Still Going Strong

photo by Vickie Jenkins

It all began in San Coulee, Montana when a precious baby girl was born on October 21, 1920 and was given her first gift, the name June Rose. At age four, June’s family moved to St. Louis, Missouri and lived there until June’s marriage to Robert Lee Ranney in 1942. A beautiful woman, inside and out, June turned one hundred years old on October 21, 2020. A friendly individual that always has a smile, the love she has for others shines bright!
Staying active keeps June feeling young and staying healthy. She is a member of Central Presbyterian Church where she has been an active member since 1957, serving as trustee and literalist. A charter member of Metro Camera Club since 1977, and still going strong, June was honored with the June Ranney Gallery in the Will Rogers Rose Center, highlighting outstanding Metro Camera Club photographs. June is also a member of SeniorNet Computer Club, which she joined in the mid eighties. Her volunteer work includes: Girl Scout leader, serving at the Red Andrews Christmas Dinner, helping with the archives of the Oklahoma City National Monument where she received an award in her name plus serving as past president of the American Business Women’s Association. (story continues below)

The mother of five children and widowed in 1967, June still lives in the house where she captured heartfelt memories with her family. “I think the one thing that surprises most people is the fact that I have lived in this house since 1957 and I still take care of everything myself,” June said. “That includes house-pick-up on a weekly room by room schedule, washing, ironing and mending when needed,” she added. “Plus, I have plenty of desk work; mail and email to keep me busy in my office,” she said with a smile.
Asking June what she contributes her good health to, she replied, “Proper diet, dwelling on the positives and never the negatives. I have never been one to smoke or drink and I can say that is over a lifetime. My number one hobby is flower gardening which I have been doing since fourth grade. My gardening gets excessive in season but I do it all myself and I love every minute of it. The garden is full of beautiful flowers in the spring.” I could tell she was very proud of her garden when she spoke of it. ”I also enjoy crossword puzzles, and I have done knitting and sewing in the past,” June added. June is a very talented horticulturist as well and an avid railroad enthusiast and collector.
June attended Beaumont High School. “My first job in St. Louis after college was at a community center teaching crafts to youngsters In the summertime. I taught games, crafts and dancing to youngsters in a summer program setup on the school grounds,” June said. “There was always a pageant with acting and dancing at the end of summer. I was so fortunate to be assigned to the school across the street from my home. It was a fun time working with them.”
“Shortly after my marriage, my husband and I moved to Davenport, Iowa. After Beaumont, I attended Harris Teacher’s College and graduated from there in 1942. I never did teach there. However, it was during war times, and I found a well paying job working for the War Department in the inspection office of a tank factory,” June commented.
“I lived here in Oklahoma City and was working for Dr. Jack Hough of the Otological Medical Center where I worked for fourteen years. I assisted the doctor in the examining rooms, did X-rays, counseled with patients about their particular hearing problems and did Electronystagmography, which was an extensive two hour test.”
“For several years I had an in-home candy making business for the Christmas trade only, working several months only to produce June Ranney’s Brown Pecan Fudge. I hired two women working in the mornings only. There were many local orders and they shipped to twenty-three states and Puerto Rico. I once was told that an order had been parachute dropped in Vietnam,” June commented.
June Rose Ranney, born on October 21, 1920, is an outstanding individual of Oklahoma City, OK. Whereas, it is fitting and proper that the Oklahoma House of Representatives, acting on behalf of the citizens of the Great State of Oklahoma, does hereby send best wishes to June Ranney upon the auspicious occasion of her 100th birthday.

Quite a bit to a Senior

Story by Darl DeVault

Central Oklahoma’s fastest growing recreational sport, pickleball, has everything going for it—universal design and appeal with senior-led visionary organizers. It is being widely embraced by seniors for its great health outcomes.
Pickleball is a recreational paddle sport for all ages and skill levels that is growing rapidly, providing more venues even now as winter weather sets in. The sport’s growth comes from its universal appeal wherein even grandparents who welcome the opportunity to try new fitness outlets can play with their grandkids to stay active.
Senior leaders have guided the Greater Oklahoma City Pickleball (GOPB) Club to average 32 percent growth for the last four years, after beginning in 2009 with several players. Currently, 750 members play and socialize at 18 venues around the metro area.
Brad Merritt, 63, president of the GOPB Club, says that pickleball is a draw for people of all ages and skill levels. “A major attraction of this sport is that strategy, placement and patience are greater assets than strength, size and speed,” Merritt said last week. “Older players and those with a less athletic background can really enjoy the game, while some play at a more competitive level.”
Merritt, as outgoing president after two years, is displaying that visionary zeal for the sport by beginning important negotiations with the city Edmond. Improved court availability could take place in the metro area once the newly built Edmond Tennis Center opens in early summer of 2020.
He and other club leaders seek to take advantage of that project, built by the City of Edmond and the Edmond Public Schools.
Merritt began talks two weeks ago to request that Edmonds’ previous facility, the Kickingbird Tennis Center, become a full-time pickleball venue.
The group is excited about this opportunity to have a full time pickleball facility locally.
As one of larger pickleball clubs in America, the GOPB Club has fostered pickleball as a way of life for its best players. Several professional players and impressive national title holders serve as role models to players of every age and talent level. They are traveling the globe to bring home gold, silver, and bronze medals from state and national tournaments and world cups.
The sports’ odd name is murky. Some say it is based on a dog named ‘Pickles’ who chased the ball as the three dads invented a game that young and old could play together 55 years ago. Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum played the first games with solid wood paddles and a whiffle ball. They played near Seattle on a badminton court with the net lowered just past tennis height.
Played as singles and doubles, players only need the ability to move to get started in pickleball. The game is played on either indoor or outdoor courts that are usually scaled down tennis courts. There is serving, volleying and running in short bursts. There is sweating, bending, and stretching. Doubles games often brings spouses and children onto the same court.
Little is required to play, as only comfortable clothes and court shoes are needed to get started. The club furnishes paddles for beginners to use and will provide any partners needed. The club is full of friendly and helpful pickleball players always eager to welcome the curious to the court.
Club members offer lessons for beginners and help players develop their game through round robins, shootouts, leagues and novice-only tournaments. Better players attend tournaments in neighboring cities and states that happen all year long.
Each year, the club’s volunteers provide a free demonstration court for the full run of the Oklahoma State Fair, attracting many new players. The State Games of Oklahoma will host almost 500 players from across the nation here in Oklahoma City this month. Whether someone is just looking for a way to exercise or want to be challenged at a competitive level, there is a place in the pickleball community through this club’s activities.
You can get involved in the sport quickly by going to the national associations’ web site, www.places2play, and put in your zip code. That search brings up those venues in your local area along with times of play and contact information.
Through this club’s efforts and those of others there are places to play every day throughout Oklahoma with indoor and outdoor courts. They invite your interest at www.greaterokcpickleballclub.wildapricot.org
“It’s an exciting time for the sport and the local club with a new board assuming leadership roles this January,” said Merritt. “We expect a lot of new faces in the new year and the GOPB Club invites you to join them on the courts.”

story and photo by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

It’s been two years now since Emily Spitler decided to channel her creative energy into stained glass.
And the world is a better place for it.
“I really enjoy working on the mosaics as it is very rewarding seeing the finished product and knowing that it was something I created,” Spitler said. “It also gives me tremendous satisfaction when someone sees one of my pieces, their eyes light up and they point to it and say ‘I want that one’ with a huge smile on their face.”
She originally set out to do it as a hobby but as she got more and more involved with it, decided to put some things up for sale. Her daughter, Stacey, created a Facebook page for her to share her art work and then it just blossomed from there.
Besides having her online store at www.emilyscreations.net, she has also had a booth at last fall’s Affair of the Heart and the Santa Market. She is hoping to have a booth later this year at a few more shows.
Spitler used to own a knitting and craft store in Prague originally called The Knitting Needle then once she added more gift items the location changed and the name was changed to Emily’s Gift World.
She’s always been involved in arts and crafts. First there was ceramics, then of course knitting, crocheting and all kinds of needlework. She started sewing during grade school and was involved in 4-H.
She still plants a garden each year and, of course, she starts the seeds from scratch and even mixes up her own soil. Her tomato and okra plants have been known to reach over 8’ tall. She enjoys cooking and collecting recipes to try. She even makes her own bread (including hamburger buns), pickles and tomato sauce!
She really enjoys doing the mosaic art because of the mystery of how each design will turn out. She starts by cutting the glass sheets, then laying it out on a pattern. The glass has to be ground on the grinding wheel to get the desired shape and to smooth out the sharp edges. Each piece of glass is glued down into the design.
She then mixes up the grout and applies it to the entire piece. After approximately 15-20 minutes, the grout is cleaned off. Many times, the grout has to be cleaned off with a pick to get between the tiles/glass.
Just by changing the color of the grout, you can get a completely different look.
On the large mural 3’x6’ mural called “The Wave”, it took 4 months to complete. Many hours were spent grinding each piece of glass and mirror. She enlisted the help of both her daughter and husband to assist.
Depending upon the complexity of the piece it can take up to 3 weeks or longer to complete. She has used other mediums in her pieces including sand, shells, rocks, mirrors, beads, tiles and broken dishes
Her artwork brings out the best not only in herself but others.
Daughter Stacey recalls a funny story at her aunt’s 95th birthday celebration.
“We put her mosaic cross into a Harry and David box so she thought she was getting a box of clementines when she unwrapped the gift,” Stacey remembers. “Before she unwrapped the gift she was so happy and excited to get the box. When she unwrapped it and saw the Harry and David box, the expression on her face was priceless! She was so disappointed and at a loss for words. I actually thought she was going to start crying.”
“Then she went ahead and opened the box to unveil the mosaic cross and a big smile appeared. She said that she was so happy to get the cross instead of the clementines!”
Spitler’s work has been honored, most recently winning 1st and 3rd place at the 2019 Oklahoma State Fair.
You can also connect with her on Facebook at Emily’s Creations.

www.LegendSeniorLiving.com

Helen Grace Olson

Helen Grace Olson of Bethany was born & grew up in Weeping Water, NB. She has traveled to 43 states as an RVer, was always very active in the Nazarene church, loves fried chicken, holidays and family reunions. Her words of wisdom: Never go to bed angry with your spouse. And follow the words of Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and HE shall direct thy paths.

Frances Lovena Weger

Frances Weger was 100 in January and we’re still celebrating in Luther. She and her husband were residents of Lawton for 73 years and traveled with Campaigns for Christ on two trips to Germany and all over the U.S. She made baby quilts and wedding quilts for each of her eleven grandchildren. In her later years, she visited nursing homes, taking banana bread to the “elderly,” although she was in her 80s.

Doyle H. Clenney

World War II Army Air Corp Veteran Doyle Clenney will be 100 tomorrow, October 30! An ordained minister with the Assembly of God Church, Doyle had the special honor to preach at the historic St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Norfolk, Virginia. Doyle’s words of wisdom are the bible verse “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5). Happy 100th Doyle!

KNOW A CENTENARIAN?
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https://www.cremation-okc.com/

by Mike Lee, Staff Writer

What started as an idea to benefit a handful of seniors has blossomed into an annual event impacting the lives of hundreds in our community.
The Salvation Army 4th Annual Senior Living Fair will be held on Thursday, April 30 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Salvation Army Chesapeake Energy Center of Hope, 1001 N. Pennsylvania, Oklahoma City.
The Senior Living Fair, presented by Well Preserved Advisory Group and Senior News & Living, strives to spread hope by providing resources that empower older Americans to be more positive, active and physically fit.
“We’re excited to be able to showcase so many organizations in one place that can be a resource to senior citizens,” said Lisa Sydnor, senior programs manager at The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma. “We have nearly 60 exhibitors for this year’s fair who can enhance and empower our seniors to live fuller lives.”
Sydnor had the idea of inviting local service providers to come and show her seniors what they could offer them.
“I thought I could bring eight people in,” Sydnor said.
The idea was a hit from the very beginning with 12 exhibitors showing up that first year. The event has grown to be worthy of the the 18,000-seat Chesapeake Energy Arena.
The Senior Living Fair is free to the public, thanks to sponsors like Brookdale Senior Living, and includes exhibits for health and wellness, housing, Medicare information, insurance, aging-in-place, and fun ways to stay active.
Exhibitors for this year include the Oklahoma State Attorney General, Legal Aid of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City Police Department, Oklahoma City Fire Department, Valir, Sunbeam Family Services, RSVP of Central Oklahoma, AARP, Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, Seniors on the Move and many more.
“We are doing this with no budget,” Sydnor noted. “Quite frankly I think it’s so popular because it’s a God thing. This was never supposed to be more than six people talking to seniors at one location. Now we have 60 vendors and expect more than 300 people.”
The event has continued to grow because seniors are finding value in it.
With everything from Zumba, to Tai Chi to line dancing almost everyone can find something to entertain them.
“I think because they know they’re going to have fun and we have staff floating through and inviting people to come to our centers,” Sydnor said, noting lunch is provided.
The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma operates five senior centers throughout the Oklahoma City metro. The centers are open every weekday to seniors ages 55 and older. Seniors have the opportunity to socialize, enjoy lunch and participate in numerous activities that include Bible study, exercise classes, crafts, dancing and much more.
“Our goal is for anyone who comes to the center to feel like they’re in their own home, relaxed and have good friends and company,” Sydnor said.