Story and photos provided
James Hawkes survived an interview with notoriously abrasive four-star Adm. Hyman Rickover, served in the U.S. Navy on a nuclear submarine, is the retired CEO and chairman of Eaton Vance and is a recreational pilot. One thing he hasn’t been able to check off his bucket list is attending the commencement ceremony to receive his aerospace engineering degree at the University of Oklahoma. Honored as this year’s Distinguished Graduates Society member, Hawkes will finally be able to add that last one to his list of accomplishments.
“Celebrating the achievement of earning a college degree is a privilege we want all of our graduates to experience,” said Thomas Landers, dean of the OU College of Engineering. “We are honored that Mr. Hawkes has chosen this moment to celebrate a milestone event.”
From 1960 to 1964, Hawkes attended OU on a Naval ROTC scholarship, completing his aerospace engineering education in the College of Engineering. Originally from Georgia and having never been farther west than the Georgia-Alabama state line, Hawkes looked forward to his Oklahoma adventure.
“I enjoyed college life in just about every way,” Hawkes said. “From Navy serviceman to CEO businessman, the skills I learned and experiences I had at OU have been very influential in my life.”
But before he could walk across the stage to receive his diploma, the Navy required his service immediately. Within a week of completing his undergraduate education, Hawkes missed commencement to drive to New London, Connecticut, where he would serve four years in the Navy. Hawkes’ deteriorating eyesight would destine him to the nuclear submarine program rather than his desired position as an airman. His naval service ended in 1968, just as funding for the U.S. space program was winding down and many engineers were being laid off. While many of his colleagues and contemporaries were looking for work as taxi cab drivers and delivery men, Hawkes attended Harvard Business School where he earned a master of business administration degree. Soon after he combined the analytical, problem-solving and management characteristics of his two seemingly unrelated degrees to join the investment management team at Eaton Vance.
Hawkes spent the next 37 years climbing the corporate ladder at the investment management firm, eventually serving at the top rank for more than a decade. After retiring from Eaton Vance in 2007, he now serves as chairman emeritus.
He isn’t able to travel to Oklahoma often, but this weekend will be special for Hawkes when he flies his plane into Max Westheimer Airport, where his dream of flying was realized, he took his first flying lesson and made his first solo flight. He will also finally attend an OU commencement.
“I’m honored to join such an accomplished group of graduates,” Hawkes said. “It’s fitting to revisit my roots at OU, where my future in engineering and leadership began.”

by Vickie Jenkins
Sommerset Assisted Living and Memory Care Senior Community is a place you are sure to feel welcome. Recently, I talked with Yvonne Gutierrez, Life Enrichment Coordinator for the Memory Impaired and Progressive Care units. It’s easy to see why the residents love it here. Yvonne is very energetic, enthusiastic and enjoys spending time with the residents of Sommerset. She has been the Life Enrichment Coordinator for the last 3 years.
Yvonne enjoys spending time with the residents as they meet to share conversations, discussing the latest news, reading, playing dominoes and working puzzles. “There is a time and a place where the women like to get pampered, getting their hair done and getting the perfect manicure. They look forward to that,” Yvonne says. “It makes each one of them feel very special,” she adds. The Memory Care and Progressive Care residents enjoy a family day on the second Saturday of every month.
Asking Yvonne what her favorite thing is about being the activity director, she replies, “I love seeing the residents having fun and enjoying their time together. I look forward to the many activities that we have and I enjoy talking to all of the residents. We really get to know each other. Most of all, I like the hugs. Something so small but it goes so far. I love my hugs.” “If you were describing yourself in 3 words, what would they be?” I ask Yvonne. “I am definitely outgoing, very vocal, and I am always ready to help someone.”
Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear after age 65. Estimates vary but experts suggest that as many as 5 million Americans age 65 and older may have Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia among older people. Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning; thinking, remembering, reasoning and behavior abilities to such an extent that interferes with a person’s daily life and activities. Dementia is severity from the mildest stage, when it is just beginning to affect a person’s functioning to the most severe stage, when the person must depend completely on others for basic activities of daily living.
P.K. Beville, a geriatric psychologist and founder of the nonprofit senior citizen advocacy group Second Wind Dreams created the Virtual Dementia Tour, an experiential kit used to simulate the symptoms of age-related Alzheimer’s and dementia to help caregivers better identify and cope with their resident’s behavior and needs.
In the last few months, Yvonne Gutierrez and Connie Flowers, Director of Marketing and Admissions have been working on setting up the Virtual Dementia Tour at Sommerset. A walk-through exercise is given where 5 tasks are to be completed. The latest results show that out of the 5 tasks assigned, the average person accomplished 2. The most common comments were: angry, confused, powerless, embarrassed, scared and rethinking what their loved ones go through.
I also spoke with Dave Gooshaw, Clinical Special Education Coordinator of EMSA. He was very pleased with the Virtual Dementia Tour. He suggests that all caregivers go through this exercise program. “It was very interesting and it let me know what it is like for anyone that has Alzheimer’s is going through. I’ll have to admit, when I finished, I was frustrated by not completing all of the tasks, but it also made me aware of how a person with Alzheimer’s must feel. I am thankful that Sommerset has this program available. Overall, I consider the Virtual Dementia Tour fascinating.”
Sommerset is one of the few healthcare facilities in Oklahoma that has the Virtual Dementia Tour. If you have a loved one with Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias, and this is impacting your family, you shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to participate in this exercise. You may feel lost, scared and frustrated, but you will feel closer to your loved one and better prepared to help them.
If you or someone you know would like to experience the Virtual Dementia Tour, please contact Yvonne or Connie at 405-691-9221 to schedule an appointment.

The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) recently held a renewal dedication for its Heartland Memorial Tree Grove, which was originally planted in May 1995 in memory of the seven US Department of Agriculture (USDA) employees who perished in the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, Governor Fallin was on hand to help dedicate the new generation of redbud trees that were planted to replace the original ones.
The grove, located on the ODAFF grounds, is built in the shape of a heart, surrounded by native stones from all 77 Oklahoma counties which symbolize strength through unity. Seven redbud trees represent the USDA employees who perished, a whitebud tree represents lost innocence and a bur oak tree symbolizes the tenacity of the Oklahoma spirit. A granite marker lists the names of everyone who died in the bombing, including the seven USDA employees: Olen Bloomer, Jim Boles, Peggy Clark, Dick Cummins, Adele Higginbottom, Carole Khalil and Rheta Long.
“As the daughter of a USDA employee who lost her life in the bombing, it is very special to me that our Agriculture employees and community have continued to remember the tragic events of April 19, 1995,” said Blayne Arthur, Deputy Commissioner, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry. “The Heartland Grove is truly a living memorial to those that were lost that day.”
Others who spoke at the grove dedication included Jim Reese, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture; Blayne Arthur, Deputy Commissioner, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry; Mark Bays, Urban Forestry Coordinator, Oklahoma Forestry Services; Ray Vaughn, Oklahoma County Commissioner and Susan Winchester, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Oklahoma City Memorial Foundation.
Participants included family members of the USDA employees who lost their lives in the bombing, Arbor Day Kickoff Celebration attendees, member of the Oklahoma Urban & Community Forestry Council and ODAFF employees. The event was officially recognized by the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.

Story and photo by Vickie Jenkins
Meet Carol Lorance, retired nurse of 46 years and presently an artist and owner of Dragonfly Silks. What a fascinating person! Working in the medical field for so long, she retired and traded in her passion for nursing into passion for art.
Lorance was born in Joplin, Missouri. Her first job was at a hospital, working as a CNA. At that time, she was doing pretty much the same things nurses were doing; taking care of the patients, medication and vital signs. Enjoying being a CNA, she decided to further her career and become a nurse. After she became an RN she worked for several hospitals, Home Health, as a private duty nurse and was also a traveling nurse. She enjoyed traveling to Las Vegas, Florida and Hawaii. When she returned to Oklahoma, she worked at several hospitals, including Guthrie, Deaconess and Mercy. She was fond of being in the medical field but now, it was time for her to retire.
“What was your favorite thing about being a nurse?” I ask. “I enjoyed the closeness that I developed to the patients. My favorite moment was when the patient got better and got to go home.” “What is your favorite thing about being an artist?” “It’s the love I feel, like an inner glow. I am my own person and I don’t have to be anywhere else. It’s fun and it keeps me busy.”
‘What is the most important lesson you learned when you were a nurse?” “I learned to be patient with the patients,” she laughed. “Be a reliable worker and show up on time,” she added.
Before retiring, Lorance knew that she wanted to stay busy and do something else in her life. She had always been fond of photography and painting. It was one night when she came home from a late shift at the hospital. Flipping through the channels on TV, she came upon a demonstration of silk painting on an art show. She was instantly captivated by it, wondering if she could do silk painting. She ordered supplies, bought an instruction DVD and joined the silk painting guild in the UK via the internet. “My first two pieces weren’t great but they weren’t too bad either,” she comments.
Lorance has a degree in Graphic Design from Oklahoma City, OK and has shown her paintings at 50 Penn Place, Art Gallery in Oklahoma City, the Frontier Museum and G Gallery and Glass in Guthrie, OK. She is currently at the Red Dirt Gallery when she is not participating in arts festivals and other shows. Asking Lorance where she gets her inspiration for her art work, she replies, “I get different ideas from the environment and try to do things a little different than most people. If you have noticed, most artists paint flowers and garden scenes. Not that those paintings aren’t pretty but I just try to paint things a little different. I look at lots of images on the computer and study them.”
“How would you describe yourself in 3 words?” I ask. “I am a hard worker, very reliable and an artist.” “What is the most important lesson you have learned as an artist?” “Don’t take life too seriously, have fun and loosen up. Paint in abstract and be happy.”
Lorance’s hobbies include traveling, computers, photography and of course, art. “I was in sixth grade when I became interested in photography. I even had a dark room,” she said. When asked if Lorance’s daughter went into the medical field or into art work, she gave me a no. “My granddaughter is getting a degree in business and art,” she replied. “Just about every time my granddaughter came to my house when she was little, I always made sure we would make a craft or paint or do a cute little project. I think she got her artistic abilities from me,” she grinned.
Asking if Lorance stayed in contact with any of the nurses she worked with over the years, she told me there are quite a few that get together once a month for dinner and catch up on the many memories that they share.
Carol Lorance is a wonderful artist and it is apparent that she puts her feelings and passion into her unique work. Her beautiful paintings, gorgeous silk scarves, colorful pillows, decorative coasters and cutting boards can be found at Dragonfly Silks at Red Dirt Gallery, 13100 Colony Pointe Blvd. Piedmont, OK.

What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?

The best decision I ever made was to become a mother because that allowed me to become a grandmother and that’s the best job in the whole world.” Diana Schaeffer, RN

To give my life to God. Sherry Pack

I would have to say to give my life to the Lord. Nancy Karum

The best decision I ever made was to marry my husband, Steve. Nycke White

A new law requested by Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak aims to protect Oklahoma storm victims. Senate Bill 439, signed by Gov. Mary Fallin Monday, ensures transparency and accountability in the insurance adjusting process.
“I am proud that Gov. Fallin and the Oklahoma Legislature saw the importance of this bill,” said Doak. “After a natural disaster, storm survivors are vulnerable. This new law will protect Oklahomans by making sure all public adjusters follow the same rules.”
Public adjusters are licensed insurance claims adjusters who appraise and negotiate an insurance claim on behalf of the policyholder. Unlike an insurance company adjuster, public adjusters advocate for the claimant.
Senate Bill 439, written by Sen. Marty Quinn, R-Claremore, and Rep. Randy Grau, R-Oklahoma City, specifies certain required and prohibited actions of public adjusters. It also sets requirements for contracts used by public adjusters. Some of the new rules include:
Cannot charge more than 10 percent of the total claim on a non-commercial claim after a disaster.
Must hold any insurance proceeds on behalf of the policyholder in a non-interest bearing account in a FDIC-insured bank.
Claim records must be kept for at least five years and are subject to inspection by the Insurance Commissioner.
The new law also states that unauthorized adjusting practices in the state of Oklahoma will be considered a misdemeanor.
“In light of the recent devastating storms in our communities, this legislation is as important as ever and will serve to protect our citizens when they are most vulnerable,” Grau said. “This bill is the result of the hard work and collaboration of numerous individuals including Commissioner Doak, two national public adjusting organizations, local public adjusters and consumers.”
“This common sense reform is a huge step toward protecting Oklahomans when they need it most,” Quinn said. “I’m grateful to the Insurance Commissioner and his staff for working to pass this legislation and grateful to Gov. Fallin for signing the bill.”
The law goes into effect November 1.
The Oklahoma Insurance Department, an agency of the State of Oklahoma, is responsible for the education and protection of the insurance-buying public and for oversight of the insurance industry in the state.