Senior Spotlight

Cheers to You Rosemary Rodden and Patty James!

It’s hard to write about the wonderful life of one inspiring woman without the input and memories of

another, so today I’m choosing to write about two lovely ladies who have lived in Central California their

whole lives and contributed back to each community from Fresno to Bass Lake along their way.

So Cheers to you Rosemary Rodden and Patty James!

Rosemary was born in the OLD Saint Agnes Hospital in downtown Fresno on August 22 nd , 1922.

She was one of ten children and the oldest of 4 girls. Each of the girls in Rosemary’s family had some

degree of post high school education. The boys in the family generally entered various trades with their

successes in life.

Rosemary went to Fresno Junior College and took secretarial courses, worked for a short time at a

doctors’ office and did something that totally surprised her family. She applied for, and received a

Gottchalks’ credit card! (unheard of at age 18) let alone a success for “a mere girl, but Rosemary had

already proven her good credit and sensibility even at that age! Most everything Rosemary worked at,

she did well.

Now, Patty tells the story of how her parents chanced to meet… It seems that poor Rosemary had been

bored silly up at Bass Lake for 1 full week with not “a male in sight!” It was one lousy vacation if you

were to ask her! So, on her last day there, she went swimming in the lake and went to Ducey’s to hear

what the music was all about, and there were all of these good looking service guys shipping off to India,

Burma and China the next day… and her mom (of course) looking like a drowned rat!

Needless to say, after a few dances and 2 years of great correspondence, Rosemary and Patty’s Dad

were married, the bad hair day was forgiven and Ducey’s became an important part of their family’s life.

Rosemary’s 30+ year dream job came when she went to work at Fresno State University in the Deans’

office. One of the biggest honors she had was putting together what is now known as the West Coast

Relay or the “Mini Olympics” with American track and field 8 th grade-college and even amateur events.

In 1981, following an amazing tenure with Fresno State University Rosemary was the first woman ever

to be inducted into the Track Hall of Fame @ Fresno State University. By putting together this event and

running it year after year, Rosemary created quite a reputation for her skill and event planning

excellence.

As what would be a natural “transition in life”, Rosemary, and now with the help of daughter (Patty),

moved into the family Bass Lake vacation home that had become so much a part of their family’s love of

life. Both ladies became anything but retired. They joined, Happy Hikers, Lady Elks, Mountain

Community Women and yes… even the Sierra Senior Center!!!

Football season never had bigger fans than these 2 ladies as I am sure every 49er touchdown was heard

from here to the appropriate football stadium.

Although Rosemary has been gone now for almost 1 year and to make it to 102 years old, she had

stories to offer the world. Rosemary had a special event to leave behind and to have made all of our

lives just a little bit richer… but most of all, we’re so lucky to have Patty who still gives (tirelessly) to the

Senior Center and carries that same “can do spirit” as her mother before her.

If you know of anyone who should be interviewed for this column, please contact Lori @ (559) 683-7650

Cheers to You Lori Howard

Tax time for seniors has taken on a new meaning of “So sorry, I have no time for the frivolous

conversations of days gone by right now”. Hmmmmmmmmmmm!

I have now found myself with great people to write about, but there is no time for them to

share their stories. So, as luck would have it (you lucky people), rather than saddle you with 70+

(oh so fascinating) years of my life, I thought I’d condense my story telling into

one “Day in the Life” (much like the 1967 Beatles song) …… of

Lori Howard City Councilmember/Vice Mayor in San Diego County California. ********

It was a normal Saturday morning in mid -1990something, around 7:00am when the telephone rang.

I fully expected the Mayor to request me to substitute for him at yet another worthy event. “Come to

the Convention Center basement entrance as soon as possible (he said), I’ll have a badge and a guard

waiting for you… I’ve got to go… I’m having breakfast with Jimmy Carter”… CLICK!

Well, that was a new one I thought…!

I quickly got dressed and followed the directions given to me only to find the Convention Center eerily

quiet for “an event” being held at this facility.

I was, indeed met by a guard and swiftly escorted to a room with about 50-75 people. Coffee, water

and muffins were readily available, and slowly the faces in the room began to look oddly familiar to me…

Colin Powell was speaking at that moment… (ok … WOW!)

Teddy Kennedy was across the room, (oh my!)(not far from with the Mayor and Jimmy Carter), Gov.

George Deukmejian (California), Maya Angelo(Poet) were both there. At one point even Lilly Tomlin got

up and provided some humor (*but frankly, she was a downer when she was not performing ). Valerie

Harper, Joan Kroc (McDonald’s heiress), Michael Eisner (Disney), Mrs. Sadat ( President Anwar Sadat of

Egypt) and Prime Minister Menachen Begin’s daughter (Hassia) of Israel were there representing their

men who shared the Pulitzer Prize for ending the 6 day war with a peace treaty. What a power room, I

was looking at! I was in awe!

I had lunch with Hassia that day (oh, just another day in the life of Lori… ). Hassia thanked me for

allowing her to speak directly to me when it was her turn to speak to the group about the trials of war

and working through peace. She shared with me that she was not comfortable with speaking (publicly),

but that her message needed to be spoken. Apparently, I became the “crutch” she needed to get

through the moment. Who knew that just by sitting there and listening with interest ,I had played such a

pivotal role in the days’ events. Both Mrs. Sadat and Harrisa were lovely lunch companions and I was

finding all the “superstars” (of the day) pretty normal to be around.

As we walked to another room for another speech after lunch, I couldn’t help but notice the playful

banter and exchange between Mikhail Gorbachev and Margaret Thatcher walking in front of me. They

were like two old school chums who hadn’t seen each other in ten years and were picking up just where

they had left off. I had always thought that a smile on Thatcher’s face would surely break that tough

British façade of hers! Not so! It was such a pleasure to witness a full-on belly laugh with Gorbachev by

Thatcher’s side and a moment in time to cherish!

(***Writers note: Mikhail Gorbachev’s birthmark on his head could have easily been described as an

inkblot, an exaggerated map of Argentina or an advanced version of connect the dots but his kindness

and humanity shined with everyone he interacted with that day, from the server who served his lunch

to a world leader he chatted with to Thatcher to… me.

The day of world leaders, Hollywood Stars, Politicians and Business tycoons was a day I will never

forget…

What the Consortium was all about, and why was it called? I do not know to this day… but what a day it

was for this little hick gal. Glad I answered the phone that morning… who would have known…Did we

help World Peace?

If you know of any senior who would like to be interviewed, please give me a call- (559) 683-7650 Lori Howard

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Cheers to You ROY

Johnny Cash once wrote a song bemoaning the woes of a boy named

Sue… I’d rather write about the life and times of a man named “Roy”.

Now our “Roy” was born Clair Edward Roy some 87 years ago. He

was raised primarily by his mother in the Oakland/ Bay area until he

went into the service in 1955.

1955 was considered the “Tweener” years or the times between the

Korean War and Viet Nam. It was a time of hope and prosperity and

soldiers (being manly-men) anointed our Roy with a name change

from “Clair” to just “Roy”.

After Roy’s basic service training, he was sent to Mississippi for

Electrician training. On Roy’s last night before being shipped out to

Alaska Roy found himself with some service friends at a local Drive

Inn Eatery. That is where he met the lovely Cece, the lady he would

meet, share a little time with and, start a long term correspondence

with.

By the time Roy’s service had been completed, he found himself

back in Mississippi, proposing to Miss Cece on Thanksgiving Day and

marrying her the following Valentine’s Day in 1959.

(* writers note: not a bad way to remember important personal

events that require gift giving - smart one Roy I’ll keep that TIP in

mind!

Roy and Cece ventured back to the California Bay area where they

raised 2 boys and Roy worked for Western Union as an Electronic

Technician for forty- seven years (until Western-Union went

Bankrupt ). Ironically, he found a job just around the block the

following week. ***Nice to have a job skill that people want, and how

different in today’s world to hear about someone who actually

stayed with a company their entire working life!

Roy and Cece spent their free time RVing through the USA from

border to border. They eventually decided that what they really

wanted to do was to retire and move out of “the city”. This

presented them with the opportunity to move to Eastern Madera

County in 2005 and eventually they chose to downsize further to

Oakhurst in recent years.

When I asked Roy how many states he and Cece traveled through,

the answer became a math quiz much like “How many years were

you married? (So we worked on the Married question instead )

By the end of the interview we finally were able to figure out that

Cece passed away in 2022 and they were married in 1959… so we

came up with 63 pretty dog- gone good years of marriage!

As a writers note: I got to meet Roy when he would come to pick up

Cece from BINGO at the Senior Center on Thursdays and Saturdays.

He would walk in, give Cece a kiss on the cheek and wait for the last

game to end before they would leave together.

When Cece passed away, Roy started coming to BINGO and would sit

in Cece’s (favorite) seat every Thursday and Saturday. It has become

a lovely tribute to Cece, a great social avenue for Roy, as well as a

wonderful addition to the Senior Center Community who just adores

Our Roy!

If you know of someone who would be a great (local) senior to write about, let me know Lori Howard- (559)683-7650From education to healthcare, Sierra Senior Society, Inc. offers a variety of programs to support the community. Learn more about our initiatives and how we make a positive impact.

Cheers to You

Welcome to a New Year and a new column…

This is where YOU are spotlighted, treasured and looked at in a whole new light!

No longer are you the “invisible senior”, but the whole person that came before the person

we see today.

So, buckle up sports fans as we delve into the amazing life and times of our first truly

amazing senior … Jerry Rehard

When it comes to the Academy of Awards in Life…Jerry stole the Best of Show for Easy

Rider…The King of Drama in General Hospital… Hallmark has nothing on us! (For an

amazing love story…) as well as the the “Bake Because You Can” award! But it wasn’t

always so simple for Jerry…

Living with 2 parents and 2 older sisters in a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom home, 10 years later being

born into a basic L.A. family, little Jerry made an entrance in 1953.

Jerry was always taught to “work hard and always show up”. He followed that belief through life.

Jerry’s Dad shared time and interest in him by taking him to the desert and racing motorcycles,

keeping him interested in mechanics and the biking sports during those hard teen years. Jerry’s

Mom died (unexpectedly) he believes now from probable hereditary kidney failure which

understandably effected the dynamics of the family. Biking, still a passion…work became a

direction.

Jerry found his first part time job at age 16, and continued to find various other jobs along the

way on assembly lines and eventually at Container Corporation in Bakersfield where he was

destined to meet his lovely wife and angel…Cathy

Now many of us wives would love for our husbands to revere us as their angel… but Cathy has

earned this title…

Jerry and Cathy met by chance, fell in love, and were married in 1982.

They both worked full time, bought a home together in Bakersfield, bought a motorcycle and a

enjoyed a lot of sailing but something was missing… they started to work on the family…but

then…

Jerry was diagnosed with Kidney failure - October 1993.

Neither of his sisters were good candidates for a kidney transplant, so a general call for anyone

interested in testing to see if they would be compatible as a transplant candidate went out. Even

Cathy tested to see if she could be compatible. Amazingly enough, Cathy had enough key

matching components that could offer potential transfer kidney success. Jerry would receive one

of Cathy’s kidney’s in a life saving surgery!!

Thirty-one years later, Cathy and Jerry still celebrate their kidney anniversary on each and every

March 18 th . They have enjoyed life together here in Oakhurst after moving 24 years ago to

pursue jobs at the “then new Rite Aid” (Cathy) and as a bus driver for the school district and

local tourism group. (Jerry)

Although life has calmed down a little (with the boating and motorcycles in particular ) Jerry

has become quite well known for his bread baking skills, and is now periodically requested as an

instructor for occasional baking demonstrations.

To know Jerry is to appreciate his optimism, calm, kindness and gratefulness to be alive… to

enjoy each day as it comes. This, you see, is the award of life…

If you know of someone who would be a great (local) senior to write about, let me know

Lori Howard- (559)683-7650

Cheers to you… Judi Hussain

There’s an old saying that says “good things come in small packages!”

I couldn’t agree more, as my friend (Judi) happens to be one of those “small packages”.

Everything she touches, she seems to become good at… or even more proficient at.

Yet to speak with her, she views her many skills as “hobbies” and her life as more cautious than

she would have liked it to have been…

Judi was born “a few” years ago in Los Angeles California, and spent most of her childhood in

Southern California as an “only child” with her parents. Moving around (at inopportune times)

gave Judi the will to get a job at a travel agency specializing in tourism to Mexico.

It was this job that opened up the world to Judi. Judi’s summers were spent in Mexico learning

the local language and living the culture. Judi dated several foreign men and eventually married

a Pakistani man. She and her small daughter lived with her husband and his Pakistani family for

awhile and later returned to the states.

As time and life experiences would have it… Judi and her (now) two grown daughters

vacationed at Bass Lake in 1989. The 2 of them fell in love with the region, and four months

later… Judi and one grown daughter became Eastern Madera County home owners! (* the

other grown daughter remains an entrenched city dweller )

Now, if you were to run into Judi in the grocery store up here you would say:

“Do I know you from The Visitor Bureau? Chamber of Commerce?, ECCO?, Real Estate Office?,

Java News?, Sierra News Online?... Why do I know you?????

If you ever had a question about Yosemite, Eastern Madera County, hiking trails, camping sites

and even animal scat… Judi was your source!

Judi has been able to use her writing skills in virtually every job she has ever held, yet she still

considers her writing as a hobby. She was paid for the articles she wrote, for a “true

confessions” magazine she wrote and a 1800 Historical novel as well as other trade articles

along the way. Whether she had been paid for her writing skills or contributed them to the

community through her desire to better our region, Judi proves that even a hobby can be just

the skill one may need to succeed in life.

That being said… there probably hasn’t been a staircase unclimbed or trail – un-walked both

locally and/or in Israel, Egypt, Turkey Alaska, Mexico and the Middle East (until recently) that

Judi hasn’t trekked. Everything is interesting, and no stone should be left unturned!

She is currently studying Turkish, Hebrew, and keeping up on her Spanish while periodically

working on her English in her spare time!

Judi loves Dog Sledding ( Yep, you heard me DOG SLEDDING). Don’t we all??? She knows the

teams, the dogs, the routes and the culture of the sport. She’s been to Alaska 5 times to follow

the sport, and recently follows it through the comfort of the internet.

Her quiet times revolve around Beading. I can’t even see the beads, yet she can put them

together and create these beautiful pieces of jewelry… piece by piece…priceless particles of

color that become beautiful pieces of art.

One question I did ask Judi was that “If she could share just one “Pearl of Wisdom” to the youth

of today, what would it be?” She had to think about it for a minute, but then she thought about

her life as she shared that she felt that she had held herself back when she was young.

“Follow your dreams when you are young, because age doesn’t make it any easier…”

This writer believes that Judi’s advise may be right, but easy doesn’t always make it fun 

If you know of anyone who would be a great local senior for me to interview please give me a

call – Lori Howard (559) 683-7650