By Nick Thomas

Her film and television career only lasted a decade, but Evelyn Rudie’s memories from the 1950s and 60s as a child actor remain vivid beginning with a small role in the Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron 1955 musical, “Daddy Long Legs.” After meeting director Henry Koster through a family connection when she was just 3 years old, young Evelyn was offered an audition at Twentieth Century Fox.
“They thought I looked exactly like Leslie Caron would have looked like as a child,” recalled Rudie, who ended up playing one of the orphan children in a scene with the French actress.
Throughout the 50s she appeared in several movies but received special acclaim for roles in live television plays on shows such as “Playhouse 90” and “General Electric Theater.” For her performance as Eloise in the 1956 CBS “Playhouse 90” episode of the same name, Rudie became the first child nominated for an Emmy.
The TV play was based on the Eloise children’s book series from the 50s written by actress Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight. The books portray the fictitious antics of young Eloise who lives in the New York City Plaza Hotel. With plenty of dialogue, Rudie’s character was central to the story and her performance on live TV was flawless (the 90-minute show can be seen on YouTube), but the original plan was for Thompson to overdub Rudie’s voice.
“They wanted to know if I could say my lines if I was coached all day before the broadcast,” explained Rudie. “Well, I’d heard those lines every day for three weeks during rehearsals, so it really wasn’t any big deal for me.”
Rudie’s role in the 1959 “General Electric Theater” episode Nobody’s Child was also memorable, mainly due to her co-star.
“I worked with Ronald Reagan who was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met,” she said. “He had a way of looking at you that made you feel like you were the most important person in his life. He did that with the director, the gaffer, the lady in the commissary – everyone. Whether or not it was genuine who knows, but it probably served him well when he went into politics.”
And speaking of presidents, when bantering with Groucho Marx in 1959 on “You Bet Your Life,” she informed the comedian if she didn’t remain in acting, she wanted to become president of the United States stating, “a woman has just as much right to be president as a man does.” Not surprisingly for the time, the line drew only modest applause from the audience mixed with a sprinkling of what sounded like disapproving ‘oohs’ as well.
“At school, in first grade, we talked about career choices, so I only wanted to be president if my acting career didn’t work out. Fortunately, it did,” she said.
Rudie’s true acting passion turned out to be theater where she still works today. Along with husband Chris DeCarlo, the couple have been artistic directors since 1973 at the Santa Monica Playhouse where they also act in productions (see www.santamonicaplayhouse.com). This coming fall, the Playhouse will be premiering “My Father’s Trunk,” the story of her father’s years as an underground anti-Nazi cabaret creator. After he died in 1996, Rudie discovered an old trunk in the basement containing costumes, set designs, show programs, and most of the songs and sketches he wrote for the Secret Cabaret at the Tuschinski Theatre in Amsterdam.
“I’ve been translating the songs ever since and finally we’re ready to start putting the show together,” she says. “In a way, I’m grateful I didn’t do more films or a TV series because a lot of kids who did became messed up. I got to be a normal kid and enjoy an acting career at the same time.”

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

By Marise Boehs

Rose Rock Veterinary Hospital and Pet Resort, a staple of Norman’s pet care since 1970, has added two more skilled professionals to their growing staff and clinic practice.

A  full-service, companion-animal hospital committed to providing your pet with lifetime quality care, Rose Rock Veterinary Hospital and Pet Resort offers a variety of services for all pets including your aging pet.  Dr. Beverly Fritzler (who has owned the practice since 1990) and her family and staff are constantly looking for the next medical treatment breakthrough. And the practice has invested accordingly. They offer the latest technology and equipment and their staff stays  up-to-date with continuing education.

A complete list of their services is available on their website
(www.roserockvethospital.com)

Natalia Burgos, DVM
Dr. Natalia Burgos joined the medical team of Rose Rock Veterinary Hospital as an Associate Veterinarian in June 2024. Growing up in Cayey, Puerto Rico, Dr. Burgos always know that she wanted to become a veterinarian. Even when she experienced doubts throughout undergrad and vet school, she persisted because she remembered that this is what she’s meant to do.

Before becoming a veterinarian, she did research with sheep and goats during her undergrad. She also worked at 2 small animal practices in Puerto Rico. She received her undergraduate degree in Animal Science from the University of Puetro Rico in Mayaguez in 2020 before attending Ross University to receive her veterinary degree in 2024. She is a member of the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association. Her professional interests include surgery, preventative medicine, and internal medicine.

At home, Dr. Burgos has two dogs; Lola, a small breed mix that she’s had since 2016, and Mocha, a Boxer-Heeler mix that she just recently adopted. In her free time, she enjoys running in the mornings, and staying active at the gym. She enjoys outdoor activities and staying busy, as well as going to new restaurants to try different foods.

Victoria Mitchell, DVM
Dr. Victoria Mitchell joined Rose Rock Veterinary Hospital in July 2024 as an Associate Veterinarian. She was born in Oklahoma City and spent a majority of her time between OKC and Northwest Missouri. Growing up around animals, Dr. Mitchell knew she wanted to care for them because they brought her so much joy. As she got older, she realized the role that animals play in human health, which influenced her to become a veterinarian.

Before becoming a veterinarian, Dr. Mitchell worked at Awesome Care Veterinary Hospital. She attended Rose State College for her Associate degree before receiving two degrees from Oklahoma State University; a Bachelor of Science in Biological Science and a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science in 2017, receiving the President’s Honor Roll and the Dean’s Honor Roll. She went onto attend Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine for her DVM and graduated in 2024. Dr. Mitchell was a member of Phi Zeta Nu, the Honor Society of Veterinary Medicine. Her professional interests include surgery, ophthalmology, and exotics.

“I love the ability to advocate for animals and educate clients so they can make informed decisions regarding the care of their pets,” Dr. Mitchell shares.

At home, Dr. Mitchell has two Great Danes named Cleopatra and Gypsy, one German Shepard named Gracie, a bunny named Jerry Thanos, two cats named Snowball and Ash, and a Ball Python named Pickle. She enjoys reading, swimming, going to the movies and watching her kids, Anthony, Elijah and Gabriel, play sports with her husband, Brett.

Story by Van Mitchell, Staff Writer

Navy veteran Tom Richey has faced several challenges in his life including being in a wheelchair for the last 50 years due to an auto accident.
But those challenges haven’t stopped him from living his life, and his desire to stay active at age 77.
“Trap shooting is my one and only thing that I still do,” he said. “Like I say, I’m too old to run marathons and play wheelchair sports and stuff like that, but I can compete against anybody. Just hold the gun up and bang. I’m on an equal footing with you. You want to come out and compete against me. We go head-to-head.”
Richey comes from a military family and decides to follow suit.
“My father was in the United States Navy, and so we traveled a lot, and I graduated in 1964 from Mar Vista High School, Imperial Beach, California,” he said. “It’s the most south westerly city in the continental United States. In 1964 Vietnam became a war, and I joined the Navy. They offered me a pretty good program way back in the sixties, nuclear power.”
After boot camp, Richey attended Nuclear Power Basic School in Idaho before finishing up in nuclear power submarine school.
Richey spent his entire 9-year Naval service working as an electrician on submarines, working 18-hour-days while at sea.
“I started on my first submarine, the Flasher, then my next ship, the 640 class Benjamin Franklin,” he said. “I got transferred to 623 and 624, which are Hale and Wilson. And then my last submarine was a new construction of the 684, which was the last submarine named for a fish. All those after that were named for city, different class submarines. I’ve been around the world three times, been in every major body of water, except I’ve never been in the Mediterranean.”
After nine years, Richey said he was ready to leave the long-working days on submarines and rejoin his wife and children back in Oklahoma.
Richey said the ride home to the Sooner state from Connecticut took longer than expected due to gas rationing across the country in December 1973.
“I started out driving from Connecticut, driving towards Oklahoma, and I had no idea that we had something called gas rationing,” he said. “It took me a week to get from Connecticut to Oklahoma.”
Richey landed a job in Oklahoma working as an engineer in the oil industry before the car accident that changed the trajectory of his life.
“On Feb. 3,1974 I went to work Monday morning. I got injured going home,” he said. “The steering gear separated on the truck. The steering wheel didn’t control the front wheels. The road had been graded. There was a triangle of dirt running down one side. They hadn’t smoothed all the way out. The left front tire caught that soft dirt. I was thinking about jumping, because coming up was a one lane, wooden ridge, no guard rails. Without control, it looked like that truck was not going to make it across the bridge. Just as I was thinking about jumping, the truck slid. I’m injured. I’ve been in a wheelchair for over 50 years.”
While recovering in the hospital, he was asked whether he was a member of the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), which he was not, but was given a one-year free membership while he was rehabbing.
The Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) is a congressionally chartered veterans service organization specializing in assisting and promoting a full lifestyle for veterans affected by spinal cord injury or neurological disease.
The PVA was formed in 1946. The key objective of PVA is to take action necessary to restore spinal cord injured or diseased veterans’ bodies and life potentials as closely to those not suffering spinal cord dysfunction. This is accomplished by the coordinated efforts of the PVA organization through programs that do the following:
• Advocate for and monitor the delivery of high quality and appropriate health care benefits and services.
• Assist in identifying and securing veterans’ benefits and other benefits for spinal cord injured and diseased veterans and others as appropriate.
• Promote medical research to cure spinal cord dysfunction and other related issues.
• Educate society on the attitudinal, physical and legal barriers confronting persons with disabilities and to influence the removal of those barriers.
• Provide information and opportunities for the promotion of health, employment, sports and recreation, social services, and camaraderie for spinal cord injured and diseased veterans and others as appropriate.
• Provide cooperation and seek the support of other groups and individuals who share PVA’s objectives.
• Acquaint the public with the current and ongoing needs of America’s veterans and
• To acquaint the public with simple and effective means for reducing the risk of preventing spinal cord injury.
• To promote involvement of the public in national and local activities that support PVA’s mission.
Richey later became a certified nationally registered benefits officer for the PVA.
“I did that for several years and offered aid and assistance to really disabled veterans,” he said. “I did a lot of visitations in the VA hospitals doing the same thing that the guys did for me when I was injured. I started doing it for them, the next generation.”
Richey helped start the PVA chapter in Oklahoma.
“I was the vice president for a year and was then elected as a national director,” he said. “And I did that for 20 years.”
During his time with the Oklahoma PVA, he helped with finding ways for PVA chapters to make money to help disabled veterans.
The result was the creation of Stor-Mor Mini Storage located at 7600 N. Rockwell Avenue in Oklahoma City.
“We were looking for a way of funding money for the chapters so they could make money,” Richey said. “The national office partnered with the state PVA office and we got a loan for construction, purchased the land and did all of this. We designed this part of the living quarters, wanted it set up so that one of our members could run it. Beverly and I took it over the first day of May (from previous managers).”
Richey said he is now at the point in life where he needs assistance with his daily routines. He receives help from Brightstar Care of Edmond/Oklahoma City located at 3000 United Founders Blvd. No. 103G in Oklahoma City.
“Getting older, I’ve really slowed down,” he said. “Brightstar gives me the opportunity to live almost independently. The VA has classified me as housebound and pretty much I am. Brightstar is the company that the VA connected me with to give me a home health aide.”
Cynthia with Brightstar is Richey’s home health aide.
“Cynthia has been with us for a long time now,” he said.” She wakes me up, helps me get up out of bed, go through my morning routines, and then cooks breakfast, makes the beds, lays out my clothes. I don’t have to go live in a nursing home. Brightstar has allowed me to live here on my own. Without them, I’m not exactly sure where I would be.”

For more information about Brightstar Care call
(405) 896-9600 or visit
https://www.brightstarcare.com.

by Van Mitchell, Staff Writer

Homewatch CareGivers of Edmond located at 3501 French Park Drive, Suite G, serves Edmond and surrounding areas, providing home health care services with compassion.
It is now transitioning to a new business focus called Total Care Solutions, which services include active care, wellness care, personal care, transitional care, care on demand, specialized care, and private-duty nursing, said owner Tobi Overgaard.
“We provide all kinds of care, for all ages and we specialize Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Long-term, spinal injuries, and wound-care,” she said. “We also do day service for clients who are having surgery, and we cover a large area of the State of Oklahoma. We employ Caregivers to (NP’s) Nurse Practitioners.”
Part of the Total Care Solutions service includes placing a camera in a client’s home.
“I believe we’re the first in-home care company in Oklahoma to do this ,” she said. It’s part of our service to have a way for the whole family to communicate with their loved one. The client will be able to have medication and appointment reminders and talk with Dr’s through the TV. They can view up to 10 people at a time on the screen. It’s HIPAA-compliant and it’s a game changer.” It allows the family to be able to check in with mom and dad if they’re far away, and just to keep an eye on them. We have people who have Anxiety, ADHD, PTSD who will benefit from having it in the home.
She continued, “If we have clients that are sitting at home, have clients that have Alzheimer’s, or that have dementia, they might not remember to take their medications. They might not remember to eat,” she said. “We can have a reminder pop up (on TV) and say, “Hey, don’t forget to have your lunch. We put it in the icebox, and we cooked it for you. It’s in the icebox.” It allows them to do care over television. So, if they can’t get to the doctor, the doctor can just tele-visit with them in-home.”
Overgaard said the camera placements also help parents who have children who have ADHD.
“We have a lot of ADHD kids, and when they put the cameras in their house, it’s life altering,” she said. “If they’re having an issue, and the mom isn’t able to get their child to the doctor’s appointment, they can do a home health call right there. They don’t have to leave the house.”
Overgaard said they also can put motion sensors in a client’s home.
“We have motion sensors we can put in the house, so that the family can track and see, “Hey, mom was up at 4 this morning, walking around. What’s going on? Is she okay? Did she fall?” she said.
Homewatch Caregivers provides in-home care for seniors on a weekly, daily, or 24-hour basis, but their teams can also assist with individuals of any age, ability or condition.
Overgaard said Oklahoma’s highly regulated in-home health, so hiring the right people is extremely important.
“We want to make sure all our people are fingerprinted. They’re insured. They’re FBI checked. Everything. We run through the gamut on our people to make sure we’re sending really good people to your homes,” she said. We make sure we train them that way so that they know exactly what they’re supposed to do and how you want it done.”
Overgaard said each client gets a home assessment for their needs.
“When we go in and do the assessment, we make sure things are done the way that you want it done,” she said. “I don’t want my caregivers just going in and putting in a TV dinner in the microwave and saying, “Okay, I’ve made you dinner.” I want them to cook the dinner. If they want a bowl of soup, don’t just stick it in the bowl and put it in the microwave. Cook it on the stove. If we can’t help you the way you need the help, then you don’t need us. So, we try to connect with the client and make sure they are taken care of. We go just a little bit further into better care. We’re like a family member, versus being just some lady that’s sent to your house to watch you. We interact with the client, and we care.”
Overgaard works closely with the Oklahoma City’s VA Community Care Provider Program helping veterans with their healthcare needs.
Community providers are a vital part of VA’s high-performing health care network, ensuring eligible Veterans and their beneficiaries get the timely, high-quality health care they need.
“I’m a community care provider,” she said. “The VA, when they have veterans come in, and they’ve been awarded hours to get home health, basically, either they pick us, or we find the veterans and we tell them, “Hey, if you need help, we can help you with this. If they haven’t received their VA benefits before, we will go to them with the paperwork, fill it out, send it in, and get them started on getting help, getting home health. We’ll walk them through the whole process.”
Overgaard is the only Homewatch Caregivers franchise in Oklahoma which allows her to offer veterans help across the state including rural areas.
“I bought the two largest areas already under my franchise license, but since there isn’t anybody else, the whole state is my playground,” she said. “The VA uses us a lot because we will go to those places. If there’s a veteran that’s out far away, and he can’t get home health, I’ll try to hire a caregiver in that area. They don’t even know that they can get this help. I come across that almost every single day.”
A two-time cancer survivor, Overgaard knows the importance of providing great care for others.
“You need the help that you need,” she said. “If we’re not helping you that way, then we’re no good to anybody.”
For more information about Homewatch Caregivers call (405) 444-3002 or visit
https://www.homewatchcaregivers.com

by Joan Collee

Director, Joan Colee, founded the Oklahoma Seniors Cabaret in 2008. Colee spent 20 Years in Hollywood/Los Angeles in her Brentwood Vocal Studio teaching many of the new and upcoming entertainers, and well-established movie actors, the art of singing. She honed her own singing, dancing and acting skills with well-known actors Jeff Corey, Marian Bell and Broadway choreographer, Danny Daniels. She appeared in many musicals with leading roles and appeared on the national television show America’s Got Talent at the age of 83 singing opera and tap dancing. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Music and a Master’s degree in Performing from Oklahoma City University.
When she returned to Oklahoma City, she discovered a need for seniors to have something to motivate them to stay mobile and healthy. Her experience with The Follies in Palm Springs gave her the idea of founding the Cabaret. Holding auditions in 2008 and attracting seniors to her idea, the Oklahoma Seniors Cabaret was born.
The group takes great pride that the Cabaret is a non-profit charitable organization (501c) with all profits donated to the John W. Keys Hearing Center at the University of Oklahoma. Those profits go to help seniors obtain hearing aids. We are proud to be endorsed by Governor Stitt and Mayor Holt.
None of the members of the Cabaret are paid for their time and talent. Members are 55 and older who sing, dance, act and/or play instruments. Classes are available for seniors who want to learn to tap, sing and act. It’s a wonderful group of people who love performing, learning and staying healthy through helping others.
We are looking for seniors with a need to move, groove and help other seniors. Joining us gives you the opportunity to participate in the performing arts.
Come join our organization!! Call (405) 840-1242 for more information.

Letha DeMoss

(Right) 100 years old. Letha (Salsbery) DeMoss of Edmond was born July 20, 1924, in Indiana. She has 2 daughters, 4 grandchildren & 5 great grandchildren. After graduating from HS, she worked as a beautician. She is a member of the Chrisian Church where she tutored children & Jesus Loves Me is her favorite hymn.

Jewell Hall

(Left) 100 years old. All smiles, Jewell Hall happily partied with her friends and family to celebrate her 100th birthday. She was the belle of the ball and a beautiful and worthy center of attention! Jewell met the love of her life, Bud, dancing at the famed Cain’s Ballroom in 1944. Notably, both Jewell and the Cain’s Ballroom are celebrating 100 years.

Mary Clark

(Right) 100 years old. Rosie the Riveter, Mary Etta Clark, celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends today. She worked at Douglas Aerospace during World War II as an engine rigger. Mary Etta once owned the very successful five-star restaurant, Pepies Italian Restaurant. Her words of wisdom for us today are: Get an Education, a Job which you enjoy, and go to church.

Willie Hallonquist

(Right) 101 years old. Willie B. “Brenda” Hallonquist of Edmond was born in Texas. She worked in the medical field & as a real estate agent, attended First Baptist churches, where she volunteered her time & received honors for her work. On her 100th birthday, she took her first limousine ride to Vast Restaurant in downtown OKC for a large family celebration. Brenda’s words of wisdom: “Be quick to listen. Be slow to speak. Be slow to anger. Love God with all your heart!”

By Marilyn Olson, VillagesOKC Executive Director

Many of the 370,000 people 50+ in the Oklahoma City metro know that having a good neighbor is the solution for borrowing sugar or the answer for a little help trimming a crepe myrtle or on a ladder replacing light bulbs. For others, it is getting a little assistance with an iPhone or Android device from someone who knows. Finding a trustworthy plumber, dog sitter, attorney or someone to go to the movies with is all a part of the connections available through VillagesOKC.
For the past six years, VillagesOKC has been serving the metro by developing programs and connection opportunities to empower local adults to age with vitality and purpose. With a variety of impactful initiatives, from educational workshops to veteran recognition events to caregiver support, VillagesOKC seeks to enhance the lives of older adults and their families.
Successful aging involves individuals taking personal responsibility to plan combined with community engagement. The GIFT, Gathering Information for Transitions, is another VillagesOKC program helping members learn about options, make decisions and write in a notebook for rapid access in a crisis. VillagesOKC is the one connection that unites both individual and community forces. This is important since the number of adults in Oklahoma will soon outnumber children under 18 for the first time.
The VillagesOKC mission of empowerment is founded on the transformative idea that the narrative around aging must be fundamentally redefined. Rather than viewing all seniors as dependents requiring constant support, VillagesOKC recognizes them as valuable leaders within the community. People 50 and older possess significant experience, wisdom and capabilities. This offers ongoing opportunities to lead, contribute and flourish. This shift in perspective not only enriches their lives but also strengthens the social fabric of our community.
Strategic partnerships with local organizations and businesses mean less duplication and more cooperation. VillagesOKC partnerships include Senior Living Truth Series, OKC Mature Moves, Buckelew Realty, NewView Oklahoma, Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight, Force50 Foundation, YMCAs of Greater Oklahoma City and YMCA Healthy Living Center, Directors Life Assurance, Providence Home Care, Nerve Renewal Neuropathy Clinics, CompleteOK (Homecare, Palliative Care and Hospice), Pinnacle Behavioral Healthcare, Senior Care Referral Services, Concordia Life Plan Community, Mercer Adams Funeral Service, Navigating Medicare as well as DHS Community Adult Living and Adult Protective Services, and the State Council on Aging. For more information about VilagesOKC call 405-990-6637 or visit
https://villagesokc.org.