By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The senior citizens gathered Monday celebrated their longevity and shared their wisdom. A total of 127 Wood County residents aged 90 and older were invited to get gussied up with corsages and received certificates during the 10th annual “90s Plus Spectacular” at the Wood County Senior Center in Bowling Green.
This generation plowed farm fields with horses, worked for the railroad, served as soldiers, and taught students to write in cursive and do their sums.
They raised their children, went to church, and served their communities.
They have memories of parachuting into enemy territories, of playing accordion in dance bands, and of nursing people back to health.
And Monday, they were celebrated with dinner and harp music.
“Some of these people went to school together,” said Danielle Brogley, activities director at the senior center. “It’s like a prom.”
At one table in the front sat Pat McGinnis, 93, known to senior center staff as “Principal Patty.” She was a teacher and elementary principal, who later worked at WBGU Channel 27 and supervised future teachers at BGSU.
On Monday, though, she was there purely for fun.
“I talked to my sister last night. She said when you go to that party tomorrow, look for old men, not old women,” McGinnis said with a grin.
Her tablemate pointed out a man at the next table. “But he’s married,” McGinnis said. “No he’s not,” her friend said, as they both began giggling.
At another table, it was not lost on Luther Henline, 94, of Pemberville, that the women far outnumbered the men at Monday’s event.
“The women must have rested more than the men,” accounting for their longer lives, he said.
Henline, who has lived in the same house since 1956, has seen countless changes in his lifetime.
“Some are good and some are bad. But it’s still a great country,” he said.
Henline, who was an electrician at LOF, has attended four celebrations so far for those 90 and older.
“I’ve got all these certificates hanging on the wall,” he said.
He is a regular at the senior center in Pemberville.
“I was the official dishwasher there for a long time,” Henline said.
At the same table was Kenneth Sieving, 90, who was a farmer, Freedom Township Trustee, and worked at a pickle grading station. He had attended the event in the past as a guest – but now that he turned 90 himself, he brought his wife, Kay, a spring chicken at 89. “Now it’s my turn to entertain her,” he said.
Helen Dermer, 90, of Bowling Green, wouldn’t dream of missing the “spectacular.”
“I’ve accompanied a lot of older people. For many of us, it’s the year’s annual event,” she said. “We see a lot of people we know.”
Monday was the first time for Bob and Millie Dierker, of Pemberville, to attend the event. They were accompanied by their three children.
“Everyone we talked to said this is their favorite time of year,” Millie said.
Bob was less excited about attending, but Millie convinced him to go.
“After 69 years, I’m used to talking him into things,” she said with a smile.
Each senior was asked to share a particular memory.
Many of the seniors shared memories of meeting the loves of their lives.
Patti Dunn, 92, recalled flying with her husband in a small two-seater plane. He had landed in her father’s hay field to pick her up.
Emily Guion, 100, said she met her future husband, Bob, in Sunday School. She was wearing gloves, and he asked if she had a wedding ring on under the gloves. Bob went to the library the next day to see her hands without gloves. When he found out she wasn’t married, he asked her out. They were married 65 years.
Luther Henline, 94, of Pemberville, said he married the most beautiful redhead in Wood County.
Elizabeth Kretz, 96, said she and her husband went on a hot air balloon ride for their 40th wedding anniversary.
Cleo and Betty Rau, both 93 years old, have been married for 76 years. Cleo’s advice for a long, happy marriage was to “remember that when you’re married, you’d better love each other because rough times come. But when you do love each other, you can weather any storm.”
Joyce Grimshaw, 91, shared multiple memories. She talked of raising four children when her husband left, of having a future murderer and millionaire in a fifth grade class that she taught, of drawing plans for the house she lives in, and of writing a book that is in Way Public Library.
Nancy Stonerock, 90, traveled to all 50 states, 17 foreign countries, went to New Orleans in 2007 to work after Hurricane Katrina, and has made more than 400 prayer quilts for Rossford United Methodist Church.
Their lives spanned wars, heartaches, plus amazing mechanical and technological advancements.
Betty Wenig, 91, grew up in the 1930s, using horses to farm. In the 1940s, the horses were sold and a tractor was purchased. Now at her farm, the tractors and combine follow the rows without guidance from the operator.
Alta Codding, 92, remembered the Korean War starting the day after she was married in 1951. A telegram came for her husband, Chuck, to be recalled for another two years as an officer in the Navy.
Some shared happy memories, like Helen Dermer, who told of learning to drive a car at age 10. It was a jalopy, with a clutch and gear shift on the floorboard, that she took down a farm lane.
Lowell “Mike” Rhuland, 94, told of some high jinks from high school. As a freshman, he never completed any book reports. A classmate, who was “sweet on him” wrote the reports for him. Then he would rewrite them in his handwriting.
That soon became a chore, so he just turned in the reports in the girl’s handwriting, which looked nothing like his. One day, the teacher called him to her desk, and asked if he wrote the book report. He admitted to having the young lady write them for him. The teacher looked at him, smiled, and said, “I used to do your dad’s.”
Rhuland went on to become a State Highway Patrol trooper.
The seniors were also asked to give advice to younger generations. Their words of wisdom varied greatly:
- Don’t milk cows – Jim Alexander, 92, of Pemberville, who had 100 dairy cows that had to be milked twice a day.
- Take care of your grass and flowers – Glady Bollenbacher, 90, from Cygnet.
- Teach children how to study – Delbert Brown, 92, of Bowling Green.
- Pray for peace – Connie Clark, 92, from Custar.
- Get a good job and make sure it is one you love – Rolland Creps, 93, Tontogany.
- Get married young – Eileen Davis, 93, from Wayne.
- Buy life insurance when you’re young, invest in saving when you’re young, it will never be enough, plus you get the power of compounding – Phyllis Dibling, 90.
- Learn the Ten Commandments and live them – Bob Dierker, 90, Pemberville.
- Don’t forget to exercise every day – Patti Dunn, 92, Bowling Green.
- Start early being good to your body, laugh often, care for others, and listen to music a lot – Joyce Grimshaw, 91.
- Don’t waste your time just sitting around doing nothing. Be as active as you can. Find things that you can do that interest you, and that you enjoy – Emily Guion, 100, Bowling Green.
- Always be curious. Be aware of what is going on around you and in the world. Be involved in your community. Keep developing your interests and skills – Emmy Hann, 90, Bowling Green.
- Enjoy a more worry-free life, plan to spend less than your income, and save some in a rainy day fund for emergencies, education for your children, and as a supplement fund for retirement – Gerald Hazel, 90.
- Get as much education as possible – Donald Hentges, 91.
- Do what you want to do now, don’t wait or hesitate – Madeline Hetko, 98.
- Be honest and learn all you can, complaining never gets anyone anywhere – Betty Jones, 94.
- Don’t get in trouble – Esther Junkins, 90.
- Stay away from liquor and playing cards – Virginia Kratzer, 97.
- Sing your heart out – Esther Marshall, 93.
- Don’t smoke or do drugs, get married, raise a family and enjoy your work – Harold Mercer, 97.
- A smile is a marvelous thing, it’s easy to produce, it’s contagious and it costs nothing. Give it freely and brighten someone’s day – George Seifert, 94.
- Travel and live in different countries, see the U.S., especially the national parks, and plant lots of flowers – Nancy Seifert, 91.
- Enjoy life but don’t overspend, and if you love someone – tell them – Nancy Stonerock, 90.
- Think long and hard before voting – Stephen J. Tertuliani, 90.
- Raise your children in Sunday school and church – Mary Wilkolek, 91.
