedicated. I can truly say that not many men would do
what he did.”
“You learned to make do,” added Dean.
Dean, the oldest of four in his family, “has never
known anything but hard work. He’s the early bird,”
said Mary.
The young couple endured and eventually were
able to have a home of their own. The first house they
owned was a duplex on Pine. They lived in one side
and rented out the other half. They often had young
couples from John Connally Air Force Base as their
neighbors.
Mary was a homemaker for a few years. Dean
worked at General Tire for 22 years before retiring.
Mary went to work for the McLennan County
records office before being recruited by Sheriff Jack
Harwell as a deputy sheriff. She earned her peace
officer certificate and then her law enforcement
certificate. Since female deputies did not work patrol in
those days, Mary worked on civil issues before retiring
from the county in 2002 after 25 years.
All of the Hoddes’ children live in McLennan
County making for large holiday celebrations and
plenty of time together.
Dean, 80, still enjoys going out to the family farm,
and Mary is a member of the Daughters of the
Confederacy. Mary’s great-great-great-grandfather
served in the Confederacy and was an early Waco doctor. They are involved at the First Lutheran Church in
Waco where they have been members since 1947.
Their son, Calvin, is the mayor of Lacy Lakeview.
The retired couple owns Hodde Properties. They
are involved with their grandchildren. Their grandson,
Corley, is a freshman at Reicher High School.
Crisp and Doris Perilo
Waco natives Crisp and Doris Perilo grew up in
Waco but didn’t know each other until they were introduced by mutual friends in 1948. Now married 64
years, they have remained in their home town, raising
their daughters in a home focused on faith, family and
service.
They wouldn’t have connected, however, if Crisp had
not joined the military, first enlisting in the Navy
during World War II, and later transferring into the
Air Force. He wanted to see more of the world outside
of Central Texas.
He was assigned to Connally Air Force Base, now
the Texas State Technical College Waco campus, where
he was a military policeman. While there, he became
acquainted with the brother of Doris’s best friend, and
it was those two siblings who introduced the young
people. They courted for a year and a half and married
in December 1950. They went on a free honeymoon
when Uncle Sam sent Crisp to Pensacola, Florida for
MP training.
He remained at Connally until he was discharged
but continued in the Air Force and Navy reserves for
27 more years. A new civilian, Crisp earned a barber
license and opened a shop in Beverly Hills. Eventually,
he closed the barber shop and joined the security force
at the VA Medical Center, drawing on much of his
military police background.
Love continued on Page 8
SeniorConnectionWaco.com
February 2015 7
Love continued from Page 7
Doris and Crisp Perilo have stood side by side for 64 years by
balancing their individual interests and spending time together.
Photo by Richard Braun
8
Senior Connection
During their marriage, they followed the
traditions of many in their generation. Doris
was the classic homemaker, taking care of their
children, while Crisp worked to support the
family. The family has since expanded to
include three granddaughters, one greatgranddaughter and a great-grandson with
another great-grandchild on the way.
Faith and family have remained her lifelong
calling, she said. “I’ve tried to live my life with
God first, husband and home second.” After
the girls entered school, she worked part-time
for 27 years in a local real estate office. She
was also active in the couple’s church, Beverly
Hills Baptist, working primarily with teens and
youth in Sunday School and other activities for
nearly 50 years.
“It’s important to have hobbies and a little
bit of separateness, especially after the family
is grown,” Doris said. She joked that one of the
keys to their long and happy marriage is that
“Crisp leaves the house at 9:30 each morning
and doesn’t come home until feeding time.”
He stays busy all day long most days, meeting for coffee and gossip with his buddies,
playing in twice-weekly 84 games and bowling
in a weekly league. Now 88, he says he always
tried to take care of his body and mind.
He has also been active in Gideons
International, which distributes Bibles in
hotels, schools, hospitals, prisons and other
venues throughout the world. For several
years, he’s chaired the local chapter’s Memorial
Bible program, which requires a lot of clerical
work, which he passes on to Doris.
“He’s got the job, I’ve got the work,” Doris
said, laughing. “But then, I sort of like being
one of God’s secretaries.”
While Crisp likes to be out playing games
and visiting, Doris enjoys staying home and
reading. “I’m an inveterate reader. I like to read
anything and everything.”
They say common faith, respect, commitment and hard work have helped their marriage stay strong. Sitting on their living room
couch, they held hands. “If I had to do it all
over again,” Crisp said, “I’d do the exact same
thing.”
SC
Connecting Seniors & Sharing Stories in Greater Waco
Preserve mementos, photos for heirloom keepsakes
By LESLY RASCOE
Antique photographs, grandpa’s medals,
grandmother’s lace handkerchief or baby’s
shoes are keepsakes that are often treasured
for generations.
Preserving these mementos can ensure
they are enjoyed for years to come, said Lance
Magid, owner of Studio Gallery.
Specializing in photo restoration and creating works of art from family keepsakes, Studio
Gallery can colorize a sepia-toned and damaged photo bringing it back to life.
“We are preserving history. The photos that
we restore, it’s one of one, and there are no
others like it,” said Magid. “We digitize each
photo and give the customer a disc along with
their original photo and the restored photo in
an acetate sleeve.”
The special care that Studio Gallery takes
with each precious photo and keepsake is
reflected in the final product that becomes a
work of art.
This shadow box by Studio Gallery displays photos and keepsakes from
“I get a lot of pictures where the customer a World War II veteran.
Photo courtesy of Studio Gallery
will tell me, ‘This is Mom when she was 19.’
Some of them are the only photo in existence like that,” swords and scabbards are some of the more interestsaid Heather Hopkins, production manager and photo ing items that have been displayed in heirloom shadow
boxes.
restoration specialist for Studio Gallery.
A late 1800s parlor pistol was arranged with a photo
Whether damaged by age, water, smoke or light,
of the customer’s grandfather along with the note he
photos are scanned and then digitally modified to
wrote as he was dying after being shot. He was carryrestore their original beauty and in many cases even
ing the pistol during the brawl, and he explains in the
better. Most photos take three to four hours to
note who had shot him. Studio Gallery aged the paper
colorize, said Hopkins.
before carefully displaying it inside the glass case.
When historical items come in, Studio Gallery will
“Instead of these precious heirlooms of your family
research the time period to learn details that make
being stored in a box, you can make a beautiful piece
their preservation a snapshot of history.
of art of out of it,” said Magid.
Shadow boxes are popular ways to preserve items
One of his favorite pieces was a father’s baseball
that might otherwise be lost through damage and
glove
that was given to him for Father’s Day.
deterioration.
“This is why I do the framing and shadow boxes. It
A father’s doctor’s bag and its contents were
was a special gift from a daughter to a father,” he said.
arranged in a shadow box creating a glimpse into
“To me, that’s the really fun thing about shadowboxmedical equipment from days gone by.
Military shadow boxes also are frequent requests so ing. We can really do anything. As long as it’s not
living, it can go in a shadow box. We also do offfamilies can save honor medals, photos, flags,
the-wall things. We even preserved a snake skin in a
postcards, letters and other sentimental items.
Coins, records and musical instruments, a model of shadow box.”
a vintage plane, grandfather’s watch, a pistol that was
taken off of a German officer during World War II and
Continued on Page 10
SeniorConnectionWaco.com February
February2015
2015 9
SeniorConnectionWaco.com
The birthday cards are for both girls when they were
one and two years old but only one for Eula when their
third birthday came.
“They copied the original letter since it was so
fragile and sealed it on the back of the shadow box.
They made the letter look old and displayed it in the
box,” said McCall.
Studio Gallery takes special care with antique keepsakes so they can be enjoyed for many more years.
“All our materials are acid-free and conservationgrade,” said Magid. “We use the same stuff that the
Library of Congress uses.”
Non-glare museum glass is an option to give the
shadow box the illusion that it does not have glass at
all.
All shadow boxes are custom-made, and the customer can choose from more than a thousand kinds
of molding, matting and cloth to cover the mat board.
Lighting, holograms, digital photo monitors and engraved nameplates can be added as well.
“Everything we do is one-of-a-kind,” said Magid.
Studio Gallery is located at 4712 W. Waco Drive. For
Jill McCall, executive director of Compassion Ministries in
more information, call (254) 772-0907 or visit StudioWaco, preserved treasured keepsakes from her aunt Eula
GalleryWaco.com.
Helen Harvey Mayo, who is pictured here with her twin sister,
Pat Sundstrom with PixologieZone has discovered
Beulah Ellen Harvey. Beulah died as a toddler but their
that organizing years’ worth of family photos can be a
Sunday School cradle roll cards, letters and a baby cape are daunting task.
preserved in a framed piece by Studio Gallery.
“PixologieZone is a longtime dream of mine,” said
Sundstrom.
“For years, I have done organization and
Shadow boxes that open with a hinged door can be
restoration of photos. I have always wanted to make it
great show pieces for useful firearms that can be
into a business helping others tell the story of their life
displayed but still removed.
in photos.”
It takes Studio Gallery about two weeks to create a
PixologieZone is equipped with quality high speed
keepsake shadowbox, which make great gifts for 50th
scanners,
computers and software designed to utilize
wedding anniversaries. A wedding can be memorialthe latest methods of photo restoration and organizaized with a flower, invitation and fabric.
tion.
A baby’s bib, photos, shoes, spoon and a mat made
“Most people have tossed their photos into boxes
of a special piece of clothing can create a lovely keepand stored them in their basement or attic. Unfortusake to be treasured for a lifetime.
nately, such storage is damaging, especially with radical
Jill McCall preserved an heirloom infant cape that
temperature changes and moisture. With the advent of
belonged to her aunt, Eula Harvey Mayo, who was
today’s technology we now have our cells, tablets and
born in 1917.
computers loaded with photos,” said Sundstrom.
“It’s a very sentimental piece to me. She never had
That’s where PixologieZone comes in. Services
any children and was like a second mother to me,” said
include
organization of prints and digital images;
McCall.
scanning, restoring and enhancing photos, newspaper
The unique shadowbox also contains a photo of
clippings, documents and recipes; download digital
Eula with her twin sister, Beulah, who died when she
images from electronic devices; convert VHS and 35
was two and a half. The box contains antique birthday
mm slides to DVD; create traditional and/or digital
cards from their cradle roll class at the BrucevilleEddy United Methodist Church and a letter from their photo albums and slide shows for special occasions.
teacher expressing her condolences when Beulah died.
Photo by Lesly Rascoe
Continued from Page 9
10
Senior Connection
Connecting Seniors & Sharing Stories in Greater Waco
This original photo (left) was restored by PixologieZone to remove
creases and other signs of age.
Photos courtesy of PixologieZone
“PixologieZone’s helps others get started wherever
they are in their efforts to organize their photos, videos
and slides. We do this through one-on-one consultation and hands-on assistance. Ultimately, they recapture those most cherished moments,” said Sundstrom.
Photos are vulnerable to hard drive crashes and
technical obsolescence. Time destroys photos, home
movies and video tapes. Statistics reveal that 75% of
American households own a digital camera, and 86%
of all digital images never leave the camera.
“We not only help people preserve their cherished
memories, we also educate them on the importance of
saving and archiving these memories so they are not
lost through age, loss, computer crashes and natural
disaster,” said Sundstrom. “We offer a free consultation to review your needs, determine your goals, lay
out a plan to assist you and give you an estimate of cost
for the project. Estimates vary depending on size and
extent of the project.”
For more information, call (254) 640-5438 or visit
PixologieZone.com. SC
SeniorConnectionWaco.com
SeniorConnectionWaco.com February
February2015
2015 11
By LESLY RASCOE
F
The
heart
eeling good and having the energy to do the
things that make life enjoyable is important to
people of all ages and walks of life. As we age,
the incidence of cardiovascular disease increases, but
those risks can be reduced by boosting physical activity, eating a healthy diet and having regular check-ups.
While genetics play a large role as well, according to
the American Heart Association, obesity, high blood
pressure, smoking, diabetes and inactivity are factors
that can be improved for many older adults.
Tommy Carter, 72, administrator at Quality Care of
Waco, has adopted habits to improve his heart health.
“On my mother’s side, the genes were horrible. She
had a brother who died at 50 of a massive heart attack,”
said Carter. “At 61, I went in for what I thought was
indigestion.”
Tests revealed he had three blockages requiring a
heart bypass at Providence Health Center.
“I had excellent care at Providence. I spent four
nights in the hospital and recuperated for six weeks,”
said Carter.
He began a committed exercise regimen at the R.W.
Crosthwait, Sr., Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Program that he continues three times each week to
this day.
Carter said he enjoys renewed energy when he
works out using the treadmill, leg presses, walking
track and Stairmaster.
“After open heart surgery, I had so much more
energy,” said Carter. “It was a life-changing moment.”
Noticing that many people seem to slip back into
unhealthy habits after surgery, Carter said he knew he
must be disciplined and consistent to establish a heart
healthy lifestyle.
“For years, I worked, went home and put my feet
up,” said Carter. “Exercise is the key and getting off that
fried food. That’s what keeps us going is our exercise.
It’s crucial.”
That approach has given him the energy and stamina to do the things he enjoys such as traveling and
talking to each of his patients at Quality Care at least
once every day.
“They miss me if I don’t come by,” said Carter.
He is one of many Providence patients who have
12
Senior Connection
of the matter
overcome cardiac challenges so they can continue
living life to the fullest.
Tootie Murry RN, manager of the rehabilitation
program at Providence since 1986 and a nurse at the
hospital since 1973, has seen hundreds of patients
experience a renewed zest for life by adopting healthier
habits.
“It is uplifting. They can come here and get going
and see other patients who have had similar procedures and how they are doing,” said Murry.
The monitored exercise program allows patients to
check their blood pressure and monitor their heart
rate in a safe environment. They also can weigh in and
track their results each time they visit the rehab center.
State-of-the-art equipment includes treadmills,
stationary bicycles, NuStep®, ellipticals, arm
ergometers and weight training.
Other components of the program include diabetes
and nutritional education, smoking cessation information, dietary consultation and emotional intervention
for patients who may become discouraged.
“What we try to do is moderate their risks as much
as possible and meet their needs, both physical and
emotional,” said Murry. “They feel comfortable and
safe, and they know we are there for them.”
The three-phase program begins when the patient
is in the hospital and receiving pre-treatment education. Once they are discharged, they enter Phase II
and remain on a monitor while exercising in the rehab
center until they have completed the required number
of 60-minute sessions.
Phase III is an outpatient maintenance program for
patients in need of primary prevention with a focus on
maintaining lifestyle changes as well as physical conditioning.
With about 250 patients ranging in age from their
30s to 97 on the roll, the center comfortably serves 120
to 125 patients every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
“They develop a lot of good relationships here, and
that’s so good for them, too,” said Murry. “The anxiety
levels are so high when they first come in.”
To relieve some of the early concerns new patients
may experience, the Mended Hearts support group was
formed. Comprised of people who have been through
Connecting Seniors & Sharing Stories in Greater Waco
a heart event, the group meets monthly and
also visits with patients in the hospital who are
undergoing treatment for cardiac issues.
Vicki Sprague RN, a nurse in the rehab
center for 20 years, said the patients and
former patients enjoy the non-intimidating
setting to become more physically fit.
“We have a group of men waiting when
Tootie opens the door at 6 a.m.,” said Sprague.
“It’s a safe place for them to come and get back
on their feet. We counsel them and pull up diet
plans for them.”
Among the many success stories of people
who have participated in the program is one
patient who lost more than 100 pounds.
“Accountability is huge,” said Sprague. “We
do try to follow up if we haven’t seen someone
in a while unlike in a regular gym where they
blend in.”
The rehab center also focuses on the
patient’s general well-being and heart health
instead of a more intense body building
regimen.
“We are more interested in them improving
their stamina and strength,” said Sprague.
Murry agrees.
“They must have a real good motivation
such as grandchildren and they want to be
more active,” she said.
The rehab center also offers a pulmonary
care program for patients with chronic
pulmonary disease. Oxygen drops are available
throughout the room for these patients who
workout on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The
pulmonary program works with participants
to feel better and experience greater activity
and increased endurance and strength.
Both the Providence cardiac and pulmonary
rehab programs are nationally certified.
For more information, visit Providence.net.
SC
Tommy Carter works out three times a week at the
R.W. Crosthwait Sr. Cardiac and Pulmonary
Rehabilitation Center to maintain his heart health.
Photo by Travis Tucker
SeniorConnectionWaco.com February
February2015
2015 13
SeniorConnectionWaco.com
From left are Buddy Shieldes, Alison Lampert, Dick Rood and Ollie Lampert performing American banjo music accompanied
by the flute for Alison Lampert’s fourth grade music class at Valley Mills Elementary.
Photos by Lesly Rascoe
Banjo Buddies share musical heritage with children
The strumming of a banjo is about as American as
Banjo Buddies’ ability to play all the notes, and they
flying the flag, rich in homegrown culture and
had some good questions such as, ‘Is it hard to play?’
resonating with bits of history that are reminiscent of a and ‘Do your fingers hurt after you play a lot?’ ”
simpler time.
Buddy Shieldes, another of the Banjo Buddies,
When fourth grade music students in Alison
demonstrated the mechanisms of the banjo and how
Lampert’s class at Valley Mills Elementary listened to
to manipulate the strings to make different sounds. He
The Banjo Buddies play, they were captivated by the
also shared the history of the instrument that had its
nostalgic tunes that have been passed down through
beginnings on another continent.
the generations.
“It actually came from Africa. The ‘banjar’ was
When the Saints Go Marching In with its catchy beat made out of a big round gourd with the stretched skin
and easy-to-sing lyrics caught their attention and got
of an animal over it. The strings were added to make
their feet tapping.
sounds,” said Shieldes. “The African slaves made them.
“The banjo is a unique instrument for the students
They enjoyed playing them and entertaining with
to observe because it is a versatile instrument that can them.”
be used in several genres of music such as country and
The instrument was especially popular in the 1800s
bluegrass, folk and indie,” said Allison, whose grandand early 1900s, he told the students, who sang along
father, Ollie Lampert, plays with the group. “Also, the
with patriotic tunes such as You’re a Grand Old Flag,
banjo is similar enough to the guitar that students can America the Beautiful and God Bless America.
associate the two instruments together and compare
The group wants to take their program into more
them to find the differences.”
classrooms to share the nostalgia and heritage of the
As students learn about rhythm, chords and styles
banjo.
of music, something special happens when they get to
“My family was musical. Everybody either played
witness an instrument being played up close.
guitar, mandolin, fiddle or banjo,” said Shieldes. “When
“Listening to live music allows students to observe
I left to go to the army in 1960, I stopped by uncle’s
more in person than they can observe from a video
house in Sulphur Springs and he handed me a tenor
or audio recording,” said Alison Lampert. “Students
banjo and said, ‘Take this with you.’ I would entertain
learn more about how the instrument sounds and how at the officers’ club.”
it is played. The students seemed intrigued by The
14 Senior Connection
Connecting Seniors & Sharing Stories in Greater Waco
The guitar is his favorite instrument “because it’s
more versatile. You can play so many styles, but a banjo
is a lot of fun. When you pull out the banjo, the party
begins. It’s a fun time instrument.”
He likes to make sure his audiences have fun whether they are elementary age or in their older years. The
Banjo Buddies are popular entertainers at local nursing
homes.
“The people really enjoy some of the songs they
remember hearing from their childhood and their
young life. It’s great to see the smiles on their faces and
that we are pleasing them with our entertainment,” he
said. “Where they have dementia, you will see the light
come on in their eyes and they will start mouthing the
words. It’s like an awakening to their memories. Music
is a wonderful gift of God.”
Shieldes spent nine years in the U.S. Army before
beginning a career in sales. Through all the changes in
his life, Buddy said music has been a constant source of
inspiration.
“Music has always been a comfort to me, and it’s
always been an icebreaker in crowds. Also, there’s a
bond among musicians. Some of my closest friends
and long-lasting friends have been musicians and I
really do value that,” he said. “It’s what got me involved
in church. I started playing for religious services. I got
more involved and became a deacon. It kind of opened
that door for me there, too.”
Ollie Lampert, 82, said that while the guitar is his
primary instrument, he can tune his banjo and get into
the rhythm with the group.
“I like banjo sounds, especially the way the good
banjo players pick with their thumb and fingers on a
five-string,” said Ollie Lampert. “We just play rhythm
with a banjo in my case. Sometimes I play lead with
some runs and variations. I play everything by ear.”
Some of his favorite tunes are Born Free, Play Misty
for Me, Don’t Fence Me In and Beautiful Dreamer.
Also in the group is Dick Rood, who plays the
four-string tenor banjo and makes the song list for the
group’s gigs. The Banjo Buddies practice every Tuesday
unless they have a gig,
“We work on chords, tunes and timing. We are amateurs, but we are musicians,” he said.
The group likes to stay tuned up to play at fund-raisers, churches and other events from their repertoire of
about 60 songs that are popular with their audiences.
The group doesn’t accept pay but will “play for food,”
jokes Rood.
‘I liked their outfits, and I also liked that they told us about
the first banjos,’ said Logan, who got to practice strumming
on Buddy Shieldes’ banjo.
The band plays about once a week with their regular
rotation including 2 p.m. third Tuesdays at Sterling
House Retirement Center, 3 p.m. third Wednesdays at
Lakeshore Estates and 10:30 a.m. fourth Mondays at
Stilwell Retirement Center.
“When we play at the nursing homes, they love the
Golden Oldies, songs they remember from their childhood,” said Rood.
Tunes from the early 1900s, 1920s and 1930s and
gospel and praise songs are especially enjoyed by the
older set.
Let Me Call You Sweetheart and Alexander’s Rag
Time Band are always on the playlist, said Rood, who
has been playing the banjo for 25 years.
“I learned from an uncle who was self-taught, and
my mother played piano. She wanted all three of her
sons to learn the piano, but as the youngest I couldn’t
get the left hand to synchronize with the right hand,”
said Rood. When he was 13, his mother told him she
had found a place where he could take banjo lessons.
“I took for a couple of years, but being a teenager and
it being so different than my peers, I didn’t do anything
else with it...Now, I’ve played the banjo one hour a day
seven days a weeks for more than 20 years.” SC
SeniorConnectionWaco.com
February 2015
15
M
Nurse recalls days treating
akeshift, mobile field hospitals dotted
the landscape in war-torn Europe during
World War II. Their presence was often
obscured from enemy forces while dedicated men
and women worked around the clock to care for the
wounded.
It was in this setting that Martha Meers Moyer
earned her bars as a U.S. Army surgical nurse. She
treated the most critically injured, young men with
severe chest and abdominal wounds who needed
immediate care before being transported to a hospital.
She worked alongside doctors mending and caring
for paratroopers and soldiers who had faced enemy fire
and still had a chance to make it back home.
Patriotism calls young nurse to join the cause
“All the young men in my high school graduating
class were being drafted or volunteered. It was a
patriotic thing,” said Moyer.
She graduated from St. John’s Hospital in Joplin,
Missouri in 1941 and soon heard the calling of her
generation and joined the Army Nurses Corps in
September 1942. She spent two years at Fort Leonard
Wood, Missouri before transferring to the 42nd Field
Hospital at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The hospital
was divided into three platoons, each of which could
operate as a separate hospital. Moyer was assigned to
the third platoon.
From Fort Bragg, the nurses went to New York
before embarking on a 10-day journey to Glasgow,
Scotland where they were greeted by a bagpipe band.
Moyer spent her 24th birthday crossing the North
Atlantic aboard the U.S.S. Susan B. Anthony in March
1944.
The young women traveled by train to Bromyard,
England, where their hospital unit was attached to the
1st Army under General Omar Bradley. Realizing that
D-Day was eminent, the nurses lived in a private home
and continued to train by watching films and working
in the bivouac area, practicing setting up pyramidal
tents and cots.
They were learning to work as an efficient team so
they could be as prepared as possible to carry out these
tasks with the noise of shell fire around them.
Only four days after the invasion at Normandy on
June 6, 1944, the 42nd Field Hospital was put to the
test. Their extensive training was desperately needed
16
Senior Connection
on the beaches where they were sent to care for countless wounded.
The nurses boarded a liberty ship, a U.S.-built cargo
vessel, at South Hampton, England to head to France.
“It was loaded with supplies including trucks down
below us with cans of gasoline,” said Moyer.
The nurses stayed on the second deck of the ship
during the night for safety.
“When we woke up in the morning, we could go up
on the deck. I think what stands out in my mind is the
number of ships in the English Channel,” said Moyer.
“Some of the ships had big booms on the stern and
bow of the ship to prevent the German dive bombers.”
When the ship arrived at Utah Beach, the docks
were already built. Because their equipment landed at
Omaha Beach, the third platoon worked with the other
two platoons in their unit until their equipment
arrived.
They walked about a mile through a recently cleared
mine field to trucks that would take them to the tent
hospital near Saint Mere-Eglise.
The hospital operated in total blackout because of
the bombings, said Moyer. To avoid drawing attention,
staff created an entryway for the tent so light from the
generator-powered bulbs could not be seen.
Each platoon had 30 cots with no sheets where
wounded soldiers waited for treatment and recovered
with a wool Army blanket to keep warm. Sheets were
used to line the operating areas to create a more sterile
environment. X-ray machines and a laboratory were
set up, but most treatment was basic compared to
modern standards.
“As soon as patients were stable enough to be transferred, we would send them to an evacuation hospital,”
said Moyer. “Of course, we had deaths, too. A special
unit took care of the bodies. They were so busy on the
beaches because there were so many bodies.”
While death was a part of life on the war front,
Moyer said they worked hard to save as many lives as
possible.
“They expected our total hospital, all three platoons,
to have a 25 percent mortality rate, but we had about a
15 to 16 percent so we did some good,” she said.
Moyer cared for hundreds of young men. Most
would come and go so quickly through the tent
hospital that getting to know them more personally
was difficult.
ConnectingSeniors
Seniors&&Sharing
SharingStories
StoriesininGreater
GreaterWaco
Waco
Connecting
soldiers on the war front
By LESLY RASCOE
One young man still captures her memory
though.
“We were stationed near Paris, and there was
a young Jewish man, a kid really, from New York
state,” said Moyer. “He had his left arm amputated.
I think it was blown off. He was so convinced that
his family would not accept him because he was
not whole. He willed himself to die and he did.
That still haunts me. I still think if I had known
psychological nursing, I maybe could
have helped.”
The only disposable supplies were gloves and
bandages. Glass syringes would be sterilized and
re-used, and needles were sterilized and sharpened. Surgical instruments were packaged
according to procedures to insure quick access,
and towels, dressings and sponges were prepared
for emergencies.
The injured were cared for under the grim
conditions with morphine and an early form of
penicillin.
“When I first went in the Army, they were just
Moyer is shown here at the U.S. Army tent hospital where she
starting to use penicillin. It was a water solution.
worked. This little black pup was the platoon’s mascot and pet.
We would mix the powder and inject it every
‘We named him Gerry because of the Germans.’
three hours,” said Moyer. “The GIs carried
sulfanilamide powder to sprinkle on wounds to
Moyer picked up a few German words while caring
prevent infection.”
for the German soldiers. Schmerzen indicated pain or
The platoons in the field hospital would try to stay
hurt and was a word she heard often from her patients.
ahead of the action and keep up with constant flow of
Eventually, her unit moved forward to St. Vith,
patients.
Belgium, a crossroads within the Ardennes Forest. She
“We would begin moving and start leap-frogging
was there when the Battle of the Bulge began on Dec.
with the other platoons,” said Moyer. They continued
16, 1944, in bitter cold.
working with the 1st Army until the St. Lo break“The nurses were evacuated in the back of an ambuthrough in July 1944 when they were moved to the 3rd
lance leaving two doctors and seven corpsmen behind
Army under Gen. George S. Patton.
to care for patients,” she said. Those members of their
“We followed Patton all the way through France,”
platoon were captured when the Germans took St.
she said. “We increased from 30 cots to 100 cots,
Vith.
setting up more tents. All the platoons did.”
“We could see out of the back window (as we were
Not only were they caring for Allied troops, but the
leaving) and the Germans were coming. St. Vith was
platoon also took in enemy soldiers.
being shelled,” she said. They went to a place near
“We had a number of German prisoners, and that
Sedan, France to seek shelter during the invasion.
was different because of the language barrier,” said
“All nine were finally freed, and our last corpsman
Moyer. “Also, they had been indoctrinated since they
came back to us on Christmas Day. It was the best
were children and were very disrespectful to the nurses
Christmas present we could ask for.”
until we got a POW German doctor who straightened
them out. They didn’t trust us, and they weren’t
Continued on Page 18
supposed to.”
SeniorConnectionWaco.com
SeniorConnectionWaco.com February
February2015
2015 17
Continued from Page 17
Martha Meers (right) shows off her newly issued long johns,
gas mask and helmet with her friend and fellow nurse,
Maxine Dow, from Iowa. ‘We dressed up to show off our new
equipment.’
The sudden move meant the platoon, which was
constantly dodging the enemy while tending to the
wounded, had to rebuild.
“We had lost all of our equipment again. We were
re-equipped and started out again crossing the Rhine
River to Cologne, Germany,” said Moyer.
Amidst all the surreal events of the war, Moyer remembers the moment that for her was the most
unnerving. It happened when her platoon was in
Germany.
“We were in a building, and we had the little dog
with us,” said Moyer. “We were on R&R between
patients. My friend and I were in one room, and we
kept hearing the shelling. We tried to get under the bed
but couldn’t. The echo reverberated between the two
brick buildings, and we were just sure that building
was going to go.”
18
Senior Connection
When the women emerged, they learned that the
shelling had sounded closer than it actually was
because of the echo between the buildings.
“I don’t remember being scared. We were just doing
our job, and we were where we were supposed to be,”
said Moyer. “I just had a feeling that God would take
care of us. I wasn’t really that religious at the time. I
took my training at a Catholic hospital, and I went to
Sunday School as a kid, but I’m fairly ecumenical.”
Moyer was officially discharged in January 1946 as a
captain.
When the war ended, Moyer was sent to Fort
Sheridan near Chicago.
“Of course, they wanted me to stay in the Army and
go to San Antonio,” said Moyer. “I liked the Army, but
I wanted to get married and have a family. At that time,
a woman couldn’t be married and be in the Army. A
lot has changed since then.”
Although Moyer didn’t choose the Army life as her
career, her days taking care of the young men who
served in World War II remain with her.
“I went back to Normandy on the 50th anniversary,
and it was very emotional to see all those crosses and
Stars of David at Omaha Beach. They were all very
young,” said Moyer. “At the Battle of the Bulge, when
the infantry came in, those boys hadn’t been in the
Army 30 to 60 days. They weren’t even dry behind the
ears.”
Life after the war
In 1946, Martha Meer married Robert Moyer, a
childhood friend who had served in the Army in the
South Pacific.
“He went to work for Rocketdyne in Missouri and
was transferred to McGregor in 1960,” she said. He
passed away in 1974.
The couple had two daughters, Robin Christian, who
is a nurse in Georgetown, and Stephanie Hannemann.
Moyer now boasts three grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren.
Martha Moyer continued her nursing career, working in hospitals and clinics bejore the joining the team
at Westview Manor in McGregor where she still works
with patient records.
In 1966, Dr. L.E. Robertson and his brother, Dr.
W.C. Robertson, and businessman Jimmy Gilmore
built Westview Manor. Moyer joined the staff and wore
the dual hat of administrator and director of nurses
until the home began accepting Medicare patients.
ConnectingSeniors
Seniors&&Sharing
SharingStories
StoriesininGreater
GreaterWaco
Waco
Connecting
“So they said I was wearing too many hats, and they
hired another administrator. I remained the director of
nurses for 22 years and then tried to retire a couple of
times,” she said.
She worked as the infection control and quality
assurance nurse for two or three years and retired for
three months before returning to help with discharge
summaries.
“I told them I would come back, but this time I
would be staying until they put me in a bed,” she said.
While caring for the nursing home patients, Moyer
also played a key role in caring for the community.
In 1978, the community set up an EMS for Crawford, Moody and McGregor. The EMS continued as an
all-volunteer service until December 2013, when Coryell Memorial EMS began providing ambulance and
emergency services.
Moyer became an Emergency Care Attendant
(ECA), and later was certified as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) so that she could teach those
who volunteered with the new ambulance service. She
Martha Moyer shows off some of her commendations,
continued to work as an EMT until she was 80.
including the French Legion of Honor, for her service as a
She also was named McGregor’s Outstanding
nurse for the U.S. Army during World War II.
Citizen in 1978 and received the Chamber’s Lifetime
Photo by Lesly Rascoe
Achievement award in 2012. Moyer also has received
the Community Builder Award from the Masonic
Grand Lodge of Texas.
She was named the Outstanding Older Worker of
Texas in 2007 and attended a recognition ceremony in
Washington DC along with honorees from every state.
Sharing her story
Most recently, she received the French Legion of
Honor Award Nov. 14 at Fort Sam Houston in San
Antonio for her service during World War II. The
highest French decoration was established by
Napoleon Bonaparte to recognize eminent merits of
service in France and may be awarded to French
citizens and foreign nationals.
Of the 22 World War II veterans honored that day,
Moyer was the only woman. The chief nurse at the
hospital at Fort Sam Houston thanked Moyer for
paving the way for future women in the Army.
In June 2014, Moyer returned to Fort Leonard
Wood, at the invitation of her great nephew,
Command Sergeant Major Tim Meers of the Missouri Army National Guard. Back at her original base,
she toured the new hospital and the John B. Mahaffey
Museum complex and shared her story with hospital
personnel and the Missouri National Guard historian. SC
SeniorConnectionWaco.com
SeniorConnectionWaco.com February
February2015
2015 19
If walls could talk….
Old country church still resonates with history of days gone by
By LESLY RASCOE
About 10 years later, it appears the church divided
into two congregations, and the Eagle Springs Baptist
The Eagle Springs Baptist Church is a place where
church was formed. Its early parishioners included
future Texas Governor and president of Baylor
history has been made since it was founded by Texas
University Pat Neff and members of his family.
pioneers on the banks of Onion Creek in Coryell
“Neff joined the church at a young age and was
County.
baptized in nearby Onion Creek. Neff always considIts walls have withstood the test of time, and the
church maintains a loyal following of people who
ered this church as the origin of his religious beliefs,”
according to On the banks of Onion Creek.., an
continue to honor its story with an annual
historical account of the church’s past that was pubhomecoming celebration.
lished in 1998 to commemorate its 140th anniversary.
The original Onion Creek Church was founded
The exact date of construction of the current
in 1858 by the Rev. John McClain, who would visit
building is not certain but is believed to be in the mid
neighboring communities on horseback inviting the
pioneering farmers and their families to attend church. to late 1870s.
Cypress wood was hauled by oxen-pulled wagons
He offered to pastor a log church that was being
from Galveston for the church’s siding. The original
constructed on the creek. Church historians believe
wood floors and pews still welcome guests who visit
that church burned about a year after its construction
the church. Its two front doors allowed the women and
and was rebuilt.
children to enter on the left and men on the right. The
Church legend says that Rev. McClain preached
men bore guns on their knees in case services were
against the rampant problem of horse stealing during
his time. Word got out that the preacher should refrain interrupted by a Comanche attack.
“That is what is so valuable about a church like this,”
from his weekly sermons against this profitable—yet
said trustee and historian Martha Deeringer. “This is
illegal—practice. His life was threatened, and the
what a church was like 150 years ago. People still
pastor was forced to hide in the woods until things
worshipped God even in these primitive conditions.”
cooled down.
The church served as a stepping stone for many of
A group of lawmen and citizens took care of the
outlaws re-establishing law and order in Eagle Springs. its early pastors who were young ministerial students
from Baylor University. Its historical rosters boast of
Rev. McClain returned to the pulpit and continued as
men who would later become noted pastors in the
pastor until 1868.
Southern Baptist Convention.
The church remains the only building of the
once thriving community of Eagle Springs that
withered away when it was passed up by the
railroad. The congregation finally voted to disband
in 1948 electing trustees to maintain the building
for weddings, funerals and annual homecomings.
The church basically stood empty for half a
century until retired Baptist minister Rev. Marion
Ford resurrected it in 1998 with old-fashioned
Gospel music and preaching.
The beloved relic received a makeover that
retained its historic atmosphere while preserving
it for future generations. The building was levelled
This historical photo at Eagle Springs Baptist Church bears a note and painted and wiring was replaced. Ceiling fans
saying the man sitting on the step is Gov. Pat Neff.
were installed. New doors were hung, and a
Photo courtesy of Eagle Springs Baptist Church concrete ramp was built.
20
Senior Connection
Connecting Seniors & Sharing Stories in Greater Waco
The Eagle Springs Baptist Church is one of only a few Baptist churches left in Texas with side-by-side doors, according to the
Texas Historical Commission. Women and children entered on the left while men entered on the right.
Photos by Lesly Rascoe
This hard work resulted in a phase of tremendous
growth, and a new modern structure was built to
accommodate the congregation.
The historic church was nearly destroyed by a
tornado in 2006 and was slated for destruction. Its
historical significance inspired a group of
parishioners to raise money and begin restorations
again. The church was moved to a nearby grove of trees
on private property next to the Eagle Springs
Cemetery. The grave of the church’s founding pastor
can be seen from its steps.
It bears a designation from the
Texas Historial Commission and is
maintained through private
donations.
Eagle Springs Baptist Church is
located just off FM 107 between
Moody and Gatesville.
For more information, visit
Rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txhesbca. SC
The original wood floors, pews and pulpit
are some of the original historical features
at Eagle Springs Baptist Church.
An original light fixture from the church
was fashioned into a lamp and rests on
the
piano.
SeniorConnectionWaco.com February 2015 21
SeniorConnectionWaco.com
February 2015 21
Publisher’s note...
My great-grandparents, Katura Green
Wheat and Thomas
Carroll Porterfield,
were married on
Nov. 20, 1898, by the
Rev. John McClain at
Eagle Springs Baptist
Church. David Scott, a
church historian, told
me that Rev. McClain
continued to marry
young couples long
after his retirement as
pastor of the church.
Katie and Carroll had
nine children. Their
daughter, Robbie
Lorraine Porterfield
Kirk, 95, still lives
Katura Green Wheat and Thomas Carroll Porterfield were married in 1898 at the Eagle
in Bellmead. Their
Springs Baptist Church.
youngest child, Ernest
Katie and Carroll are buried at Moody Cemetery along
Carroll Porterfield,
with other family members. LR
was my grandfather and passed in 2002.
22
Senior Connection
Connecting Seniors & Sharing Stories in Greater Waco
Cooking from the Heart
A heart healthy diet is plant-based, rich in antioxidants
By ROBIN JEEP
Your body is a super self-healing machine if you give
it the right fuel. A plant-based diet rich in antioxidants
(protection against disease) and micro-nutrients
(essential nutrients in vitamins and minerals) has
shown itself to be the fuel to protect your body against
such conditions as coronary disease, Type II diabetes
and cancer.
The Standard American Diet, lacking in
antioxidants, micro-nutrients and fiber while at the
same time rich in fat, animal protein and processed
foods, is a formula for chronic illness such as heart
disease.
Two of the best ways you can protect your heart is to
read New York Times best-sellers: Reverse and Protect
Heart Disease by Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr. MD and Eat
To Live by Joel Fuhrman MD.
Dr. Esselstyn challenged conventional cardiology
by proving with amazing results that patients who
followed his groundbreaking plant-based nutrition
program can not only prevent and stop the progression of heart disease but also reverse its effects. Dr.
Esselstyn was a surgeon, clinician and researcher at
the Cleveland Clinic for more than 35 years, where he
was a member of the board of governors and president
of the staff. He and his family are on a mission to turn
around America’s health crisis. For more information,
visit DrEsselstyn.com.
Dr. Joel Fuhrman, another brilliant out-of-the-box
thinker, is a board-certified family
physician and nutritional researcher who specializes in preventing
and reversing disease through
nutritional and natural methods. I
highly recommend any of his books
or his powerfully motivating DVDs
at DrFuhrman.com.
While working as Dr. Fuhrman’s
dietary assistant in his New Jersey
clinic, it became commonplace to
witness his patients recover from
serious heart disease and other chronic illnesses on a
daily basis.
This work inspired me to develop recipes that are
rich in antioxidants. This recipe for Veggie Wraps is
easy and delicious. It appears in my book, The Super
Antioxidant Diet and Nutrition Guide, in which I
collaborated with Richard Couey PhD.
Veggie Wraps
Serves 4
1 cup cooked or canned lentils or beans
½ cup chopped celery
1 orange, peeled, pressed or minced
½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 teaspoons cold-pressed virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon dried currants
¼ cup chopped red bell pepper, seeds removed
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 teaspoon Bragg’s Liquid Amino Acids
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
12 large leaf lettuce leaves
Combine all ingredients except for lettuce leaves.
Spread mixture on each lettuce leaf and roll.
Chef Robin Jeep is the creator of Vibrant Cuisine® and
the visionary behind Clean Eats Gourmet Meals and
education program. For more information, visit
RobinJeep.com. SC
SeniorConnectionWaco.com
February 2015
23
Senior Money Management
Estate planning involves five core documents
By LESLY RASCOE
Preparing for the transfer of assets at the end of one’s
life is just one important part of basic estate planning.
It also involves making medical decisions and allowing
family members to help when an individual is unable to
make decisions on their own.
“No matter how much we talk about it, many people
neglect it,” said attorney and estate planning expert
Elisa Rainey.
She recommends five core documents to ensure
that a person has considered and set in place directives
for both their property and their physical wellbeing: a will, durable power of attorney for financial
matters, directive to physicians (also known as a
living will), HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act ) authorization and health care
power of attorney.
“These are the five I recommend regardless of age
for adults on up to end of life. Obviously, as we age the
likelihood that we need one is much higher, but we can
have an emergency at any age,” said Rainey.
While many people will ask about a revocable living
trust, most clients do not need this instrument in Texas
since the probate process here is very efficient and much
more affordable than in other states, said Rainey.
“In Texas, we have independent administration, and
most people are better off with just a will instead of
going to the expense and administrative obligation of
a trust,” she said. However, trusts can be helpful in the
case of heirs who are very young, disabled or who need
long-term management of the trust.
“A will is very important even for someone with a
very simple estate. If we have to probate, it’s much easier
and much less expensive if we have a will,” said Rainey.
Probate is the process in which the court puts the
will into effect after a person’s passing. In some cases,
this step can be bypassed such as if a person has sold all
their property and put their money in an account with
their children named as beneficiaries or for contracts
such as life insurance or retirement accounts.
A durable power of attorney for financial matters
allows a designated agent to make financial decisions on
behalf of the client.
“One of the biggest decisions that a person makes
when drafting their power of attorney is when the
power kicks in. We can draft it so that the agent has
authority immediately or when the person is incapable
of making their own decisions. I usually recommend
that they make it effective immediately because it can be
unclear when capacity is diminished,” said Rainey.
“It is critical that you have confidence in the integrity
of your agent. They must be savvy enough to handle
financial matters well and have the integrity to do it in
the way you want it done.”
The living will allows a person to state their wishes
regarding end-of-life treatment.
“Think of it as a letter from you to your doctor telling
your doctor how you want end-of-life treatment, if you
are unable to communicate,” said Rainey. “As long as a
person is able to communicate with their doctor and
participate in treatment decisions, the doctor will follow
your instructions in treatment. But if an end-of-life
decision needs to be made and you can’t participate, the
directive to physicians takes the weight of the decision
off of your loved ones.”
The HIPAA authorization is a permission slip that
allows insurance companies and medical providers to
visit with the people named on the document about the
person’s medical information.
The health care power of attorney allows an agent
or a series of agents to make medical decisions for an
individual if they lose capacity to do so for themselves.
“It does not kick in unless the person does not have
capacity to make their own medical decisions. I very
strongly urge my clients to name
You may need PixologieZone if... a series of agents instead of co~you have boxes of unorganized photos
agents. That way, one person has
~you have an inheritance of photos
the authority to make the decision
~you have digital images on
obsolete media
instead of getting a consensus
~you have historical documents
among multiple agents,” said
to preserve
~you have stacks of kids artwork Rainey.
Get in the ZONE!
For more information on estate
~you have VHS videos
Let the photos of your life
planning and other legal matters,
Tell the story of your life
visit RaineyandRainey.com or call
(254) 640-5438
Pixologist (254) 752-8644. SC
Find out more
Call for a free consultation PixologieZone.com

24
Senior Connection
Connecting Seniors & Sharing Stories in Greater Waco
SeniorConnectionWaco.com
February 2015
25
26
Senior Connection
Connecting Seniors & Sharing Stories in Greater Waco