Page 21 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Summer 2021 - Online Magazine
P. 21
EXCEPTIONAL SENIORS
summer. He memorized her phone is a natural favorite
number and wrote it down as soon leader and childhood
as he got to his car. Their first date directed the memories and,
was miniature golf, and the rest opening of surprisingly,
is history. They were married one stores along discovered that
year and one month later, August the west their favorite
22, 1959. Papa was still in the Army, coast into memories
and Mimi had just finished high Texas. Mimi were with their
school when they got married. had a career grandparents
During his years in the service, he as a realtor, also. Mimi has
made 39 jumps, went on numerous and she fond memories
missions and spent time in Alaska. still loves of spending
When his service was complete, looking Joan and Dean Douglass with time at her
they moved to Portland, Oregon at listed their granddaughter, Kaitlin grandparents’
and started their careers. homes. farm in New
Papa spent many years in his wood York. Every spring, her family
Throughout their lives, they have shop building anything that came would harvest maple syrup and
lived in numerous cities across the to his mind. Both of them love complete a process that is called
United States. In fact, every child gardening and working in the yard. “sugaring off”, the first step in
was born in a different city. My I’m amazed that Mimi knows the making maple syrup. The farm
uncle Scott was born one year after name of almost every flower and didn’t have running water or
they were married in Portland, OR, any type of bird that flies through indoor plumbing, so it was a bit
followed by my mom in Arcadia, their garden. They moved back to challenging with gallons of sugary
CA and uncle Brad in Roseburg, Amarillo to be closer to family in maple syrup. They would boil
OR. Raising great kids is their 2014 after living in Angel Fire for down the syrup and drizzle it over
biggest life accomplishment. I love 18 years. They now live at a local wash pans of snow. The syrup then
listening to the stories about pranks retirement center and give back to became harder, like a candy, and
my uncles would play on my mom their community by volunteering they would twirl it on their forks to
and all the special moments the through the Retired and Senior eat! Papa worked with his grandpa
family shared growing up. Volunteer Program. They have 3 in the garden during the summer,
Papa’s career led him to be the kids, 9 grandchildren and 15 great- and his grandma would spoil him
regional manager of Cloth World grandchildren, some of whom live with cookies. He saved money from
(now JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts). He in Amarillo. In August of 2021, working in the garden and bought
they will have been married for 62 his first bike when he was 10 years
beautiful years. old. His grandpa instilled in him a
strong work ethic, and he is proud
I asked them to be able to pass it down through
about their generations.
RETIRED AND SENIOR
VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
700 + Volunteers
65 Volunteer Stations in 12 Counties Call: 806-373-8389
Free Supplemental Accidental Insurance Email: kaitlin.mosley@pcsvcs.org
Give back to your community Sponsored by:
Join the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program
www.pcsvcs.org/rsvp
Winter 1988 at the A-frame cabin Facebook: Texas Panhandle RSVP
Amarillo Senior Link 21
