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The Oklahoman

A lifetime bond of activity helps state couple stay fit
Special to The Oklahoman

The love story starts with Daisy Mae and Li’l Abner.

Sixty years ago, University of Oklahoma sophomore John Gardner joined the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, not knowing how much that decision would affect his life.

John and Emily Gardner practice with the Golden Harmonizers at the Edmond Senior Center. Singing is one of their many activities and “is the best therapy for me of anything that I do," John Gardner said.

The fraternity organized a “Dog Patch” party one evening, and Gardner needed a date. His roommate introduced him to fellow student and OU freshman Emily Allen. Gardner, dressed as Li’l Abner, was smitten with Allen, who was portraying Daisy Mae.

“I don’t remember much about the party except that I could not take my eyes off Emily,” Gardner said. “She literally swept me off my feet.”

As a child, John Gardner lived on the family’s farm near Guthrie. Emily, too, grew up on a farm near Verden.

As World War II raged overseas. John became fascinated with the military aircraft. He began taking flying lessons at 16 and first soloed shortly before turning 17. He qualified for a pilot’s license a year later and became the youngest licensed pilot in Oklahoma.

He enrolled as a premed major at OU. Emily enrolled the next year as a home economics major. After three years, John ended his schooling to join the Air Force as conflict erupted in Korea.

They were married June 6, 1952 in Oklahoma City and moved to Illinois.

They moved back to Oklahoma after John finished his tour of duty, and he returned to OU.

“I was very busy,” Emily said.

John, in 1959, received his medical degree. Since then, John has been an OB/GYN and a radiologist.

The Gardners were — and still are — a busy couple.

Now retired and nearing his 80th birthday, John has continued to fly. Both sing with the Golden Harmonizers, a choral group affiliated with the Edmond Senior Center. John has been a member of the OK Chorale barbershop chorus for just under 20 years.

They have been in 12 to 15 mission trips through Volunteers in Mission.

The couple takes daily walks with Reggie, the Shih Tzu. They see their family regularly and are very involved in the Touchmark at Coffee Creek community, where they have lived two years.

John’s had surgery for his heart-rhythm abnormality, and suffers some hearing loss. Emily, at 78, has survived breast cancer and is now battling recent memory loss, which may be Alzheimer’s disease.

John said his wife is currently on medication to treat her memory loss, and this seems to have slowed the progress.

“There have been a few bumps along the way, but our love has sustained us,” John said.

In April, Touchmark at Coffee Creek is set to open a $15 million expansion, encompassing a memory-care neighborhood and three-story addition.

The Gardners are committed to remaining active in the Touchmark community and in their music programs.

“Our future is uncertain and largely will be determined by our health,” John said. “I hope to continue flying as long as I feel that I can do so safely.”

View the original article at The Oklahoman

Related: Staying fit

The health of your brain plays a critical role in almost everything you do: thinking, remembering, working and playing. The good news is you can do a lot to help keep your brain healthy as you age.

• Stay physically active. Physical exercise is essential for maintaining good blood flow to the brain and encourages brain cell growth.
• Adopt a brain-healthy diet. The Mediterranean Diet is good for your heart and your brain.
• Remain socially active. Social activity not only makes physical and mental activity more enjoyable, it can reduce stress levels.
• Stay mentally active. Mentally stimulating activities strengthen brain cells

John and Emily Gardner take advantage of the Touchmark daily and physical activities.

Touchmark also offers memory care support groups. For more information, please visit EdmondMemoryCare.com.

Source: Alzheimer’s Association/Touchmark.

The Journal Record

Retirees moving, but not far

EDMOND – The Harrises are typical retirees. They have three children grown and gone, a large house filled with stairs and an acre of land requiring ongoing maintenance. Leaman and Judith Harris on the porch of their retirement home in Parkview, a neighborhood offering adult living within Touchmark at Coffee Creek in north Edmond. (Maike Sabolich)

Leaman and Judith Harris on the porch of their retirement home in Parkview, a neighborhood offering adult living within Touchmark at Coffee Creek in north Edmond. (Maike Sabolich)

The decision to downsize was an easy one for Leaman and Judith Harris, now ages 71 and 67. So, three years ago they sold their home of 25 years in Edmond’s Rolling Creek addition.

But they did not move hundreds of miles away to a sunnier climate. Instead, the Harrises chose to build a 2,300-square-foot, three-bedroom home a few miles away in Parkview, a neighborhood offering adult living within Touchmark at Coffee Creek in north Edmond.

The Harrises are among a growing number of seniors who are choosing to remain near family and friends.

This year, U.S. News & World Report listed Oklahoma City as the eighth-best city for job-seeking retirees, taking into account employment growth, unemployment rate, housing costs, cost of living and proximity to high-quality health care. RelocateAmerica.com listed Tulsa at No. 1 of the top places to live. Oklahoma City was No. 10, and Jenks finished in the Top 100. Those cities scored high for having strong economies and a stable housing market.

The fastest-growing segment of the retirement market is affluent buyers over the age of 55.

Tulsa homebuilder Bill Rhees of BMI Properties said that although the majority of his customers are young boomers, they are considering their future when planning the construction of a custom home, asking for ideas accordingly.

“The obvious, simple recommendations we would make are level door handles rather than knobs, wider hallways and doorways to accommodate wheelchairs, single versus two-story, lower countertops and roll-in shower access,” said Rhees.

Developers such as Jim McWhirter with Gemini Homes are also catering to retiring boomers.

Gemini is developing a third metro-area retirement community, McWhirter said. Each is gated and features independent-living cottages, ranging in size between 900 and 1,450 square feet, as well as health care for aging residents.

“I got into this end of the business because my father passed away, and my mother wanted to be in a retirement community with people her own age,” McWhirter said. “But I could not find anything that met my standards for my mom, so I decided to build one.”

Wellington Parke on Tinker Diagonal is McWhirter’s first retirement community. He also built Stonehaven in Del City and the third, Teal Ridge, is under construction near Edmond.

“This is a ministry to me, taking care of our parents,” he said. “We all want them to be in the best place possible. Since people are retiring in their 50s, our communities feature independent-living cottages that include easy living features, town halls, parks, walking trails and spas.”

The Harrises’ considerations typify what retirees are considering today.

“When we were thinking about doing this, we looked around and asked ourselves, ‘What do we need all of this for?’” Judith Harris said. “We have lived on both coasts, where it is very expensive, and traffic is horrendous. Two of our children are in Edmond, and, as long as we can get on an airplane, we thought Oklahoma was the best place to stay.”

Both Leaman and Judith Harris are retired, he from Tinker Air Force Base and Judith from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, but they continue to work on their own terms. Leaman Harris is president of the Touchmark Resident Council, and Judith Harris trains breast-feeding trainers at a local clinic. In addition, they collaborate as editors of collected stories from Touchmark residents called As We Lived It.

Their home features adaptive amenities designed for seniors, such as wider doorways and roll-in showers. They were also attracted to the community’s fitness classes, chef-prepared meals, a wellness program and health services.

As frequent travelers, Leaman said they can simply pack up, lock the front door and go; community staff members look after their home and provide ongoing maintenance.

“We enjoy being able to go away for weeks at a time; it’s so liberating,” he said. “Moving here, we don’t feel like we have given anything up.”

The Oklahoman

Touchmark honors volunteers

Touchmark at Coffee Creek held its first volunteer recognition event recently and honored individuals who share their time and talents with Oklahoma communities as well as with Touchmark.

Touchmark at Coffee Creek honored several volunteers recently. They are, from left, Chuck Roach, Liz Codding, Dorothy Barber and Stan Steele.

“Offering volunteer opportunities — both for Touchmark residents and those from throughout the Edmond area — is an integral part of Touchmark’s Life Enrichment/Wellness program,” said Life Enrichment/Wellness Director Amy Connaway.

Virginia Clark, who visits Touchmark weekly and gives residents hand, foot and neck massages, was recognized for her contributions. The Edmond resident says, “I have always enjoyed being around people and thought this would be the best way to give back.”

The following Touchmark residents also were recognized at the event:

• Each Monday, Dorothy Barber volunteers in the gift shop at Integris Canadian Valley Regional Hospital in Yukon, a service that she has been providing for several years.
• Charles Roach volunteers at John Ross Elementary School as part of the “watchdog” program sponsored by the Edmond Police Department and Edmond Public School System that calls upon citizens to walk school hallways and playgrounds. In addition, Roach tutors fourth graders, reads to first graders and plays with kindergartners.
• Stan Steele serves as the House District 39 chairperson and is very active in governmental relations. Earlier this year, he helped new Touchmark residents register to vote.
• Liz Codding is known as the Touchmark resident librarian. She categorized and shelved books as well as developed a system to track book donations. In addition, she facilitates the book club and recently facilitated a genealogy workshop

Touchmark at Coffee Creek offers resort-style retirement. A wide range of single-level homes, apartments and living options is available.

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