by Van Mitchell, Staff Writer

Joella Francis credits God for leading her into a RN nursing career that has spanned over 50 years, including today at age 79, where she continues to work part-time at Pioneer Technology Center in Ponca City.
“I will be a nurse forever. I would never change my vocation,” she said. “I give all my credit to Jesus Christ because I’m a Christian, and so He has led me and guided me all the way. He gives me the ability to have, I think, a real love towards patients and people. I couldn’t do it without the Lord. I haven’t always given Him credit, but now when I look back on my life, I’m almost 80, I know He was there and guiding me all the way.
Francis’ nursing journey began at a young age.
“My grandmother on my dad’s side was a dietary aide at Wesley Hospital in Wichita, and I would go with her when she passed snacks to patients. I couldn’t go in the rooms, but I could help her get the snacks ready and be up on the floors when we passed them to the patients. That is where I got my first thoughts that I might want to be a nurse.”
Francis graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1966. During her education, she worked as a student nurse for OU Children’s Hospital for $8 per shift as a junior and $10 per shift as a senior nursing student. She met her husband Richard during her time at OU and they were married when she was a junior in nursing school.
After graduation, she worked for Children’s Hospital for approximately two years. Francis and her husband later moved to Norman where he attended OU.
“We moved to Norman and I went to work for Primrose Nursing Home. I worked there for about three years. After having our first child, I returned to the workforce for the Norman Public School as a practical nursing instructor. I was only there about a year, and then we moved to Duncan, and that’s where I did most of my nursing at the Medical Center Hospital in Duncan, which is what it was called then, she said.
Francis said she wore several hats working at Duncan.
“I did all kinds of things there,” she said. “I’ve been an educator, Director of Nursing. I was a house supervisor. I helped set up their first coronary care unit, because they were just being developed at that time. I think it was the early seventies. A couple of other nurses and I went to coronary care school for two weeks and then set up the system for the hospital. During that time, I had two more children. I continued to work full-time, but because of family obligations, I worked nights in ICU, ER and supervisor for several years. I also started to do some part-time teaching at Red River Technology Center as a practical nursing instructor.”
Francis said they were in the homebuilding business in Duncan, and when the oil bust came in 1985, they moved to Texas.
“I worked in an ICU in San Marcos during that time,” she said. “We then moved to McAlester due to my husband’s job. I went to work at McAlester Hospital in ICU and then I worked for Kiamichi Technology Center as a practical nursing instructor.”
Due to better job opportunities, they decided to move back to Duncan where Francis became the Coordinator for the Practical Nursing program at Red River Technology Center.
“Because of our children being college age, we moved to Stillwater and I then began working at Meridian Technology Center as a practical nursing instructor,” she said. “We moved to Connecticut for my husband’s job and I went to work for a large nursing home facility as a nursing educator.”
Francis said during that time, her parents who lived in Braman needed care as her dad was very sick.
“On my way home to Ponca City, my daughter called me and said there was a Practical Nursing Coordinator job at the Ponca City Pioneer Technology Center,” she said. “I worked there for about 10 years as the Practical Nursing Coordinator and retired in 2010.”
Francis didn’t stay retired long.
“I stayed off for about three years, and then (Pioneer Technology Center) called me,” she said. “Because I have nursing home experience and was an RN, they needed someone to check off nurse aides testing skills. They have to do a skills checkoff, and they need somebody to come and do their skills checkoff testing. I’m still working, but it’s like every other month. Sometimes I work three days, sometimes it’s two days. It depends on how big their nurse aide class is.”
Francis said one of her joys from nursing has been taking care of patients.
“I’ve always loved nursing. I love taking care of people. I love being with students and patients together,” she said. “My favorite thing besides just being a plain old nurse, was to be with the students and with their patients and helping them learn, and see students grow in their knowledge and see students pass their boards. It is a joy to see young ladies or gentlemen, who thought they couldn’t do anything in this world become very good Practical Nurses.”
Francis said she enjoys being a mentor to nursing students.
“A lot of them go on and get their RN, so I feel like I’ve been an instrument in helping them to realize that life is out there for them, and they can do things,” she said. “I’m very proud of my students that I had because a lot of them didn’t think they could do anything when they came to our school.”
Francis turns 80 in March, and has no plans to slow down anytime soon. She has just completed her CEU’s required to renew her license in March.
“I don’t ever consider myself an old lady, but I know I am,” she said. “I don’t ever see myself as that, because I stay very active in what I do. That’s another reason I like to work. I help with art in the Christian school at our church. I stay very, very active. I have many hobbies, 13 grandchildren to love, I do not plan to slow down yet. I give all that credit to the Lord for giving me good health.”

Loved all the entries. Let’s do it again! We have an ALL NEW CARTOON PAGE! Beetle Bailey, Blondie and Zit will be gracing our NewsMagazine and your job will be to locate TOONS related to those cartoons! You already know the routine. TOONS are scattered throughout this issue. Count the related TOONS and TEXT the total number, with your name and phone number, to 405-631-5100. 1st and 2nd texter with correct number, WINS a free one year subscription to SN&L ($43.75 value each) PLUS a $25 gift card! 3rd place wins a $25 Gift Card! All entries will receive a free copy of our digital Flip Page Edition of SN&L each month (you must provide an email address)! Everyone’s a winner! TOONS are not hidden, but look in stories, ads and features!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Contest begins January 5th and ends January 31! No entries will be accepted prior to 01/05/24.

* No purchase necessary * Must provide email address for digital edition. * FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS – Even with more than 500 locations to pick up a copy, you just can sit back and wait for your personal
copy – mailed first class directly to you!

VA delivered more than $2.2 billion in earned benefits to Veterans and survivors since President Biden signed PACT into law

Today, VA announced that Veterans and their survivors have filed more than one million claims for toxic exposure-related benefits under the PACT Act since President Biden signed it into law Aug. 10, 2022. VA has processed more than 551,000 of these claims, granting 77.9% of them and awarding more than $2.2 billion in earned benefits to Veterans and survivors. Supporting Veterans and their families is a core pillar in President Biden’s Unity Agenda for the nation, and today’s announcement helps deliver on his promise to comprehensively address military related toxic exposure.

Thanks to the largest outreach campaign in VA history, Veterans and survivors are applying for their earned benefits at record rates. In this fiscal year alone, Veterans and survivors have submitted 2.29 million total claims (PACT and non-PACT) — 40.4% more year-to-date than last fiscal year, which was the previous all-time record. Veterans have also submitted more than 2.1 million “intents to file” during this fiscal year — 53.1% more than all of last fiscal year and also an all-time record.

The PACT Act is the biggest expansion of Veteran health care and benefits in decades. VA encourages all eligible Veterans and survivors to file a claim — or submit their intent to file a claim — for PACT Act-related benefits now.

“Thanks to President Biden, the heroes who fought for our country are now getting health care and compensation for the conditions that followed them home from war,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “We’re proud that more than one million Veterans and survivors have applied for their hard-earned benefits to date, but this is just the beginning — and we won’t rest until every Veteran and every survivor gets the VA health care and benefits they deserve.”

Partly due to the PACT Act, VA is delivering more care and more benefits to more Veterans than ever before. Key results to date include:

• Delivering benefits to Veterans and their survivors: VA has processed 1.85 million total Veteran claims (PACT and non-PACT) thus far in this fiscal year —15.7% more to date than last fiscal year and already surpassing last year’s all-time record total of 1.7 million claims processed.
• Increasing Veteran access to health care: Since Aug. 10, 378,995 Veterans have enrolled in VA health care. This includes more than 158,691 enrollees from the PACT Act population (Vietnam, Gulf War, and Post-9/11 era Veterans).
• Screening Veterans for toxic exposures: More than 4.4 million enrolled Veterans have received 5-minute screenings for toxic exposures from VA under the PACT Act.

Right now, there is also a special enrollment period for Veterans to enroll directly in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits. Specifically, until 11:59 p.m., local time, Sept. 30, Veterans who deployed to a combat zone, never enrolled in VA health care, and left active duty between Sept. 11, 2001, and Oct. 1, 2013, are eligible to enroll in VA health care without first applying for disability compensation benefits. VA encourages all of these Veterans to visit VA.gov/PACT or call 1-800-MYVA411 to learn more and sign up for VA health care before the deadline.

VA is delivering health care and benefits at record rates partly due to a dramatic increase in hiring at VA. For the first time in VA’s history, the Veterans Health Administration has over 400,000 employees and the Veterans Benefits Administration has over 31,000 employees — and both organizations are growing at the fastest rates in 20 years. Moving forward, VA will continue to modernize and expand capacity to deliver health care and benefits to Veterans as quickly and effectively as possible.

For more information on VA’s implementation of the PACT Act, visit the PACT Act Dashboard. VA is publishing this dashboard every other Friday to document the implementation of this legislation and showcase its impact on Veterans and survivors. The next dashboard, which will reflect the data in this release, will publish on Sept. 15.

Veterans and survivors may apply or learn more about the PACT Act by visiting VA.gov/PACT or calling 1-800-MYVA411.

Albert “Al” Hair

(Right) 100 years old. WWII Veteran Wm. Albert “Al” Hair of Ada was born on August 22, 1922. After the war, he worked for IBM & Boy Scouts, ultimately ending up in Chickasha where he worked for Washita Valley Community Action Agency & became a self-employed carpenter & painter.

Wilma Marie Goodwin

(Left) 100 years old. Wilma Marie Goodwin of Enid attended Enid Business College & was a bank teller. She has 6 children, 12 grandchildren & 20 great grandchildren. She enjoys the good food & family being together. Fried chicken is her favorite food. Her words of wisdom to younger people: “Have the Lord in your life and love your family!”

Hattie Powell

(Right) 100 years old. Hattie Powell lived most of her life in Beggs & celebrated her 100th birthday in Tulsa today. She graduated from Beggs HS, worked OSU Extension nutritionist & library assistant at Beggs schools. Her words of wisdom to younger people: “Be honest with yourself and others. Respect yourself and others. Recognize & acknowledge your faults & work to correct them. Obey God!”

Eula Mae Stewart

(Right) 100 years old. Eula Mae Stewart of Yukon was born on the 15th of December, 1923. She graduated from Red Oak High School and from secretarial school in Ft. Smith, Arkansas. Eula Mae had a 30-year career as an administrator with the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, retiring in 1989. Her words of wisdom to us are: Know that Jesus Loves You and Learn to Depend on Him. Respect Your Parents and Authority.

By Nick Thomas

For those who keep track of Hollywood nuptials, the title of Joyce Bulifant’s 2017 autobiography may not represent a marital world record, but it’s certainly an attention grabber. The actress, who co-starred in TV series such as “Flo” and “Mary Tyler Moore,” recounted her life and career in “My Four Hollywood Husbands.”
Bulifant describes how alcohol influenced her four hubbies: “Hawaii Five-O” star James (“Danno”) MacArthur; TV/film producer, director, and screenwriter William Asher; “Days of Our Lives” actor Edward Mallory; and her last husband actor Roger Perry who died in 2018.
“It was never my intention to marry famous Hollywood men, it just happened that way,” said Bulifant from Los Angeles. “I was 14 when I first met Jimmy (MacArthur) while we were at boarding school together and we started dating a couple of years later.”
She remembers her spouses as unhappy men especially MacArthur in their decade-long marriage.
“When he wasn’t working, he would drink more and it became a terrible situation,” she said. “I thought if I just loved them enough they wouldn’t need to drink and would become happy, but it just didn’t work that way.”
She remained happily married to her last husband Roger Perry although he too experienced some early rough patches. “He wanted to get better, so that’s why this marriage worked,” she said.
Career-wise, Bulifant has been successful on stage as well as in film and television, and was a frequent game show panelist in the 70s and 80s. She even appeared briefly in the classic 1980 comedy “Airplane!” as the mother of the sick little girl with the intravenous drip.
“I didn’t want to do that dadgum movie, I thought it was so silly,” she recalled. “I was married to William Asher at the time and he told me ‘You’re an actress – you act!’ Now it’s been called one of the 100 funniest movies ever made.”
But one major TV role did slip past.
“I was all signed, sealed, and delivered to play Mrs. Brady on ‘The Brady Bunch,’” she recalled. “One Friday, I was showing the director and producer (and writer, Sherwood Schwartz) my wardrobe but they were acting very strange. When I asked what was wrong they sat me down and said the executives at ABC in New York wanted Florence Henderson for the role.”
Schwartz called that evening confirming the bad news. “That’s the way it goes in this business,” said Bulifant. “Florence was a wonderful actress and a lovely lady.”
Concentrating on TV work, Bulifant only appeared in about a dozen films. Her first main feature role was in the 1967 Disney musical “The Happiest Millionaire,” memorable for her “Bye-Yum Pum Pum” song with Lesley Ann Warren. It would be the last live-action feature produced by Disney, who died a year before the film’s release.
Bulifant’s radiant cheerful on-screen personality and distinctive youthful voice made her a favorite comedic actress with audiences. Despite some missed career opportunities and the marital challenges, she has always remained optimistic.
“When you’re in the entertainment business, you have to deal with disappointment and rejection so if you don’t feel strong and confident about yourself it can be very disheartening,” she says. “That’s true for anyone with self-doubt which is why my book resonates with people from all walks of life. So I’m very pleased when I hear from people it has helped.”

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Alabama, and has written features, columns, and interviews for numerous newspapers and magazines.
See https://www.getnickt.org/.

Dear Savvy Senior, My siblings and I don’t know much about our elderly parent’s financial situation or their wishes if and when something happens to them. They are both in their mid-eighties. What’s the best way to handle this and what all should we know? Apprehensive Daughter

Dear Apprehensive,
Many adult children don’t know much about their elderly parent’s financial situation or end-of-life plans, but they need to. Getting up to speed on their finances, insurance policies, long-term care plans and other information is important because some day you might have to help them handle their financial affairs or care, or execute their estate plan after they die. Without this information, your job becomes much more difficult. Here are some tips that can help.
Have the Conversation
If you’re uncomfortable talking to your parents about this, use this column as a prompt or see https://theconversationproject.org/, which offers free guides that can help you kick-start these discussions.
It’s also a good idea to get all your siblings involved too. This can help you head off any possible hard feelings, plus, with others involved, your parents will know everyone is concerned.
When you talk with your parents, you’ll need to collect some information, find out where they keep key documents and how they want certain things handled when they die or if they become incapacitated. Here’s a checklist of areas to focus on.
PERSONAL INFORMATION: Contacts: Make a list of names and phone numbers of your parent’s doctors, lawyer, accountant, broker, tax preparer, insurance agent, etc. Medical information: Make a copy of their medical history and a list of medications they take. Personal documents: Find out where they keep their Social Security card, marriage license, military discharge papers, etc.
Secured places: Make a list of places they keep under lock and key such as safe deposit boxes, safe combination, security alarms, etc. Digital assets: Make a list of their digital assets – everything from social media accounts to online banking. It should include usernames and passwords. Pets: If they have a pet, what are their instructions for the animal’s care? End of life: What are their wishes for organ or body donation, and their funeral instructions? If they’ve made pre-arrangements with a funeral home, get a copy of the agreement.
LEGAL DOCUMENTS: Will: Do they have an updated will or trust, and where is it located? Power of attorney: Do they have a power of attorney document that names someone to handle their financial matters if they become incapacitated? Advance directives: Do they have a living will and a medical power of attorney that spells out their wishes regarding their end-of-life medical treatment? If they don’t have these documents prepared, now’s the time to make them.
FINANCIAL RECORDS: Financial accounts: Make a list of their bank accounts, brokerage and mutual fund accounts, and any other financial assets they have. Debts and liabilities: Make a list of any loans, leases or debts they have – mortgages owed, car loans, student loans, medical bills, credit card debts. Also, make a list of all credit and charge cards, including the card numbers and contact information. Company benefits: Make a list of any retirement plans, pensions or benefits from their former employers including the contact information of the benefits administrator. Insurance: Make a list of the insurance policies they have (life, long-term care, home, auto, Medicare, etc.) including the policy numbers, agents and phone numbers. Property: Make a list of the real estate, vehicles or other properties they own, rent or lease and where they keep the deeds, titles and loan or lease agreements. Taxes: Find out where they keep copies of past year’s tax returns.
You’re probably not going to get all this figured out in one gathering, so it’s important to keep the conversation going to ensure your parent’s wishes will be accurately executed.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Holiday magic was in the air Dec. 7 at the Belle Isle Library, when bestselling children’s book author/illustrator Jan Brett stopped by on her Winter Wonderland tour to give a presentation and visit with library guests. The event, presented with support from Best of Books in Edmond, saw between 800 and 900 guests, and 726 pre-ordered copies of Jan’s books. Some guests drove over 2 hours to attend the event. Best of Books was on hand during the event for purchases at the door, as was a hot chocolate stand provided by the Gold Dome, that served a delicious and cozy way for guests to warm up. The library’s mascot, Spoticus, and one of Jan Brett’s beloved characters, Hedgie, made several appearances together throughout the evening, meeting their fans and taking photos with children and families.
Jan is the author and illustrator of 40 winter-themed children’s books, with over 43 million copies sold. While at Belle Isle Library, she gave an illustration demonstration and discussed drawing techniques with the engaged audience. She also signed books for the more than 200 guests that waited in line to meet her. The Belle Isle Library stayed open until 10:00 p.m. to accommodate those wanting to get a book signed and get a photo with Jan.
Upcoming events at the library
Upcoming Metro Library events include Literary Voices happening April 9-11, 2024, which features James Patterson, Kevin Kwan, and Kwame Alexander. Learn more by visiting
https://www.metrolibrary.org/literaryvoices.
The Metropolitan Library System provides library services for more than 800,000 residents of Oklahoma County. We have 19 physical locations as well as 24/7 access to our digital resources at https://www.metrolibrary.org/.

The Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Central Oklahoma has named a new executive director. Laura McRaniels will fill the position following the retirement of Beth Patterson on Dec. 31.
McRaniels, who was named as the organization’s assistant director in 2022, joined RSVP in 2018 and served as the organization’s volunteer coordinator linking more than 500 older adults to volunteer opportunities with 124 local nonprofit organizations.
“It is an honor to pass on the reins to Laura,” Patterson said. “In addition to Laura’s genuine compassion for people through her words and actions every day, she has such insight, problem-solving skills, follow-through, and attention to detail that make her an excellent person for this role.”
Prior to joining RSVP, McRaniels owned her own in-home childcare business, and served as a direct care specialist with the J.D. McCarty Center. She joined RSVP as the administrative assistant and was appointed to volunteer coordinator in 2018. She completed all tiers of the Nonprofit Management Certification program through the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits. McRaniels has a long-time dedication to volunteerism, serving since 2008 with D-Dent, Inc. and West Wind Unitarian Universalist Congregation.
Since 1973, RSVP of Central Oklahoma has helped older adults continue to live with purpose and meaning by connecting them with rewarding community volunteer opportunities. RSVP is a partner of AmeriCorps Seniors and the United Way of Central Oklahoma. To learn more about RSVP of Central Oklahoma, call 405-605-3110 or visit https://rsvpokc.org/. You can also follow RSVP on Facebook at facebook.com/RSVPokc.