Talking with Bindy Bitterman is full of laughter and humor. She recently published her first children’s book, Skiddley, Diddley, Skat, a beautifully illustrated limerick and has returned to frequently writing limericks to the delight of all who know her. Even as a full time business woman, owning and running an antique store in Evanston IL, Bindy was successful because her customers knew they would feel better after shopping there. As she gets ready to turn 91, Bindy is grateful for finding a retirement community that adores her sense of play. Never bored, never at a lack for friendship and fun, she thrives on living, playing and creating. "I can’t figure out how I got to be 90. It seems my sense of humor and play have developed since I’ve retired and moved to a retirement community." - Bindy Bittermanhttps://video.wttw.com/video/childrens-author-bindy-bitterman-writing-limericks-aufkbw/Connect with Bindy:Website: BindysVerses.comEmail: [email protected]: Skiddley Diddley Skat - Children’s BookAvailable at (temporarily out of stock until early February, 2022) :  Unabridged Book Store, Lake ViewBooked, EvanstonBook Stall, WinnetkaBook Cellar, ChicagoTown House Books, St. CharlesSee Bindy’s interview on Chicago TonightEmail: [email protected]

Sandra Whitmore, age 73 from Brevard NC, couldn’t wait to grow up so she could travel--to 33 countries, 17 Caribbean islands, and on 45 cruises (and still counting). Twenty years ago, she was new to community theatre, working her way from stage manager to lead roles. After Sandra was widowed at age 68, she pursued online dating and married date #17, Steve, in October 2021. This commitment required private lessons in ballroom dancing.  Bored during the pandemic, Sandra pursued two ventures which required extensive new learning. She has written over 70 travel blogs under the moniker, Silver Voyager. In February 2021, she launched a YouTube channel, Sandy Over 70. “Getting in front of the camera is like being on stage and I love it!” Her next adventure is moving with Steve to a continuing care retirement community in North Carolina, after returning from their dance cruise.  If I can imagine it, I can make it happen. - Sandra WhitmoreContact InformationEmail: [email protected]: YouTube.com/c/SandyOver70Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SandyOver70

At every stage and turning point in her life,  Marcia Whitney-Schenck asks herself, “What could I do? How might I think about this?” Each of her undertakings is underlined by a creative spirit that, she believes, is the essence of all humanity. Witty, direct and compelling, Marcia shares stories from her youth, a 9-month stay in Northern Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, and life as she experiences it today.Writer and multimedia artist, Marcia began her career as a journalist and worked in public relations. She founded a magazine, Christianity & The Arts and was its editor for 8 years. All of her work calls upon the spiritual, including her novel, Tryptych. Today her art centers on finding the humanity in ancient figures and reinterpreting them visually to be accessible in our modern lives. Recently, Marcia has tiptoed into the subject of dementia through her art and has also created a philosophy of life she names H.E.A.L.  "The written word and visual arts help us maintain our enthusiasm despite the pain of humanity." -  Marcia Whitney-SchenckConnect with Marcia:Email: [email protected]: marciawhitney-schenck.comHer Book: Triptych - available on Amazon.

Ricki (mchealthy) McKenna is an entrepreneur, author and functional certified nutritionist who believes healthy eating is the key to a vibrant life. She started her business in Colorado by visiting farmers’ markets to buy ingredients for soup, building an inventory of 12 different ones and selling them to her nutrition clients and the public. Today, Ricki’s Kitchen-PAN-tuitive Cooking is a well-known show on YouTube (found at USA GLOBAL TV - THE UNITED KITCHENS) and she is a favorite on various TV programs. "I bring the spirit of life and healthy living into everything I do. Life is good." - Ricki MckennaContinuously reinventing herself, Ricki chefs for seniors, bikes, and loves to play pickleball. She believes aging is an attitude and works at helping other seniors eat their way to a healthy, energetic, joyful life. Laughter and fun are her middle names. Connect with Ricki:Email: [email protected]: https://rickiskitchen.netEBook: Ebook, “YES YOU CAN EAT WELL and EAT RIGHT and Find the Joy of Cooking." A quick Guide to Stretching your food dollar.  Available at https://Patreon.com/rickimchealthy

Vanessa Kettler has danced all her life. She became an exercise coach 20 years ago and now focuses on older people so they, too, can experience a higher quality of life as they age. Feelings of fear, depression, anxiety and stress can be controlled through a continuing active lifestyle, including exercise, stretching and breathing.A specific regime is to move for 5 minutes every ½ hour and exercise daily for 30 minutes. Vanessa assures us that optimum muscle strength and bone health will be your reward.We do not have to accept the traditional, less active path older people think is inevitable. I still dance at 78 because I follow my own approach. After a severe fall causing a broken shoulder and wrist, I regained full motion in only 4 months.Connect with Vanessa:Website: https://building-better-balance.comDVDs available for purchase

Karen Bennett, from Baltimore MD, entered adulthood in the 1960s amongBeatniks and ‘starving’ artists. After leaving art studies and a first marriage, as a mother of three, Karen became a nurse practitioner working in correctionalinstitutions, including Riker’s Island, NYC jail. Her first fiction writing drew onher experience with women’s prisons, where “the extraordinary soon becomes the ordinary.” Since 2006, Karen’s life adventures and misadventures have nourished her fiction writing about an array of other topics--travel, choir, horses, ballet. Karen’s quest is to publish as many of her books as possible, while she is still on the “moving sidewalk of life.”Contact Information:Email: [email protected]: https://www.karensbennett.comPublications:Beautiful Horseflesh (2021). Apprentice House Press.The Farewell Tour (2019). Available on Amazon.

Sue Smith’s life has educated her as much as she educates others in her position as teacher, trainer and consultant, first for middle school children, and then 30 years for Keep America Beautiful. Sue recently retired from KAB. The love in her voice as she recounts the exciting career she had with them is reason enough to listen. For a woman who had a 50-year love affair with her husband, you wouldn’t detect that he recently died from the stories she shares. This is a person who, as she says, was lucky enough to find her passion and purpose living alongside a partner and children who supported her every step of the way. Sue’s positive attitude reigns supreme, allowing her to face new challenges and make an impact on everyone she serves. "What are the odds that a Michigan farm girl would visit Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand and teach litter prevention, improving recycling and beautification, overseas and throughout the United States?" - Sue SmithConnect with Sue:Email: [email protected]: 312-933-9709Keep America Beautiful: https://kab.org/

Ilene’s life is colorful and eventful. Overcoming her own fear and anger has allowed her to experience adventure in unique and satisfying ways. Author, social worker and host of Full Power Living for 12 years, she now lives primarily in an RV and continues to coach 1 day a week. In an earlier life she spent 5 years on a houseboat on Lake Union in Seattle.  At 30, Ilene asked herself, “Is it possible to put anger under one’s own direction?” After two decades, she declared herself a self-proclaimed recovered angry person. Then she asked “Is it also possible to curtail fear in my life?” Indeed, it was. The focus of her career moved to working with people to  understand and take control of their debilitating emotions.  Isolating emotions in this way became a new field which emerged because emotions had not been investigated separately from diagnoses of mental illness.Connect with Ilene:Email: [email protected]: https://emotionalpro.com Book: Emotions in Motion: Mastering Life’s Built-in Navigation SystemBook: The Wellness Universe Guide to Complete Self-Care: 25 Tools for Stress Relief

Create diverse communities and better the lives of all people. This one sentence perfectly describes Margo Morris, 78. The communities themselves were diverse: corporate America, education, Lincoln Park Zoo, Garfield Park Conservatory and other non-profits, and in each one she worked to engage a broader swath of American life. Margo retired 13 years ago and returned to an earlier love: art, settling on figurative art in water media.  Recently she became widowed and now plans to move to an independent senior community to start a new chapter in her life. Margo believed aging was just getting wrinkles. As she ages it's become clear that aging is so much more. She has a strong sense of humor and as you listen you will hear it in everything she says.Once I accepted that everyone has to die, I felt relieved. No one gets the privilege of not dying. - Margo MorrisConnect with Margo:Email: [email protected]

Dr. Jane Traies, from Brighton, England, has lived through defining moments of LGBTQ+ history.  In her late-60s, Jane earned a Ph.D. in Gender Studies from the University of Sussex. For the past ten years, Jane has devoted her writing career to documenting oral and life history about the lives of older Lesbian women. Jane describes herself as “an old historian [who] is putting my generation back on the map” through speaking and writing. She is an advocate for the Lesbian Immigrant Support Group, a grassroots organization that offers support to lesbian and bi women seeking asylum from the violent homophobia of their home countries.  Jane’s latest book, Free To Be Me, features experiences of immigrant women in the UK. Contact Information Email: [email protected] by Jane Traies Free To Be Me (2021) Now You See Me: Lesbian Life Stories (2018) The Lives of Older Lesbians: Sexuality, Identity, and the Life Course (2016)

How do you describe a woman, in a few short paragraphs, whose passions are so numerous, her curiosity endless, and her life filled with joy in all she pursues? This is Dr. Linda Seger. Never satisfied to only do, Linda seeks the best teachers in each of her endeavors. She has learned not to put age in the equation or live her life with regrets. She says: When you feel the need to do something, do it right away. Flow with it. Find joy in it.Linda looks at social justice from the female point of view. She studied at the seminary to see if creativity and spirituality are connected and took apart words in the bible to answer the question: “What do these words mean for us as artists?” You become memorable because you applaud everybody and find joy in the mere doing of all you decide to pursue.  - Dr. Linda SegerConnect With Linda:Email: [email protected]: https://lindaseger.comHer Books on Screenwriting - https://www.amazon.com/s?k=linda+seger+making+a+good+script+great&crid=1YLCBQ7C1A5M1&sprefix=Linda+Seger%2Caps%2C167&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_4_11Most Recent Book: God’s Part in our Art: Making Friends With the Creative Spirithttps://www.amazon.com/Gods-Part-Our-Art-Creative/dp/1737798204/ref=sr_1_18?crid=1YLCBQ7C1A5M1&keywords=linda+seger+making+a+good+script+great&qid=1637346417&sprefix=Linda+Seger%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-18

Childhood friends, Iris Goldfein and Monica Israel, are both highly accomplished professionals in male saturated fields, who approached retirement with apprehension and excitement.  They co-founded DefyingGravity.life in 2018 with the mission to “cultivate new norms and create new pathways through engaging conversation and expert advice” regarding the transition to life after a career.  Iris and Monica discuss their own retirement challenges and encourage women to defy the weights of both societal and personal judgments. They want women to be the writers of their own stories and to have purpose however the individual defines it.   DefyingGravity.life offers its members webinars, a Resource Library, Newsletters and an online forum for ongoing conversations. "Our vision for DefyingGravity.life is to solve a feminist crisis." - Monica and IrisContact information:www.DefyingGravity.lifeirisgoldfein@[email protected]

Many know Karen Grassle as ‘Ma’ on the hit TV series, Little House on the Prairie. She is also an actress of stage and film and now a published author with her memoir (Nov 2021) Bright Lights, Prairie Dust. Meet the real Karen Grassle who talks openly about her struggles with alcoholism, depression, and lack of self-worth during her journeys as a dedicated artist. Karen is also known for her advocacy on behalf of equality for women. She was an early advocate for the ERA, co-wrote and starred in the TV film, Battered, and influenced Congress to fund shelters for women victims of domestic violence. Karen lives peacefully in the hills of San Francisco Bay where she takes pleasure in writing and connecting with family and friends. Book/memoir: Grassle, K. (2021, Nov). Bright Lights, Prairie Dust: Reflections on Life, Loss and Love from Little House’s MaWebsite: www.karengrassle.netFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.grassleInstagram: @karen_grasslePublicist: [email protected]

Within us all are stories to tell that are relevant and essential. Dara Marks, international script consultant, lecturer, author and workshop presenter has always been fascinated by story. Her newest book and seminar, Inside Story, takes you into the depths of the writing process and teaches you how to build a great screenplay from the inside out. She guides us to see ourselves in the archetypal patterns of mythological characters, leading to a deeper understanding of how we grow as we move through our own stories. “If you want to create character in your stories, look at how your own character was created. How you faced the challenges in your life has created the true quality of your character.” - Dara MarksConnect with Dara:Email: [email protected]: https://DaraMarks.comBook: Inside Story: The Power of the Transformational ArcNew Seminar: Inside Story:

Pamela Tate, age 75, did not foresee becoming a full-time volunteer leaderof climate reality actions at grass roots and national levels. As a member of the Climate RealityProject-Chicago Metro Chapter, Pam co-chairs the Task Force on Electrifying Public Transit. Intwo years, they engineered a commitment from the Pace suburban bus system to change fromdiesel-powered buses to an all-electric bus fleet by 2040. At the federal level, Pam is on theRegenerative Agriculture Team which targets working with legislators and agriculturalcommittees in the House and Senate to include RA incentives in the 2023 Farm Bill. She chairsthe Federal Advocacy Team to retain climate provisions in the Build Back Better Act. Pam is anelected member of the Board of Directors of American Forests, a national non-profit thatpromotes trees as one of the best technologies for pulling down carbon from the atmosphere.Pam’s advocacy includes many more teams and pilot projects in her quest for a healthierplanet.Pam presents to college classes, companies, and community groups on the climate crisis andeffective strategies for change. Contact Pam at: [email protected]"My climate action efforts range from electrification of public transit toregenerative agriculture to forestation in urban areas." - Pamela TateConnect with Gail & Catherine:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimaginedInstagram: WomenOver70Website:https://womenover70.comEmail: [email protected]: Women Over 70 – Aging ReimaginedListen on: Apple Play, Stitcher,Please rate our show and subscribe wherever you listen. This is how we grow.

Ina Pinkney contracted polio 11 years before there was a vaccine, at the early age of 18 months. Marginalized, ostracized and ignored as a child she felt she received a 2nd chance at life when the surgery she had at 6 proved successful. Expecting to die, instead she flourished, and has lived an extraordinary life as culinary artist, baker, breakfast restaurateur, cookbook publisher and world renowned speaker about global influences on breakfast. Experiencing mind-numbing exhaustion and muscle weakness 40 years after the onset of the disease led Ina to find answers. She attended a conference to learn more and was surprised to find a huge community that was experiencing what is now known as Post-Polio Syndrome. As only Ina does, she dove in and became an activist. She is an international spokesperson for Rotary International PolioPlus Foundation and speaks about the late effects of polio and the need for continued vaccinations.“It takes less energy to be courageous than it does to be afraid.”This Episode was Sponsored by The Insurance PeopleIt is Medicare Open Enrollment. Open Enrollment is October 15th - December 7th. Do you need help enrolling? Do you want to shop out your Medicare Supplement, Part D Medication or Medicare Advantage Plan? The Insurance People located here in Illinois specializes in helping folks shop and select the best Medicare option for their needs. You can find them at insuranceppl.com or 773-697-8082.Connect with Ina:Email: [email protected]: INA’S KITCHEN: Memories and Recipes from the Breakfast Queenhttps://www.amazon.com/s?k=INA%E2%80%99S+KITCHEN%3A+Memories+and+Recipes+from+the+Breakfast+Queen&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_nossDocumentary: Breakfast at Ina’s (on Amazon)

Pauline Coffman’s early involvement in youth ministry evolved into justice ministry during her 20+ years as an advocate for peace and justice in the Middle East. Her first visit to Lebanon was as a student in 1959; her next visit to countries in the Middle East was in 1999 as a peace advocate. During the intervening years, Pauline learned to “see both sides of the story” through talking with immigrant rights activist Cesar Chavez in 1962; serving churches, with her husband, in neighborhoods in two states that were undergoing major racial changes in the 1960-70s; feminizing language in hymns and scriptures while Dean of Students at a theological seminary; and creating hospitable environments for adult learners in higher education institutions. Then, as now, Pauline is unafraid to “buck the prevailing world view.” At age 82, she is rejuvenated by working with committed colleagues to build networks between Israel and Palestine.During my decades of advocating for peace and justice in the Middle East, I have learned to hear both sides of the story.

Octogenarian Pat Anderson, 89, retired from her lifelong career as a textile studio craftsman - spinning, knitting, sewing and weaving. Leaving her daughter in charge of the studio, she embarked on an unusual retirement project: creating and providing hand-knit prosthetics for mastectomy breast cancer survivors.  As a lifelong textile studio craftsman,  Pat was well versed in the legal, professional, and ethical challenges this project presented. Once everything was in place she filed a copyright. We could see the excitement in her when she proclaimed, “To date, 1500 pairs have been lovingly gifted, from one survivor to another.” 60% of all recipients offer to join the project as co-sponsors with donations. Each pair of Busters that goes out is paid for. At the end of the year there is a surplus which Pat generously donates to the Breast Cancer Support Program at Sharp Memorial Hospital in California. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Women Over 70 has committed to donating 20% of all contributions we receive to the Busters Project during the month of October. Contributions are the only form of funding for this important project. “We are blessed to know that we are really creating something that has a positive impact on someone else’s life.” Connect with Pat:Email: [email protected]

Karla Klinger, age 87, has been a poet much of her life. However, until now, most of her work has been shared privately. As an early podcast guest, Karla read This Particular Dot in Time. This penetrating poem is the last entry in her first published poetry collection, Life Unfolding (2021). Karla unravels her ‘emotional truths’ throughout girlhood to old age. Interspersed between sections of poems are photos of Karla’s pottery, which she continues to create and teach to others. In her episode, Karla shares highlights from her research on the experiences of vital women in their 70s. She reflects on her own experience of aging into her 80s. Karla expresses appreciation for often being able to act through choice than obligation; for example, moving with her husband from a home and community of 54 years to a hospitable independent living facility in Portland, OR. I am a museum of myriad images, a spectrum of emotions, cares, and commitments. Connect with Karla:[email protected] Unfolding: Poems by Karla Klinger. Zion Publishing, 2021. Available only on-line in paperback from Amazon and in hard cover from Barnes and Noble. Or in quantity, at discount, contact the author at: [email protected]

Marva has worked in nursing, real estate, business brokerage and more. Married in 1969 at 22, she raised 3 children, has 9 grandchildren, all of whom live nearby, and believes satisfaction comes from within. For the last 18 years, Marva has satisfied her desire to be closer to her Methodist faith. As Episcopal Secretary for the Bishop in the Northern Conference, she manages 385 churches, the Bishop’s calendar and a myriad of other administrative duties. Planning to work 2-3 more years, she suspects she won’t completely retire and plans to return to real estate. As a younger person she did not enjoy much independence and encourages women to be more independent and learn to make decisions on their own. I rarely sit still. I have to be in some type of helping the situation. - Marva AndrewsConnect with Marva:Email: [email protected] with Gail & Catherine:Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimaginedInstagram: WomenOver70Website: https://womenover70.comEmail: [email protected]: Women Over 70 – Aging ReimaginedListen on: Apple Podcast, Itunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, and IHeartRadioPlease rate our show and subscribe wherever you listen. This is how we grow.

Ellen’s mother died at 101. Like her mother, Ellen’s current life path is filled with enthusiasm and enrichment. She is fueled by the strong community that is the Docent Volunteers of the Chicago Architecture Center. Even before becoming a docent (certified in 25 different tours), Ellen pursued one path after another that led to her interests in historic preservation and the rich heritage that is Chicagoland architecture. For many years she worked for the Metropolitan Planning Council, wrote 4 books and volunteered for the Glencoe Historical Society, thrilled to be part of the group that saved a Frank Lloyd Wright home that is now turning into a museum in Glencoe.-“As my mother said, You are not even old until you are at least 85.” - Ellen ShubartConnect with Ellen:Email: [email protected]: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ellen+shubart&i=stripbooks&crid=2DQB30RJ7GBC1&sprefix=Ellen+Shubar%2Caps%2C174&ref=nb_sb_ss_c_2_12_ts-doa-pGlencoe Illinois: Images of AmericaTaylor Street: Chicago’s Little Italy What’s With Chicago?: The Quirks, Personality and Charm of the Windy CityChicago: An Illustrated Timeline 

Donna Lawrence was happily living life until the unspeakable death of her son, at age 20, from a brain seizure. Through the Main Street Entrepreneurs, Matters Cafe and Laughter Yoga, Donna discovered ‘it’s an amazing thing when you realize you can go on’. The color pink helped boost her spirits and, today, she surrounds herself with pink through painting, clothing, decor, and helping others find their pink passion. Painting is therapeutic - it puts you in a zone and improves your focus. Through her company, ItPinkPainting, she guides others to create custom-designed items that are painted pink.“I don’t think much about aging; I think of it as maturity. Stay connected with positive people and you can find the good in anything.” - Donna Lawrence Connect with Donna:Email: [email protected]

Worldwide traveler and former teacher at Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Art, Ingrid is an established and well-known artist, specializing in watermedia. From florals to petroglyphs, pictographs and hand-made paper making influenced by her travels, Ingrid is inspired by how light and shadow create unusual perspectives. “My experiences are what help me see and paint what I do today.” - Ingrid Albrecht Still learning today, she says “Covid taught me to be an artist!” From her studio she offers ‘Open Studio’ workshops, keeps reimagining art and loves sharing the wealth of information she has amassed with the world. Connect with Ingrid: Website: https://ingridsartoriginals.com Email: [email protected] Connect with Gail & Catherine: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimagined Instagram: WomenOver70 Website:https://womenover70.com Email: [email protected] Show: Women Over 70 – Aging Reimagined Listen on: Apple Podcast, Itunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher,and IHeartRadio Please rate our show and subscribe wherever you listen. This is how we grow.  

Marilou Eldred, Ph.D., was called to serve others as a young girl. She devoted ten years as a nun with a teaching order and, upon leaving the convent, embarked on her journey as an educator. Marilou has held top level leadership positions in higher education for women, including President of Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN. After retirement, she was called to philanthropy, serving as President of Catholic Community Foundation in St. Paul, MN. Now in her second retirement, Marilou volunteers with the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis, where she is a strategic planning consultant with parishes in Minnesota. Volunteering is a way of life for Marilou which includes a host of civic, charitable and church work, usually in leadership roles. She and her husband, a former priest, have been married for 47 years and have a daughter in her early 40s.  Marilou is writing a memoir about her remarkable life’s passages. "I strive to empower others to be and do their best." - Marilou Eldred, Ph.D. Contact Information: [email protected]

Many people fear change. Not Leni! She has traveled the world, moved from city to country and back again, many times. Leni began her career as a teacher and discovered that teaching is about influencing changing behavior. So is sales. Joining Xerox for its training and development, she worked there for 3 years. Then, on to insurance, real estate, selling her beaded jewelry, and recently, joining ASP purification Systems. Leni is fearless and looks forward to being 80 and 95. Her best relationship was at 72, so what can be next? “Health is a priority for me. Change is what keeps me going.” - Leni Garfunkel  

Shirley Holm, age 70, has learned to adjust and thrive to life’s unexpected turns using three anchors: family and friends; education; and active engagement in what matters. After experiencing devasting deaths of her mother, best friend, and husband, Shirley supported her young family teaching in the St. Paul public schools. “Teaching, next to parenting, is the best thing I’ve done in my life.” Although a “Lifelong Minnesotan,” Shirley’s sabbatical in California turned into permanent residency in San Francisco.  Shirley’s approach to life-as-adventure includes the quest to “experience” all U.S. national parks. For any life quest: “Why not? What are the true barriers to doing something that you want?” There are no guarantees; we’d better have our priorities and support systems in place. - Shirley Holm Contact information: [email protected] Connect with Gail and Catherine: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimagined Instagram: WomenOver70 Website:https://womenover70.com Email: [email protected] Show: Women Over 70 – Aging Reimagined Listen on: Apple Podcast, Itunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher,and IHeartRadio Please rate our show and subscribe wherever you listen. This is how we grow.

Mary Kemmer was born in Sheboygan Wisconsin, lived in Chicago for almost 20 years and currently lives in Arlington Va. Her professional background spanned 30+ years in Human Resource with a focus on Leadership Development and Executive Coaching. A woman of purpose and learning, Mary serves on two Advisory Boards at Georgetown University Medical Center, The Drs. Speak Out program and Partners in Research. She is also enrolled in her fifth semester at Georgetown’s Mini-Medical School! Four years ago Mary created the Art of Aging discussion group for individuals 70 years+. Mary enjoys entertaining, traveling, and participating in multiple book clubs. These activities keep her brain alive, stimulated, curious and active. "Health, exercise and diet contribute to proactive aging. I never feel or think ‘elderly’." - Mary Kemmer CONNECT WITH MARY: Email: [email protected] Contact: Mary at [email protected] to receive a copy of her Art of Aging Guide.

For over 50 years, Peg Cruikshank has challenged mainstream thinking about women-- in particular, about lesbians and women growing old.  Now retired from Women’s Studies at the University of Maine, Peg serves as an Associate at The Maine Center on Aging. She is the author of award-winning, groundbreaking books: Learning To Be Old: Gender, Culture, and Aging (2003/2013) and The Gay and Lesbian Liberation Movement (1992). Peg discusses misconceptions and stereotypes about women aging; she proposes we think creatively and constructively about ‘learning how to age.’ Peg also reflects on how experiencing a stroke 15 months ago is shaping her own realities of health and aging. Contact Information: [email protected] Books by Peg Cruikshank Cruikshank, M. (2013). Learning To Be Old: Gender, Culture, and Aging, 3rd ed. Rowman & Littlefield. Cruikshank, M. (Ed.) (2016). Fierce with Reality: Literature on Aging, Rev. Ed. Hamilton Books. Cruikshank, M. (1992). The Gay and Lesbian Movement. Routledge.

Jean Ann Durades, age 89, from Minneapolis, MN., says that in early adulthood, she didn’t imagine what her life would be like. In retrospect, teaching is the thread throughout her career as a schoolteacher, social worker, and for 27 years, as a trainer and field consultant with the YMCA. In 1970, Jean Ann was the first African American woman to become a field consultant with the YMCA; in 2019, she was inducted into the YMCA Hall of Fame. Jean Ann has long been involved in cultural, civic and change-making activities. She is a facilitator and community member with Restorative Justice Community Action and a mentor to young people. As a tour guide with the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Jean Ann has helped to expand representation of African American artists and other artists of color. She has collected art for over 60 years and enjoyed a passion for art, dance, music and theatre. Also, for the past 60 years, Jean Ann has pursued downhill skiing, a passion that has taken her to every continent except Antarctica. I respect that everyone looks at the world through their own lens. - Jean Ann Durades Contact: [email protected]

This week, we’re celebrating the125th episode of Women Over 70– Aging Reimagined. In this episode of Get Real, Gail and Catherine share what they have learned as they reshape the conversation around women aging. Find out what’s next for the podcast and the ever growing community. Thank you for listening! “At Women Over 70–Aging Reimagined we make it our mission for all women over 70 to be seen and heard” - Catherine & Gail Invite Gail and Catherine to speak at your event or for your organization on creative and courageous ways to reimagine aging. Be the first to hear what is new at Women Over 70. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. https://womenover70.com/#subscribe Connect with Gail & Catherine: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimagined Instagram: WomenOver70 Website:https://womenover70.com Email: [email protected] Show: Women Over 70 – Aging Reimagined Listen on: Apple Podcast, Itunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher,and IHeartRadio Please rate our show and subscribe wherever you listen. This is how we grow.  

Lauren Coodley’s 35-year career involved fighting the educational establishment to legitimize Women’s Studies and to teach using feminist pedagogy. She was profoundly successful with female and male students alike. Yet, Lauren was forced to retire from her tenured position at age 60 due to misogyny and ageism, as well as her activist career. Lauren’s work as an historian includes a textbook on California history and a trilogy on the history of Napa Valley. She has spent decades striving to promote Upton Sinclair as a male feminist and strong ally of women’s rights--most recently in her 2013 biography. Lauren’s published poems, The Same River Twice, came out in 2018. Recently, she has written poems about her treatment for ovarian cancer, currently in remission. Lauren reads for us On Losing My Female Organs. “I am outraged about the epidemic of cancer in women,” Lauren says; “and grateful to be alive.” The world is a dangerous place for women and girls.- Lauren Coodley Contact Information Email: [email protected] Website: laurencoodley.com [see publications: non-fiction history, biography, and poetry] including: Upton Sinclair: California Socialist, Celebrity Intellectual (2013). University of Nebraska Press.   Lost Napa Valley (2021). Arcadia Publishing.

Nancy Hunter loves adventure. As the first Affirmative Action Officer for Harris Bank (now Bank of Montreal), she helped forge a path for women and minorities to rise in the ranks. After a move to First Chicago (now Chase Bank) and 30 years in banking, she opened her own consultancy a year before her husband tragically died by suicide at the age of 59. 4 years later Nancy sold her business and moved to Paris for 6 months. She has traveled to 7 continents, sharing many of her trips with friends and family. Having no children of her own, her god-children, nieces and nephews are an important part of her life. “In this stage, I want to have fun, bring joy to others.” She continues to be relevant, just in a different way. And, be careful, she might just send you a surprise present! “This later stage of life is a gift. It’s attitude that matters.” - Nancy Hunter Connect with Nancy: Email: [email protected]

Marcia Ross, 78, held a deep-seated love of history and Jewish studies. As her children grew she started taking courses at Spertus Institute which led to a master’s degree in Jewish communal service. Working for the Jewish Federation and Spertus Institute, Marcia felt extremely fortunate to be part of the team that built the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. The skills she acquired in her professional career serve her well in retirement. She has recaptured her love of history by volunteering as a docent for the Chicago Architecture Center. Today she actively leads 7 different tours as she maintains a positive spin on her life that is yet to come. "An important part of living is meeting new people and exploring new relationships." - Marcia Ross Connect with Marcia: Email: [email protected] Marcia’s Causes: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Chicago Architecture Center Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning & Leadership Jewish Federation of Chicago  

As the Midwest regional campaign and outreach manager for Compassion & Choices, a national non-profit organization, Amy Sherman advocates for planning for and expanding end-of-life care options and empowering people to take charge of their own journeys. She leads a statewide coalition in Illinois, in partnership with Final Options Illinois and the ACLU of Illinois, and oversees activities in several other Midwestern states. Amy earned a law degree from Northwestern University School of Law. Over her career, she has led national and state policy initiatives and provided technical assistance to government, business and institutions. Earlier in her career, Amy managed emergency services at University of Illinois Hospital and the emergency services house staff program at Cook County Hospital. These experiences led her to develop a passion for patient-centered and compassionate approaches to health care. Contact [email protected] Resources www.Compassionandchoices.org https://compassionandchoices.org/end-of-life-planning/ https://compassionandchoices.org/resources/

Patricia Manahan Anderson, age 83, has been children and family-centered her entire adult life. She gave birth to 6 children in 8 years, including her first-born who died from spina bifida at a young age. With an “uncanny appreciation for healthy children,” Pat developed a holistic parenting style that was congruent with the “natural living of farm life.” During 18+ years of child-rearing, Pat earned an advanced degree in nursing through part-time studies and countless hours of self-instruction, including annual conferences of the American Holistic Medical Association. She worked as a psychiatric nurse practitioner for 30 years, until retiring at age 78. Widowed in 2018, Pat is “sustained and entertained” by her 5 adult children, 17 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren, all of whom gather together on numerous occasions. Pat says she is “filled with gratitude” and has “perfected the art of living in the now.” "I am holistic by nature and I do active listening." - Patricia Manahan Anderson Contact: [email protected]

Margot Wallace is a marketer, academic, author and life-long learner. Starting out, Margot was a writer and creative director for J. Walter Thompson (now JWT), global advertising agency. At age 62, Margot earned a master’s degree from DePaul University and became an assistant professor of marketing at Columbia College Chicago, where she received tenure. Margot pioneered the study of museum branding: she authored four books and presented throughout the United States and abroad. Since retiring at age 75 Margot volunteers with Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Northwestern University where she develops and teaches semester-long courses. Margot’s insatiable curiosity is reflected in her wide- ranging topics--from Frankenstein to Eleanor Roosevelt, from baseball stories to 6,000 year old cities to speeches that changed the world. After becoming a young widow 30 years ago, Margot learned to enjoy living solo-- traveling, dining, and living alone. Her secret to aging well is to “know where you get your energy from and pursue that.” "We are not outliers, or outsiders, but simply ambitious women who happen to be getting older." - Margot Wallace Contact: Email. [email protected] Margot’s Books: Museum Branding: How to Create and Maintain Image, Loyalty and Support (2016/2006) Writing for Museums (2014) [2nd edition in progress] Connect with Gail & Catherine: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimagined Instagram: WomenOver70 Website:https://womenover70.com Email: [email protected] Show: Women Over 70 – Aging Reimagined Listen on: Apple Podcast, Itunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher,and IHeartRadio Please rate our show and subscribe wherever you listen. This is how we grow and together make a difference..  

Nancy Manahan, Ph.D., age 75, lives an inspired life with her wife, author Becky Bohan, on the Florida coast in an intentional community of 500 women, aptly called Carefree. Life partners for 27 years, Nancy and Becky have published six books between them and co-created a 2020 award-winning documentary film about the Carefree Concert Band. Highlights of Nancy’s journey to Carefree include: joining and leaving the convent; earning a doctorate and teaching community college English, women’s literature, and film studies; traveling in five continents and living on four; and, publishing books to national and international acclaim. Nancy writes about complex taboo issues-- lesbian nuns, lesbian Girl Scouts, and, with Becky, a story of their sister-in-law’s unconventional journey with cancer and her after-death communications. Nancy and Becky co-founded the Minnesota Threshold Network, which advocates for family-directed after-death care and green burial options. Through their philanthropy and energy, they support the environment, arts, education, lesbian feminist organizations, and individual women, including activist writers and filmmakers. In their free time, Nancy and Becky love to walk, read, watch movies, swim, snorkel, play pickleball, and dance. “My wife and I transformed our retirement to our inspirement.” - Nancy Manahan, Ph.D. Contact Information: Email: [email protected] Website: www.nanbec.com 2020 Carefree Lily Film Festival Award for Best Documentary: The Carefree Concert Band [no link] Books: Lesbian Nuns: Breaking Silence, with Rosemary Keefe Curb, original edition 1985, revised edition 2013 On My Honor: Lesbians Reflect on Their Scouting Experience, original edition 1997, revised edition 2021 Living Consciously, Dying Gracefully: A Journey with Cancer and Beyond, with Becky Bohan, 2007   Connect with Gail & Catherine: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimagined Instagram: WomenOver70 Website:https://womenover70.com Email: [email protected] Show: Women Over 70 – Aging Reimagined Listen on: Apple Podcast, Itunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher,and IHeartRadio Please rate our show and subscribe wherever you listen. This is how we grow and together make a difference...

Meg Forney, age 73, advocates for all things park related in Minneapolis, Mn., “the city inside of a park.” As the oldest elected official in the city, Meg serves as a Commissioner-at-Large with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board where she is committed to advancing racial and economic equity through various initiatives, for example: increasing access to park land in underserved communities; reclaiming the Mississippi Riverbanks and replanting trees—our best tool for sequestering carbon for climate resiliency. As an avid user of the parks, Meg rows, walks and bikes, most often in communion with other women. Meg has been witness through her vast local, domestic and world travels (all seven continents) to contrasting and similar environments, cultures and people that have given her in-depth perspectives into her own “backyard.”  Meg is grateful to have been accompanied by her husband. "I had strong role models for leading in a civic way." - Megan Forney Contact Information: [email protected]   www.megforneyforparks.org Connect with Gail & Catherine: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimagined Instagram: WomenOver70 Website:https://womenover70.com Email: [email protected] Show: Women Over 70 – Aging Reimagined Listen on: Apple Podcast, Itunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher,and IHeartRadio Please rate our show and subscribe wherever you listen. This is how we grow and together make a difference...

Description: Teresa Powell, age 72, has always been driven to do something significant with her life. During her pursuit of many interests and causes, Terri developed as a polymath, acquiring experience in the arts, business, education and health care, along with credentials: MPH, MBA, MST and a BA in Music. Terri has a passion for grass roots organizing, e.g., advocating for women’s rights  and campaigning for political candidates. While a “stay-at-home Mom” for 11 years with four children, Terri  engaged in many movements, including the ERA, breastfeeding and home birth. When she returned to graduate school, she pursued studies in end of life options. Prior to retirement in 2017, Terri served in an elected position as Village Clerk of Oak Park, IL, a position she held for 8 years. Now she stays active with volunteer work which includes encouraging younger people to get involved in local government. Having experienced two “health scares”  several years ago, Terri focuses on the many ways she can still enjoy life. My legacy is to leave things a little better than when I started. -Teresa Powell Contact: [email protected]

Master storyteller, Margaret Burk, believes in the power of story, not only to entertain, but to touch the heart, spark the imagination and embolden the spirit. Margaret performs at storytelling venues, senior residences, women's gatherings, and festivals; co-produces and co-hosts storytelling events; and, teaches storytelling. She is former President and presently Treasurer of Storytelling Inc., a national association of storytellers. With degrees in theatre and communications and an earlier career in arts administration, Margaret returned to her love of the spoken word 15 years ago. As a teacher of storytelling, her niche is mostly women, particularly older women. In our later years, life is calling us to record our experiences, to tell our stories, and to pass our history down to the next generations. Contact Information: [email protected] Website: https://www.margaretburk.com/

As a young girl in Germany, Dr. Maresi Nerad aspired to be a train conductor so she could venture out into the world. She created more expansive means. At age 73 and retired from full-time work at the University of Washington,  Maresi notes three major strands that embody her life’s work: travel to experience and discover the wonders of the world; education to open doors to knowledge and influence; and connection with women to cultivate their leadership talent. As a researcher, teacher/mentor, administrator and author, Maresi has advocated for socially just doctoral education on an international scale, with a particular focus on women. She continues to coordinate international conferences, host webinars, advise international doctoral students and consult with leaders in higher education. ‘Retirement’ affords Maresi more time for self-reflection, art classes, baking, exercise, connecting with her sister in Germany, friends around the world, and quality time with her husband. “Widening access for women to leadership positions worldwide remains a goal for which I will never feel too old.” – Maresi Nerad Ph.D. Contact Information: Email: [email protected] Nerad, M. (1999). The Academic Kitchen: A Social History of Gender Stratification at the University of California, Berkeley. State University of New York Press. Connect with Gail & Catherine: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimagined Instagram: WomenOver70 Website:https://womenover70.com Email: [email protected] Show: Women Over 70 – Aging Reimagined Listen on: Apple Podcast, Itunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher,and IHeartRadio Please rate our show and subscribe wherever you listen. This is how we grow and together make a difference..

“I have integrated death into my life in a seamless way through ministry and legacy.” - Rev. Gloria Randolph Rev. Gloria Randolph’s legacy, in addition to the nearly 1000 children she taught as a primary teacher, is the ministry entrusted to her by God, Giving God the Glory Ministries. Gloria’s enthusiasm, boundless energy, and zest for life belie the profound grief she experienced from the loss of 2 children and a grandchild. After 34 years as a primary school teacher and administrator, Gloria decided to become a grief counselor, born out of a need to help grieving parents, after the death of her son. She went to seminary to further her education as a pastoral care minister. Gloria understands that “tears are liquid prayer. Everyone grieves but everyone does not mourn. Grieving is what you do on the inside. Mourning is the outward expression of it - walk it out, write it out, yell it out, kick, scream and work it out.” The mission of Giving God The Glory Ministries is to encourage God’s people by providing them with the spiritual and financial resources to face the challenges of daily living. One of the ways this is accomplished is through the My 2 Sons and Legacy scholarship components of GGG Ministries. This encourages individuals facing the challenges of daily living by supporting efforts to continue their education. Connect with Rev. Gloria: Website: https://gggministries.com Email: [email protected]  

Anthropologist Bethe Hagens, now 74, imagines her life as the realization of the mantra of the late 1960s: “We are stardust. We are golden. . .and we have to get back to the garden.” She believes human being is the dual cosmic identity of earth energy, uniting the “clay” body and emotions of Mother Earth with the celestial magic and science of the extraterrestrial.  Bethe has used Platonic geometry to create solar cookers, greenhouses, and the Planetary Grid, a world globe proposing unity in Earth’s physical and spiritual evolution. A recent brush with leukemia, which she explains in the interview, radically opened her academic mind to the possibility that earth energy and Spirit were actually real and available. She and her partner Waynn (her 24/7 tech support and heavy lifter) are 13 years into creating a quarter-acre terraced perennials garden to feed multi-species visitors. Not surprisingly she says, “I want to stay alive to see what’s going to happen next.” "I have insatiable curiosity to go to unfamiliar places, find out what excites me, and go from there." Bethe Hagens Contact: [email protected] Bethe--add sites, articles etc that you would like our audience to know about.   Connect with Gail & Catherine: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimagined Instagram: WomenOver70 Website:https://womenover70.com Email: [email protected] Show: Women Over 70 – Aging Reimagined Listen on: Apple Podcast, Itunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher,and IHeartRadio Please rate our show and subscribe wherever you listen. This is how we grow and together make a difference.

“I continue to work because I love it, I can still be useful and helpful, enjoy what we are doing, and make a contribution.” Since helping found the first non-profit interdisciplinary home health agency in the Midwest in 1972, Dr. Schwartzberg has been a leader in building consensus around new programs in geriatrics, home care, community health, health literacy, and medical education. She currently works as Scholar-in-Residence at the ACGME, where she listens to the voice of the residents in training through analyzing national survey responses. Connect with Joanne: Joanne can be reached through researchgate.net where many of her published papers and articles may also be downloaded for free.

Mindy Greiling, age 73, served in Minnesota’s House of Representatives for 20 years (1993-2013), where she campaigned to bring more women into political office. Mindy’s talents in lawmaking and storytelling are evident in her recent book, Fix What You Can: Schizophrenia and a Lawmaker’s Fight for Her Son. When her 21 year-old son was diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder in 1999, Mindy went public, without secrecy or shame. Speaking out for the rights of people with mental illness and their families, Mindy  initiated innovative policy and funding for mental health in Minnesota and served on many national and state boards and councils, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Currently Mindy serves as President of the Board of NAMI Ramsey County. Married for 50 years, and retired for eight, Mindy continues to advocate for reforms in mental health, policing, and affordable housing. “I love being retired; I can activate for anything I want.” There is no way we are going to have a better mental health system if we don’t tell our stories. Contact Information: [email protected] Greiling, M. (2020). Fix What You Can: Schizophrenia and a Lawmaker’s Fight for Her Son. University of Minnesota Press. Podcast: Three Moms in the Trenches https://www.audible.com/pd/Schizophrenia-Three-Moms-in-the-Trenches-Podcast/B08JJPR868 News Article https://www.minnpost.com/mental-health-addiction/2020/10/in-a-new-book-former-state-rep-mindy-greiling-talks-about-her-sons-schizophrenia-and-her-mental-health-advocacy/ Connect with Gail & Catherine: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimagined Instagram: WomenOver70 Website:https://womenover70.com Email: [email protected] Show: Women Over 70 – Aging Reimagined Listen on: Apple Podcast, Itunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher,and IHeartRadio Please rate our show and subscribe wherever you listen. This is how we grow and together make a difference..

Penny is a multinational PR executive with well-known clients such as Korean Air. She gained her prominence as a crisis management expert, is resilient, forward-looking and irreverent. ‘Curiosity”, she says, “is why I have remained relevant throughout my long and storied career.” “The ability to accept loss has a direct correlation on how well you age.” - Penny Pfaelzer Penny takes life in stride, maintaining an upbeat attitude. She is able to laugh at herself even while experiencing deep loss, being a caregiver and change. Now, her sole purpose in life is to be happy and to make others happy. Connect with Penny: Email: [email protected] Website: https://Pfaelzerdean.com   Connect with Gail & Catherine: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimagined Instagram: WomenOver70 Website:https://womenover70.com Email: [email protected] Show: Women Over 70 – Aging Reimagined Listen on: Apple Podcast, Itunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher,and IHeartRadio Please rate our show and subscribe wherever you listen. This is how we grow and together make a difference..  

Linda’s story is reminiscent of a roller coaster. Years of upward success and then unwanted retirement, successfully navigating its challenges, finally to rise again as a podcaster. First, she rose to prominence as leader of her father’s scrap metal company. Then she reinvents her life by weaving together her two passions: women and business into a successful new venture. And, after retiring due to poor health, she roars back with Lightning Minds, her podcast in which she interviews magnificent minds to share their secrets of success. Aging is a constant reminder of what Linda can no longer do, and yet, the lessons of how she navigates this non-negotiable fact inform all of us how to better consider our options.Connect with Linda: Email: [email protected] Podcast: Lightning Strikes Podcast Page:https://lightningstrikes.buzzsprout.com Books:   How to be Powerful - Insider Secrets to Brilliant Leadership ,Sales and Speaking Sanity and Success for the Working Woman - A Quick Guide to Thrive and Survive in the Corporate World Optimal Level - A Woman's Guide to Meeting Life's Challenges

Known to all as Raven, The Talk Show Maven, this gutsy woman reinvented herself from a $10/hr part-time worker to recipient of the 2016 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. From feeling like Casper the Ghost throughout her early years, Raven was spurred on by her mother’s illness to “step up, show up and grow up”. At age 55, she began building, what is today, a media and broadcasting empire. "The quickest way to become an expert is to interview experts." - Raven Blair Glover Raven knew the fastest way to learn was to interview big-name guests and this led to her own show on CNN. Fearless, she mastered the ‘art of the ‘ask’. Take the journey with Raven from her kitchen table to full-blown studio. Connect with Raven: Email: [email protected] Website: https://raveninternationalmediaempire.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkshowmaven/   Connect with Gail & Catherine: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimagined Instagram: WomenOver70 Website:https://womenover70.com Email: [email protected] Show: Women Over 70 – Aging Reimagined Listen on: Apple Play, Stitcher, Please rate our show and subscribe wherever you listen. This is how we grow.