by Vickie Jenkins, staff writer

One of the residents at Heritage Assisted Living has been getting a little extra attention lately. Not only is he an all-around-good-guy but he has reached a milestone in his life. He is 100 years young! His name is Jack Bryant, a Navy Veteran who served his country in WWII.
Born in Oklahoma City, OK, Bryant likes to share his stories about his life. When Bryant was six years old, his mother had some medical issues and at the time, it was best for Bryant to move in with his grandmother. “I loved my grandmother very much and she took care of me. Her house was 3 blocks from the grade school and 4 blocks from junior high so I was within walking distance so it worked out great for me.”
“When I was six, I didn’t mind the walking to school, even though the 3 blocks seemed much longer back then,” Bryant said. “They didn’t have anything like a bus,” he added. “It didn’t matter what the weather was like. Even if it snowed, all of the kids in the neighborhood walked to school.”
“I was around 8 years old when I became a working boy! I delivered The Daily Oklahoman newspaper!” he said in a stern voice. “Now, back then, the only form of news was the newspaper. The paper ruled everything! If someone wanted to buy a house or buy a car, they would look at the newspaper. That’s just the way it was.”
“I enjoyed living with my grandmother. She was set in her ways but she allowed me to ‘be myself.’ She showed me how to treat others, teaching me respect. She allowed me to make my own decisions, teaching me responsibility. She taught me that my opinion mattered, teaching me how to stand up for myself. I’ll have to say, living with my grandmother was the best thing that could have happened to me. She taught me about life.”
At age 14, Bryant moved back in with his parents. His folks moved several times over the years and he graduated from Classen high school in Oklahoma City, OK.
The next thing I knew, Bryant started talking about cars. “My first car was a Ford Model A. I’ll never forget that ole thing. I was driving all over the place at the age of 15! Age didn’t matter back then,” Bryant paused for a moment, setting up tall and straight with pride in his voice and said, “You know, I drove for 85 years and never got a ticket.”
Going down memory lane, Bryant began talking about how he met his wife, Ella. “I was in the Navy, stationed at Daytona Beach, Florida. The USO was in town and they were having a dance that night. A friend and I were coming back to our barracks when we heard music in the distance; coming from the big building across the street. My friend mentioned that he was going to go check it out and he wanted me to come along. I didn’t really want to and we argued a few minutes and then, I figured I would. So, here we go, off to the dance! As we got closer to the building, the music was louder and louder…and then, I stood in the doorway. When I entered the room, there were men on one side of the room and women on the other. We were to choose who we wanted to dance with. I saw a pretty, young woman glancin’ my way and I walked over and asked her to dance. That’s how it all started,…she was the girl of my dreams and it wasn’t long after, we got married. I can remember the details of that dance like it was yesterday,” he said. “The rest is history. We were married for 71 wonderful years.”
Bryant was in the Navy for 3 years. After getting out of the military, Bryant worked for B.C. Clark Jewelers here in Oklahoma City. “Ella and I lived in the Village area, raising 3 boys there. Those were some of the best times of my life,” Bryant said.
Bryant is a kind, individual, storyteller that lived a good life and continues on. Serving his country in the U.S, Navy, Veteran of WWII, married to Ella for 71 years and enjoys spending time with his sons and their families as often as he can.
Bryant has made many friends along the way and will continue to do so.
A heartfelt thank you to Jack Bryant and all of the Veterans that served their country! You made a difference in our lives. Thank you!

The senior living company, with facilities in Texas, Colorado, and Oklahoma, adds the eight properties to the portfolio to expand its presence in the Sooner State.

StoneGate Senior Living, an award-winning full-spectrum senior care and housing company, announces the addition of eight new properties in Oklahoma. The communities offer a range of supported services in all areas of retirement from independent living to assisted living, skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and memory care. The eight established properties are newly contracted from Southwest Healthcare.
“We are excited to announce our involvement with the Southwest Healthcare properties,” says John Paul Taylor, COO of StoneGate Senior Living. “As an Oklahoma native, as is our CEO, we have known Denver McCormick for many years and have always appreciated the manner in which he and the Southwest team have cared for the senior population. We will strive to follow in his footsteps with our involvement in his properties and hope to continue the legacy and success.”
The properties include:
* Garland Road Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Enid, OK * Highland Park Manor, Okmulgee, OK * Meadowlake Estates, Oklahoma City, OK * Noble Health Care Center, Noble, OK * Ranchwood Nursing Center, Yukon, OK * Tuscany Village Nursing Center, Oklahoma City, OK * Meadowlakes Retirement, Oklahoma City, OK * Victorian Estates, Yukon, OK
StoneGate now contracts with 13 total properties in the state; 11 skilled nursing facilities and two assisted living communities with more than 1,300 beds. The skilled nursing facilities accept Private Pay, Medicare, Managed Care and Medicaid and the assisted living communities accept Private Pay.
“It has been my honor and privilege to work with Southwest senior leadership, regional support, and facility leadership to assure a smooth transition into the StoneGate portfolio of properties,” says Brandon French, Divisional VP of Operations.
StoneGate management says plans for the properties include making substantial investments in the physical plant and IT infrastructure. StoneGate also plans to continue to improve market presence through community outreach, strategic partnership, and marketing initiatives to promote and grow the StoneGate brand.

Last November, INTEGRIS held a ground-breaking event to ceremonially kick-off construction of four different metro area INTEGRIS micro-hospital facilities. Work will occur at all four locations simultaneously, and our chain of micro-hospitals will be known as INTEGRIS Community Hospitals going forward because each location will include ER services as well as rooms for inpatient care. Upper floors within the four buildings will include physician and specialty clinics.
The photos below illustrate early phases of construction for INTEGRIS Community Hospital – Council Crossing located in northwest Oklahoma City. Construction crews tell us – if weather and wind cooperate – all concrete walls for the NW Expressway & Council Rd. location should be in place by the end of this week. Obviously, much work lies ahead, however we are on schedule to open the facility in February 2019.
In Moore, work crews will begin placing walls at our I-35 & South 34th Street location before the end of April. Structural steel is also visible from Interstate 40 at our Del City location near Sooner Road. Construction will begin in May at the OKC West location.
INTEGRIS Community Hospitals are being welcomed by leaders and families in each area. Excitement is growing as people begin to see the facilities take shape. We look forward to offering these easily accessible, high-quality health care service centers to our care continuum in the next 12 to 15 months.

Ten (10) law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in Oklahoma will be among the three hundred and sixty (360) new names to be engraved on the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial in Washington, D.C. Those names will be dedicated during the 30th Annual Candle Light Vigil the evening of May 13, 2018. Officers being added from Oklahoma are:
Payne County Deputy Sheriff Shack Palmer, died December.10, 1911, from gunshot wounds that he received late the evening of December 8th attempting an arrest near Fisher;
Bristow Police Detective William H. Johnston, died September 20, 1924, when his car crashed a mile north of Bristow attempting to intercept some Kellyville bank robbers;
Perkins Police Officer Henry L. Cotton, died April 29, 1986, from complications following surgery for injuries sustained during a fight making an arrest March 28th;
Logan County Deputy Sheriff Edward J. Wright, died October 23, 2016, after suffering an on duty heart attack late the evening of October 20th;
Oklahoma Department of Corrections Corporal Stephen R. Jenkins, Jr,, died January 7, 2017, from a heart attack he suffered after chasing an inmate with contraband at the Clara Waters Correctional Center in Oklahoma City;
Sac & Fox Nation Police Officer Nathan B. Graves, died January 24, 2017, about 6 a.m. in a head on traffic accident 11 miles north of Stroud on Highway 99 ;
Craig County Deputy Sheriff Sean F. Cookson, died February 27, 2017, from injuries sustained in a traffic accident the morning of February 22nd while in route to training;
Tecumseh Police Officer Justin M. Terney, died March 28, 2017, after being shot twice during a traffic stop about 11:30 p.m. the night before;
Logan County Deputy Sheriff David J. Wade, died April. 18, 2017, shortly after being shot several times while serving an eviction notice in Mulhall;
Oklahoma Highway Patrol Lieutenant D. Heath Meyer, died July 24, 2017, from injuries sustained when he was accidently struck late the evening of July 14th by an OHP unit after he laid out stop sticks for a pursuit north bound on I-35 near NE 27th Street in Moore.
For more information on these officers and the other almost eight hundred officers who have died in the line of duty in Oklahoma, both before and after statehood, go to the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial web site at www.oklemem.com.

If you could be any kind of animal, what would you be and why? Willowood at Mustang

I would be a cat. They let themselves be known, they don’t take too much from anyone and they appear sweet.

Judy Robertson

I would be and eagle so I could fly and soar above and watch everyone.

Dale Jackson

I would be a dog because everyone seems to like them.

Vera Weisbord

I would be a rabbit, pretty and soft.

Janie Ramey

by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

Passion.
Elliott Johnson has lived with it for 69 years now.
A marriage of nearly half a century, a coaching career of some 40 years and now the mission to spread the gospel through tales of the Old West have continued to fan Johnson’s flames.
“I loved baseball all my life,” he says, unfolding just one of the avenues his life has taken him down. “I didn’t ask to love baseball.”
Growing up on a farming-ranching operation in Nebraska, Johnson watched his dad play for the local town baseball club – normal for many communities in the 1950s.
He tagged along, served as a batboy and soaked up what would become his passion for some 40 years.
“I never really got enough,” Johnson explained from his two-and-a-half acre ranch in Piedmont. “I would have liked to have played in the big leagues – who wouldn’t – but I never had that chance.”
Johnson eventually would realize that was a blessing.
“I got to coach for 40 years,” he said. “Nobody gets to play for 40 years.”
After 40 years of coaching (30 as a collegiate head baseball coach), Johnson left coaching in 2011. His overall collegiate record was 921-499, which ranked 8th among active coaches on the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics career victory list (17th all-time) and 8th in career winning percentage (13th all-time).
Coach Johnson’s Trevecca teams won three conference and two NAIA District titles during his 11 years at the Nashville school (1980-1990). His Olivet Nazarene University teams won four conference, two NAIA Regional, and one NCCAA National championship from 2000-2007.
Two of those teams appeared in the NAIA World Series (2002-2003). For many years, his teams were among the NAIA’s best, peaking at No. 5 in 2003 and 2004.
Along the way, Johnson collected eight Coach of the Year distinctions.
He has been blessed to recruit and coach numerous NAIA All-Americans and professional players, including Ben Zobrist who now plays for the Chicago Cubs.
In 1993, he completed a Doctor of Arts degree at Middle Tennessee State University. His video combining youth baseball fundamentals with positive values has been required viewing for NYSCA certification of youth baseball coaches across the country ever since.
He has authored 30 athletic-related devotional books and six baseball videos, and he has patented the Stride Guide, a hitting instructional device.
For more than 30 years, Johnson has directed a charitable foundation, the Winning Run Foundation.
RETIRE AND DIE
Bear Bryant, arguably the best college football coach whoever lived, died of a massive heart attack just 28 days after retiring in 1983.
Johnson vowed to never make the same mistake even as he stepped away from the diamond.
“A lot of people who retire die,” Johnson said. “There’s nothing to live for. I said ‘Lord, give me a passion like I had in coaching.’”
Two days was all it took for Johnson to hear that small, unmistakable whisper that told Johnson how to spread the Word next.
His Winning Run Foundation is a charitable non-profit organization established for the purpose of publishing athletic and western-related devotional books, tracts, videos, and magazines.
The goal is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ in an effective way and to build believers in the faith.
Johnson believes placing sound, written material in the hands of people is of great value in guiding readers through the Word of God, encouraging believers to share the gospel, strengthening families, and building relationships with other followers of Christ.
Johnson writes Trail Ride Magazine, a cowboy’s study of various books of scripture using stories of the old west.
The issues are packed with history of the old west, and just like the parables of Jesus, weave scriptural teachings throughout.
His talks feature object lessons to keep attention of the young. He has a one-hour presentation of Jesus’ claims from John, a cowboy’s study of Job, and presentations on Godly leadership, pride vs. humility, and other topics. CD production, including cowboy music, is in progress.
He speaks to cowboy gatherings nationwide using stories of the old west to illustrate scripture. Talks are encouraging, motivating, and Biblical.
Johnson began publication of Trail Ride Magazine in 2012. He speaks at cowboy churches and other venues around the country while distributing the magazine. At home, he cares for his horses, provides horsemanship lessons to young riders, and serves as a personal athletic trainer to young athletes.
Through 48 years of marriage, his wife Judy has remained his biggest fan. Both sons, Todd and Benjamin, played together on his LeTourneau University teams and work with Fellowship of Christian Athletes groups.
To learn more about Johnson’s foundation, ministry or to invite him to speak you can go through his website www.winrun.org.

by Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer

Rosemary Helderle is a Licensed Practical Nurse at AllianceHealth Deaconess Hospital. With a bright smile and personality to match, I knew the Rehabilitation Unit was the perfect place to find Rosemary working; caring for others. It takes a special kind of person to work with the patients and Rosemary shows a real concern as she assists a patient back to their room.
The purpose of Rehabilitation is to restore some or all of the patient’s physical, sensory and mental capabilities that were lost due to injury, illness or disease.
Rosemary spent some of her earlier years in Pennsylvania, where she spent a lot of her time teaching and mentoring to multiple nurses. “I love to teach others,” she said. “I still teach and mentor some of the nurses. I think I will always have a little bit of that ‘teacher’ in me,” she says with a smile. Rosemary has spent 44 of those years doing what she loves to do; taking care of others as a nurse. “It’s the job I love to do,” she says. “I can’t see doing anything else.”
I asked Rosemary why she became a nurse and if anyone had any influence on her decision. “Oh, ever since I can remember, I wanted to help people. I must have been 18 or 19 years old when I knew I wanted to be a nurse. I set my goal and made it. I decided to become a nurse on my own and knew I would carry through with it,” she commented.
“What advice would you give to someone if they wanted to go into the medical field?” I asked Rosemary. With a definite, positive answer, she replied, “I would tell them to set their goal high and go for it. A nurse has to be caring, understanding, patient, be a listening ear, and be helpful to anyone that needs help. It’s the little things that count and they all add up to being a nurse,” she replied. I have a feeling that she had just described herself because the qualities that she listed for a good nurse were shining through.
“What is the favorite thing about your job here at AllianceHealth Deaconess?” I ask Rosemary. “I have to say I like, no, I love taking care of the patients. Here in Rehab, we take care of all different ages, young and old alike. The staff that I work with is great. We all work together as a team and that makes a big difference. I have to give a shout out to our manager, Lori Stewart, RN, BSN. She is wonderful. We all want the best for our patients. We will all go the extra mile for someone and we always get the job done. We work together and we do our best.”
Asking Rosemary what her greatest reward about her job was, she replied, “I would have to say when our patients comes back after they have recovered, and tell the nurses, ‘thank you’ for helping them get better. That is a true blessing. It’s not like we have to hear it or anything but it makes us all feel so good if we get praised for doing what we love to do. It gives the nurse and patient a special bonding and it is really nice when we can communicate and understand each other.”
A typical day at the hospital varies day-to-day for Rosemary. “Sometimes, our days are so hectic; we can’t seem to catch our breath. Other days, we seem to be moving in slow motion,” she says with a laugh. “That is when we don’t have that many patients,” she adds. “Also, I am one of the few nurses here, maybe the only one that continues to wear my nurse hat. You know, the little white hat?” she asks me. “Oh, I don’t have it on today so you won’t get a picture of me wearing my hat,” she adds with a laugh.
When Rosemary is not working, she likes spending time with her husband.
Her hobbies include arts and crafts, working out at the Y and gardening. “They are all very relaxing to me,” she says. “I don’t like to miss out on any of them.”
A big thank-you to nurses everywhere for giving your time and tender loving care to patients. What would we ever do without you? THANK-YOU!

The seventh annual Cross Family Benefit for the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation will be held on May 7 in Kingfisher. Cowboys from across the country will saddle up to raise money for cancer research and also to honor the life of Floyd Cross.
Cross battled – and defeated – recurring bouts of colon and liver cancer for 12 years before passing away in 2016. The Cross family continues to fight the disease in his honor by raising funds to support cancer research at OMRF.
“The Cross family is a great example of how Oklahomans can do something meaningful to help combat diseases like cancer,” said OMRF Vice President of Development Penny Voss. “Grassroots efforts like this one make a big difference in giving momentum to the world-class research happening right here in Oklahoma City.”
In addition to the steer wrestling competition and t-shirt sales, raffle tickets will be sold for $1 or six for $5 for a wide variety of prizes. A weekend getaway to Red River, New Mexico, will be up for auction.
The event will be held at 1 p.m. at the Kingfisher Rodeo Roundup Club Arena. To enter or for more information, call Sherrie Cross at (405) 375-4872 or (405) 313-1776. The books are open from 10 a.m. until noon on May 7. Admission is free.

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn [email protected]

How does one in 700 words or less describe all the variety of attractions that Westchester County New York holds? Well, one doesn’t, or better yet can’t. But in a quick visit I did enjoy all my stops along the very convenient ribbon of parkways that can speed you from one historic landmark to another or to another delightful dining experience.
My oasis for this visit was the expansive and convenient Doubletree in Tarrytown. With an extensive breakfast buffet with hot egg option included, you can be off and touring quickly on your own schedule. A good night’s rest is mandatory to supply you with the energy you will need each day. This Doubletree in Tarrytown delivers.
The 19th century was a period of political and technological change in America. Romanticism dominated the arts, and as the movement emphasized the appreciation of nature, imagination and emotion, the Hudson River Valley became the center of painting and architecture. Wealthy patrons commissioned the construction of mansions in a variety of styles along the bluffs of the river from New York City to Albany. Lyndhurst is one of these. Overlooking the Hudson River in Tarrytown, New York, Lyndhurst is one of America’s finest Gothic Revival mansions. Former New York City mayor William Paulding, merchant George Merritt and railroad tycoon Jay Gould were all its inhabitants.
Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate is a must tour. This expansive mansion and grounds tour is a popular attraction and you must make reservation for your visit at the Phillipsburg Manor Visitor Center, and a courtesy bus will take you from the ticket outlet and gift shop up the hill and around the circular drive. Personal cars are not permitted. The proprietors of this property are quite proud of their charge to preserve while sharing this American palace so be prepared for enforcement of strict rules while touring. The art gallery, if on your tour, gives one pause as to the real meaning of what is art and what is not?
The cottage of Washington Irving’s, Sunnyside, is a delight to tour or if you come too late for a formal tour, just grazing the grounds and setting, next to the Hudson and railroad track, is a fun meandering. Further investigation in to the life and contributions of Irving, is enlightening to see his influence of the times in which he lived. Not only giving us the tales of Sleep Hollow and the Headless Horseman, but coining such words we take for granted today, such as Gotham- referring to New York City. The Sleepy Hollow cemetery is a wealth of frozen history with such notables residing there as, Elizabeth Arden, Andrew Carnegie and William Rockefeller. Roaming its hill expanse, one can meander to the Old Church and cemetery, and down to the reconstructed Headless Horseman Bridge.
If you feel over loaded (and you shouldn’t) with historic places, modern entertainment at the Westchester Broadway Theater should be on your itinerary. They produce professionally presented musicals in a dinner theatre style. While just exploring the parkways and byways of Westchester and without planning one may happen upon a delightful restful moment. We came upon the Red Hat On The River bar and restaurant cozied up to the massive Hudson River. It’s curiosity quenching moments like this spontaneous beverage stop that the well-traveled embrace and relish as special memories.
But for a top of the sky, upscale dining option few can compare to the 42nd, atop the Ritz Carlton in White Plains. The cocktail lounge with spectacular views of the Hudson valley, setting sun and downtown, and the accompanying several restaurants, are the “in” place to dine in the center of Westchester County
Just when I thought we had experienced the best of Westchester dining, an evening setting sun cocktail and appetizers of Portabella mushroom and a Risotto at the historic Castle on the Hudson, offered us its plethora of charmed atmosphere as we sat on the outside patio of this mansion. While we were relaxing and recounting our few days of adventure, a pair of young dear wandered on the lawn beneath our table, as if on cue, having their dusk appetizer of young sprouts. Westchester County has its magic and is a grand entry into the Historic Hudson Valley, with many more locales, mansions, and dining experiences awaiting the discriminating traveler. www.westchestertourism.com

Mr. Terry Zinn – Travel Editor
Past President: International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
http://realtraveladventures.com/author/zin

Kevin Elledge has been named chief administrative officer for OU Physicians, the physician practice of the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.
In his new role, Elledge will work closely with OU Physician leadership to advance the mission of patient care across the OU Health Sciences Center enterprise. He will be responsible for the collective business and operational performance of the OU Physicians clinical practice, including the provision of core practice management services, revenue cycle functions, financial management, clinical operations, strategy development, information technology and analytics. Elledge will support the delivery of high-quality patient care across OU Physicians practice divisions and clinical units and will ensure coordination with the University’s missions of education and research.
Elledge has more than 14 years of experience with OU Physicians, most recently serving as the executive director of operations.
“As interim chief administrative officer, Kevin has worked tirelessly and very effectively to advance a number of important initiatives for our group,” said OU Physicians President Jesus Medina, M.D. “He has earned my respect as a trustworthy administrator, manager and leader. I am excited to continue working with him for the benefit of our organization.”
Elledge holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Central Oklahoma. Prior to joining OU Physicians, he resided in Atlanta where he founded and operated a successful healthcare technology company.
With more than 1,000 doctors and advanced practice providers, OU Physicians is the state’s largest physician group. The practice encompasses almost every adult and child specialty. Many OU Physicians have expertise in the management of complex conditions that is unavailable anywhere else in the state, region or sometimes even the nation. Some have pioneered surgical procedures or innovations in patient care that are world firsts.