Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined

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: Mariloueldred@gmail.com

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: shirleymayholm@gmail.com Connect with Gail and Catherine: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimagined Instagram: WomenOver70 Website:https://womenover70.com Email: info@womenover70.com 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: ArtofAging70@gmail.com Contact: Mary at ArtofAging70@gmail.com 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: pegcruikshank94@gmail.com 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: duradesja@gmail.com

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: info@womenover70.com 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: lcoodley@hotmail.com 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: antarcticcalling@yahoo.com

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: mjoyross@yahoo.com Marcia’s Causes: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Chicago Architecture Center Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning & Leadership Jewish Federation of Chicago