An oversized coat, old hat and bark cane, inferring a state of old age. “They say you want to hear my story. I’m not sure why,” she said. “Where’s my husband, Chop Johnson? He’s my starter and keeper. His real name is Walter, but it doesn’t fit him.” She peered over the audience. “Guess he stayed home tonight. I’m supposed to tell you what it’s like to grow old. What do you mean I’m growing old?” With that, she tossed the cane aside, throwing off the hat and coat. “I’m not growing old. I am old.” Selma continued with a monologue she rewrote based on a poem called “Warning,” by Jenny Joseph. Naming all she could still do, she acted out each one of the things she has done her in life, such as skydiving and dancing, with pictures displayed on a screen behind her. She ended by saying, “And I can just be me.” Later, the contestants sat on stage waiting for the judges’ decision. Suddenly her 16-year-old grandson, acting as an escort, punched her back. She turned, giving him that grandmother look — the one clearly asking, “What are you doing?” He’d behaved so well up until then. “Nana, you won. Get up,” he exclaimed.

She already picked out the winner, and it wasn’t Selma Johnson. “It was a nice surprise,” she said. “What an honor for Carmen Ashby, the 2011 Ms. Senior Parker County, to crown me.” She admired the 98-year-old, who was the epitome of aging without growing old. Carmen passed away this past January. “She was quite a lady. A lady of charm,” Selma said. Selma entered the pageant, which benefits Meals On Wheels, as a dare of sorts. Why not? It would be fun and support one of her favorite charities. She never dreamed of winning. Fifty years earlier, Selma had been crowned Miss Flame of River Oaks. So it wasn’t her first time to win a pageant. Selma was born October 24, 1944, in Fort Worth. When her mother saw extreme shyness in her daughter, she entered her in beauty pageants and speech classes to overcome it. “I hated them,” Selma said. “Looking back, the pageants weren’t about beauty. They helped me talk to people and not be afraid.” As she looks forward to competing in the Ms. Texas Sr. Classic in August, she doesn’t look at outer beauty. She sees only what lies inside.

“The Lord gave me some gifts, and I’m using them,” said the vivacious woman, who is quickly approaching her 70th birthday. Selma spent most of her life as an uncrowned beauty queen, aimed on one thing — encouraging women. She began her ministry career at North Richland Hills Baptist Church. In a repeated pattern, she accepted positions, organized and started ministries for women, children and adults, and then moved on to a new place. She soon accepted this as normal — not expecting — long-term positions. That wasn’t her calling. Her ministry took her to other countries, educating women who hungered to learn.

Her first overseas trip took her to Korea for two weeks. Selma spent time in Sri Lanka, and once she spent two weeks in Peru, living on a boat in the Amazon River with 37 women and one bathroom. They taught in a Shipilo Village. Another trip took her to an orphanage in Tenali, India, for about three weeks, where guards escorted her everywhere, locking the hotel room from outside at night for safety. After 45 years on staff at some of the largest churches in the United States, she founded Kaleidoscope Paths, a speaking/ consulting ministry, and retired from a position at a large nondenominational church near Las Vegas, Nevada. Her husband, Chop, managed the church-owned restaurant. They worked together for the first time, yet with differing schedules, they seldom saw each other. The Johnsons decided to pack up and move home to Texas to be closer to family. Retirement didn’t slow her down. Operating in personal ministry, she traveled, spoke and wrote. “For some reason my family didn’t think I had enough to do. They’d ask when I was gonna get a job,” she said. She spotted an advertisement for a position at Freedom House as a sexual assault coordinator.

She’d never worked an eight-to-five job, but the idea appealed to her, www.nowmagazines.com 9 WeatherfordNOW May 2013 and she met the requirements. Somewhat uncertain about the job, she applied. The offer call came the day her brother-in-law passed away. She told them they’d have to wait, but accepted with an understanding she had obligations with her ministry. Her first assignment — to create a prevention program as part of a proposal for a grant needed to pay her salary. Selma wrote curriculum for children and adults focused on education about sexual assault and prevention. Her crowning achievement arrived when she went to Austin, stood before the state House and Senate and read a thank-you letter from a 14-year-old girl.

She volunteers for many organizations in Parker County, including Zonta, the Careity Foundation and as chaplain with the Guardians of Children. She also serves on the board of Freedom Horses. Chop is her biggest supporter, but no one gets away with addressing him as Selma’s husband. They respect each other’s need for independence. They met in 1964 on a blind date, when her sister said, “You have to meet Chop.” “Yeah right,” Selma said nonchalantly. “I need to meet some man named Chop?” He had tickets to see South Pacific at Casa Mañana in Fort Worth, and when his date got sick, she agreed to go. He took her to dinner, the play and then out for coffee, where they talked until the staff made them leave. On their second date, he took her to The Palace Theater in Fort Worth for the premier of The Sound of Music. They met in June and married in September. People said it would never last. Forty-eight years later, they still spend hours on Saturday mornings sipping coffee and talking.

Through ups and downs in marriage, they haven’t quit. Selma recently asked if he regretted it. “You’ve had the opportunity to have a career,” Chop answered. “Why should I squash it down and squash you down? I had different things I could have pursued, but the Lord didn’t open those doors.” Perhaps his attitude gave her the encouragement she needed to teach women all over the world to live in freedom. For now, she continues making memories. Perhaps one day, she’ll write them all down. Until then, look for Selma, dressed in purple with a hat, perhaps complete with a crown.

Written by Lisa Bell.

“She immediately began to tell me about her ‘big’ pond filled with brand new baby Japanese koi.” The patient gave seven baby koi to Amber as a gift to complete her pond. They came home to their new pond in a storage tote. But, Amber soon realized the koi were too large for the small pond. “You need 10 gallons of water per inch of koi,” Amber explained. “They can hear me coming. When I open the back door they’re right there by the side of the tank waiting for me. I put my hand in the water so they can give me what I like to call koi kisses.” then you would need a 50-gallon pond or tank.

If those same five fish grow to three inches in length, than they need a pond or tank with at least 150 gallons of water.” Amber can’t help but laugh as she remembers that patient. “I thought little babies,” she declared, holding up her thumb and index finger about an inch apart, “not babies that swam in a pond big enough for the patient, her raft and her very large collection of koi.” Unfortunately, Amber and Marc lost their first two koi ponds due to inexperience and a lack of understanding.

Before they were able to regroup with a third pond, they spent months saving money to recoup the loss of the two previous ponds. “I was finally able to order 200 babies,” Amber said. “I received 400 tiny koi that looked like thin hairs with eyeballs. The person I bought them from said I’d lose about 200, but I didn’t lose a single one.” Amber realized she didn’t have the room needed to keep them all, so she immediately placed an ad on Craigslist. “I had to get rid of them in a hurry because my pond was not large enough to accommodate that many fish,” she said. “When you have too many it quickly becomes ‘survival of the fittest.’” The overwhelming success of the third pond led to a venture that is, for Amber, more pleasure than business. Just recently, Let’s Be Koi was created.

One pond has now grown into no fewer than six ponds and/or tanks, swimming with 800 to 1,000 beautifully marked Japanese koi in a rainbow of colors — navy, green, purple, sky blue, red, yellow, orange, black, silver, white, gold, bronze, brown and cream. “The Japanese koi are like snowflakes,” Amber said. “There are no two alike. You may have five yellow, two orange, two white, two red and four blue, but they will all be marked differently.” Amber also compares the koi to dogs. “They are easy to train, and they each have their own personality,” she explained. “They can hear me coming. When I open the back door they’re right there by the side of the tank waiting for me. I put my hand in the water so they can give me what I like to call koi kisses.” Some of the koi will eat food out of the palm of her hand, while others swim over the back of her hand to get their bellies rubbed. But, she’s found they all love to give her koi kisses. One oversized pond is in the backyard, and a second pond at the front entrance is currently a work in progress.

Several tanks on the back patio hold koi in different stages of maturity. An aquarium inside the home is where Amber keeps any new purchases. “New koi must be quarantined for at least two weeks before integrating them with other koi,” Amber stated. “One sick fish can infect an entire pond or tank. You can end up losing an entire pond if you’re not careful.” Weather and water temperatures also have an effect on the koi, especially when it comes to food intake and activity levels. “Water temperature dictates body functions in the fish,” Amber said. “When the weather is cold, the water is cold. Cold water means a less active fish. Less food is given to them, too, because they have a difficult time digesting it. They are in a semi-hibernated state during the winter months.” One fun fact Amber enjoys sharing is the koi’s ability to come back to life after being frozen. “Koi can freeze solid in a pond. Once the water thaws out, the koi come back to life. They are so amazing!” Amber added. “When the temperatures get to the 70s and above, the koi begin to jump and splash.

Their body functions are at 100 percent. This is when the koi are at their best.” Filtration and aeration are key components in maintaining a successful pond. Proper filtration allows for the good bacteria koi need to thrive. The water quality is also very important. “Healthy koi, no matter what the water temperature is, should not be floating on the bottom or on the top of the tank,” Amber stated. “A lethargic fish is usually not a healthy fish.” Small koi can grow very quickly when temperatures begin to warm up and when their food intake increases. Fifty percent of a koi’s growth is done in its first two years. “It’s normal for Japanese koi to get three feet long by the time they reach adulthood,” Amber said. “And their colors don’t really pop until they’re older.”

All koi are born with a certain number of color genes. “You can guess what color they’re going to be,” Amber laughed, “but you never know for sure until they are mature. They may begin white with a few dots of color. As they mature, the white can become the less dominate color. It’s the pattern and color combination that makes a Japanese koi a Japanese koi.” Amber finds enjoyment in working with her fish every day. They offer a calmness she is unable to find anywhere else. “Koi to me is alcohol to another,” she confessed. “They are my one and only vice.” Marc feeds off Amber’s passion for the fish. His support is evident in the ponds he’s designed, as well as in the way he helps Amber maintain them. “I do have to prod him along sometimes,” she admitted with a smile, “but he’s 100-percent supportive of me and my love for the koi. He enjoys them because I enjoy them.”

Written by Sandra Strong.

This had long been their routine, but that particular day was going to offer an encounter that would bring a very positive change to their lives. As they were walking, they met Jesse and Janá White, who were standing in their front yard. The Whites were new to the neighborhood, so the Varnados decided to stop and visit with them. They discovered they had several things in common, including the fact both Savern and the Whites had grown up in New Orleans. Interestingly, he and the Whites had even attended the same high school. Before long, the Whites were introduced to the Joneses and Raineys. Glen and Stephanie Jones were the first of the four couples who had moved into the neighborhood. Tracee and Louis Rainey moved to the area in 2005, after Hurricane Katrina hit their Louisiana home. Before long, the four couples became inseparable. To say they all instantly hit it off would be an understatement. Nobody can really remember exactly when they started having their get-togethers. But once they started, they have never stopped. “I think the first one was at the Joneses’ house,” Jesse said. That first gathering led to many pool parties, barbecues and even some game tournaments. “The men are the Taboo champions of the block,” Jesse admitted. By Rick Hope “Every one
of these dear friends has been so supportive.They are just AWESOME!”

“Make that ‘trying to be’ the champions,” Tracee added. Both agreed the tournaments began with a very competitive spirit, but it has all been in good fun. “The pool parties are always the best,” Janá explained. “The kids have a great time and everybody brings food and drinks. Of course, that’s not all we do. We also have some spontaneous get-togethers.” “When we’re together, we talk about anything,” Jesse confessed. “We are not shy about anything.

Everything is out on the table, and everyone can express an opinion. We might not share the same opinions, but a real argument never occurs.” With a smile, Janá recalled coming home from a trip she and Jesse had taken in honor of their fifth wedding anniversary. When they arrived back home, they walked into a party given in their honor by the friends who had become family. “It really touched me,” Janá confessed. “I couldn’t believe they had gone to all that trouble for us.”

Frequently, the gatherings are more than just a social event. “We like to party with a purpose,” Tracee said. As a result of Louis’ suggestion, donations were gathered at the very first party to give to a cancer survivor. This hit close to home, since Stephanie won her battle with the disease. Often, Tracee will contact the Cedar Hill food pantry to find out what is needed. At the next party, each person attending from each family is asked to bring that item with them.

Later, Glen and Louis deliver those items to the pantry. The families involve their children in making some of the parties not only fun, but educational and enlightening. Savern and Camellia have three children — Charity, Ashleye and Sydney. The Whites have Angelle, Damien and Jace, while Tracee and Louis are the proud parents of Louis IV. The Joneses’ six adult children are no longer living at home, yet Stephanie and Glen support the neighborhood kids as if they were their own. Janá is quick to add the children enjoy all the parties as much as their busy schedules will allow. “Sometimes, they are gone most of the summer, due to camps and stuff. When they call to check in, they’ll ask us how many parties we had and what we’ve done,” she said.

As the families have continued to grow closer, they find themselves having holiday celebrations together and even attending each other’s churches whenever one of the children is involved in a program or pageant. Every Good Friday, the families get together for a crawfish boil and then join each other again on Saturday for an Easter egg hunt complete with family-style relays. “Jesse can boil some turkey necks that are more than just delicious. They’re out of this world!” Tracee said. “Last Halloween was great!” Tracee said, as she related how both her 5-yearold son, Louis IV, and Jesse had dressed up as Batman. Jesse took pictures in front of a friend’s black truck that looked just like the Batmobile. The families walked the neighborhood together, collecting candy. Last Thanksgiving, the families visited a homeless shelter and helped serve dinner. “We wanted to spend that holiday giving back to the community,” Janá added. Another tradition is the families get together on Christmas night. That is when they always choose a charity project that hits close to where they live.

For example, since Stephanie is a breast cancer survivor, the group found a family that had been affected by the disease and contributed money and gifts. The Varnados’ daughter, Charity, was born premature, and one Christmas, the family reached out to a family struggling with the same issue. This past Christmas, the families decided to volunteer and make donations to the Ronald McDonald House. Recently, the tight-knit group rallied in support of Janá and her family when she was diagnosed with leukemia, seemingly out of the blue. Party planning was put on hold as she went through immediate treatment. Janá has responded to the treatment and is doing fine and regaining strength. “Every one of these dear friends has been so supportive. They are just awesome!” Janá remarked.

Clearly, the families have found a special bond, and all agree the benefits are immeasurable. They walk with each other through the good times, and they lean on each other during the bad times. They laugh together, and they cry together. They’re not just good neighbors — they’re genuine friends who care deeply for one another. Such camaraderie between four couples is fairly rare to find in 21st century America. “When we first moved here, we were hoping for good neighbors. We had experienced that in New Orleans, but not in any other place we have lived since. We weren’t expecting it here,” Jesse admitted, “but, we definitely found it.”

Written by Rick Hope.

Since the age of 5, Jeremiah has been involved in athletics. “I started out playing soccer and T-ball,” he said. He has been a student in Red Oak ISD (ROISD) since fourth grade. He has played football, basketball and participated in track and field, always bringing a level of excellence to each sport. “I love all sports,” Jeremiah said. “But football is my favorite.” As a child, Jeremiah was large for his age and very active. “Jeremiah was always really good at sports,” his mother, Sonya Gaines, recalled. “When he first started playing soccer, he always scored five or six goals in every game.” Although he loves all sports, there was one sport that, as a youngster, Jeremiah just didn’t enjoy playing.

“When I was 5, my father, Fred Gaines, and I were leaving T-ball practice, and I just came out and told him that I didn’t want to play anymore. I remember standing around out on the baseball field not doing very much. It was just too slow for me,” he explained. “And I was fine with his decision,” Fred added. “Jeremiah was always so active, and we felt our job was to focus that energy into something constructive. As parents, we didn’t try to steer Jeremiah into playing one particular sport. We exposed him to all kinds of different sports, but we let him make his own decisions on which sports he wanted to play.” Athletics have played an important role in the Gaines family. Jeremiah and his brother, Jamal, are both talented athletes. Jamal is a seventh-grader at Red Oak Junior High School, who plays basketball and has his sights set on playing professionally. With a current height of 6 feet 5 inches, and likely to grow a few more inches, Jamal might just have a shot of reaching his NBA dreams. Fred was also a standout high school athlete at Franklin D. Roosevelt High School in Dallas.

Like his sons, he was a competitive athlete who played football, basketball and participated in track and field. His talent caught the eye of football scouts at Oklahoma State University, and he was awarded a full athletic scholarship. Because Jeremiah’s father had spent so much time in the athletic arena, he was quick to recognize that Jeremiah was gifted athletically. “I noticed that despite his size, he never went through an awkward phase. Even when he was young, he was very agile, and he never had a problem with his coordination,” Fred recalled.

Jeremiah’s size, strength and agility would serve him well as he began his high school athletic career. And it didn’t take long for scouts to notice the same talent and skill that Jeremiah’s father had recognized. As a freshman, Jeremiah’s athleticism and confidence landed him on the varsity football roster as a starting defensive player. His high school debut was during the Tom Landry Classic when Red Oak played Highland Park. It would be the first opportunity for the coaches and fans to watch Jeremiah shine, and he did not disappoint. Jeremiah had two interceptions and was named Defensive Player of the Game. He continued to train hard both on the field and off, and it came as no surprise when, after completing his first season on the football field as a freshman, he received his first scouting letter from the University of Oregon. Over four years of playing high school football, Jeremiah caught the attention of several college scouts. Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Purdue, UC Berkeley, Wake Forest, Boise State and Texas Christian were just a few universities eager to add Jeremiah and his talent to their roster.

Jeremiah received more than 25 full scholarship offers, with 15 from Division I schools. And his accomplishments prove why. In 2011, Jeremiah was named the All-District Tight End. In 2012, he was named District 15-4A’s Most Valuable Player. He was elected team captain twice by his teammates, and he is Red Oak’s all-time leader in touchdown receptions and receiving yards. “It’s difficult to find the words that describe Jeremiah. He is one of the most athletic players and best students Red Oak has ever had. On the football field, he has played different positions including inside and outside linebacker and safety. He also played half back where he ended up as tight end, wide receiver, full back or tail back. He’s even played some wildcat quarterback,” ROHS varsity head football coach, Mike Shields, shared. “Jeremiah is an unselfish player. When he wasn’t carrying the ball, he blocked just as hard for the other players. As a student, I’ve only heard positive things about Jeremiah from our teachers and administrators. He’s definitely a first-class individual, both on the field and off.”

Among the scholarship offers was a letter from Southern Methodist University. In the letter, Bert Hill, SMU’s defensive line coach, stated, “We noticed Jeremiah’s size and agility when he was a sophomore. He is fairly quiet and reserved, but don’t mistake his kindness for a weakness. When it’s time to compete, he is relentless.” For Jeremiah, a visit to the campus sealed the deal. “I picked SMU because I really liked the atmosphere and the fact that it was a small campus. I have a really solid support system in my family, and it’s good to know they will continue to be close while I am in school.” While “When it’s time to compete, he is relentless.” attending SMU, Jeremiah plans to major in sports management and minor in theology.

Jeremiah may be a person of few words, but he does offer some wisdom for student athletes. “Make sure you have your priorities straight,” he said. “It’s good to train hard and play hard, but you have to always have a Plan B. For me, my education comes first. Anything can happen in life, but I will always have my education.”

Written by Dianne Reaux.

Sitting on a beach in the south of Russia, a conversation started that would forever change the direction of his life. “How can we help the Russian orphans?” Chris asked. The owners of the hotel where Chris and the other travelers stayed spurred the conversation. Dr. Tatiana Beava, the senior Russian lecturer at UTA, who also attended the trip, explained how impressed she was with the priest, the owner of the hotel.

“We were staying in a place right on the beach, which was built by a Russian priest. Both he and his wife adopted 70 orphans,” she exclaimed. “They are the biggest family in Russia!”

Seeing the actions of the priest encouraged Chris and the other professors to wonder how they too could help. “I think, for quite some time, I had wanted to help the Russian people somehow,” Chris explained. He decided to follow through on that desire and started an organization called Allies in Youth Development to partner with Russian university students to empower them to help Russian orphans.

The process of starting the program began almost immediately after Chris returned home. “We had begun to go through the paperwork to form a corporation and a charity, which is quite a daunting task,” Chris said. But, Chris was committed enough that he submitted his resignation letter soon after returning home. “It was just the right time. I knew I could do other work too to make ends meet,” he laughed.

Chris and his wife, Robin, knew this was the right decision to make. Doors started opening with two professors in Russia coming on board and Dr. Baeva agreeing to be the director of Russian operations. “We’re not taking American programs over there,” Chris described. “We have ideas, but we never go in and say you have to do it our way. We want them to figure out what the solutions are, and we will help them with those solutions.” Conditions for many orphans are dire. Many of them have trust issues. “The orphans look at you with suspicion at first because they think that you are bringing more pain into their life,” Dr. Baeva explained. “They are very distrustful, and we have to change that.” In addition, once orphans turn 18 and graduate out of the orphanages, many of them turn to crime and drugs.

Allies works to foresee these problems and prepare the orphans for their lives after the orphanage. They have found the greatest resource to do this is through Russian university students. “We are teaching students to become brothers and sisters to these kids to gain trust,” Dr. Baeva described. Right now the university students who work with Allies are enrolled at Russia State Social University, which allows the students to gain class credit for working with the children. Birthday parties are a starting point for university students to express care for the orphans.

“If students go there with something nice, with open hearts, to come and celebrate the kids’ birthdays, then they can become friends,” Dr. Beava smiled. In addition to birthday parties, university students and the Russian staff www.nowmagazines.com 21 MansfieldNOW May 2013 members work with orphans to learn basic life skills, such as medical care, how to rent an apartment, how to go to the doctor and their basic rights as citizens. Last year, Allies delivered 2,000 pounds of new and used clothing along with basic necessities. Their hope is to provide 1,200 orphans essential care items by the year 2015. These include toothbrushes, toothpaste, shirts, pants, underwear and other items. Allies has devised collection points in various places around the U.S. in order to gather items for the children. One of the children who benefitted from the clothing was a young boy found in a train station. No one knew his name or age, so the orphanage named him Dimitri and gave him an estimated age. When Allies donated the clothing, the orphans specifically picked a Longhorn-orange University of Texas shirt that would fit him.

“He wore it so proudly,” Dr. Baeva laughed. “We all said to him, ‘Look in the mirror! You look like a Texas hero!’” Chris intends on continuing his trips to Russia and bringing American students with him. The American students are able to meet Russian university students, joining the work they are doing in the orphanages. “The students learn a lot about the Russian culture, language and hospitality. They are changing and bringing something new back to their own culture,” Dr. Baeva explained. The Russian and American students also enjoy getting to know each other on the trips. On last year’s visit, the students played a game with the orphans by lining up and asking the orphans to guess who was American and who was Russian. “Most of the time, the orphans would guess Russian to the American students,” Dr. Baeva laughed.

Dr. Baeva, a native Russian, believes in the importance of traveling abroad. She has lived in the United States since 2005 and learned the English language as a British English professor. She is fluent in Russian, Ukrainian and English; wrote her dissertation in Czech; and picked up French and Italian for fun. “I love learning about cultures and languages because they change you.” She and her husband, Jonathan, a quality engineer at Healthpoint, decided to live in Mansfield because of its wonderful school districts. Both Chris and Dr. Baeva also hope to encourage Americans to travel aboard. “I would love for more Americans to go abroad. The trips change them,” Dr. Baeva described. Chris agreed, explaining the importance of understanding other cultures.

Jonathan Clark and his wife, Dr. Tatiana Baeva, pose with Chris and Robin Burgin.

“The Russia you see on the news and on TV isn’t the real Russia you experience when you are there,” he said. Allies also hopes to inspire more people to enact change. “Every day that we can help, we encourage people to join us,” Dr. Baeva described. “Some people put off good deeds until tomorrow, but tomorrow can come, and you won’t be able to do what you could do today.” Editor’s note: Please visit www.AlliesInYouthDevelopment.org for more information or to become involved.

Written by Mikaela Matthews.

His book, American Sniper, became a New York Times bestselling autobiography. He was also an advocate for veterans suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder. Chad Littlefield was helping his friend, Chris, work with a troubled veteran on the day they were killed. Although Littlefield was not in the military, the Patriot Guard Riders honored him at his funeral because of his work with veterans.

He will be remembered because of his efforts to help and because of his character. As the Midlothian community mourned their loss, Rebecca wanted to do something to show she cared and respected their lives. The method she chose is the one she does the best — sketching. When one sees Rebecca’s charcoal sketches of Kyle and Littlefield, striking and realistic are two words that come to mind. As early as age 3, Rebecca’s talent in art was evident. “I would draw a lot at day care,” she remembered. “I would bring it home, and my family would hang it up. I did that every day. As I got older and better at it, that’s when I knew I liked to draw. My mom always made a big deal out of what I drew. When I was 3, I drew her boss a picture, and he hung it in his office and has kept it up since then. It was a picture of a doctor, or rather, what I thought a doctor would look like.”

In second grade, Rebecca, with the help of her teacher, submitted a picture of a horse to the Ellis County Art Show, where she received an Honorable Mention. Feeling somewhat nonplussed at what it all meant, she waited until her teacher explained it to her before getting very excited at being recognized by the judges at the art show.

Rebecca continued to draw throughout childhood with various art teachers in elementary school. “I feel that the first art teacher I had helping me one on one was in junior high school,” she said. As a sophomore at Midlothian High School, Rebecca currently is taking a pre-AP art class. “The art teacher I have now says he thinks I’ll go far with my art,” she stated. “He has taught me how to do shadow, mix colors, how to shade and how to show the light of the color. I’m good at sketches but like to try new things and find what I’m good at. I’ve used different materials like pastels, colored pencils and mixed media.” Rebecca’s first attempt at painting was done in acrylic. She used a palette of red and pink colors blending into each other as the background.

The moon was in the shape of a heart, and to complete the picture, she drew shadowy trees at the base. “I painted it because I like the colors,” she explained. “The moon is the sign for love, and I painted the trees because I love nature and wanted to include it.” Another rare painting from Rebecca was for a school project about her great-grandparents. Using different pictures from her grandpa’s collection, she combined all of them into one picture. She positioned the couple in the front part of the landscape, and behind them, Rebecca painted a cotton patch, a barn and a farmhouse. Although she enjoyed her few excursions into painting, sketching with charcoal remained her favorite.

One of her more unusual sketches is of a handgun firing. However, instead of bullets exploding out of the barrel, she drew musical notes. “I play the clarinet in the school band,” she noted. “I like music, and with everything going on with the shootings, I thought of doing something different that wouldn’t represent bad but something good with guns. So I drew it with music coming out of it.”

Another sketching that is near to her heart is the one she drew of Tristen Fort, a Midlothian teenager who passed away last year in a car accident. “We were good friends,” Rebecca shared, “and I did the sketch in memory of her. She was such a happy person and smiled all the time. She made me laugh, so I wanted to show people her smile.” A more carefree sketch Rebecca drew was of Louis Tomlinson, a member of singing group, One Direction. She is a fan of his. Unlike her other charcoal sketches that are strictly black and white, she used a blue pencil to shade in color in his clothing. Rebecca is familiar with the challenge of capturing a person’s image on paper or canvas.

To bring the face alive, an intrinsic quality of who that person is must be brought forth. “I look for things people notice,” Rebecca explained. “When I see something, I like to show people what it is I see in my drawing.” Rebecca sought to share that in her sketches of Kyle and Littlefield. “I heard about Chris Kyle and his legacy when he came and spoke to the schools,” she said. “I didn’t get a chance to meet him, so I wanted to read his book to know what he went through in the war. There is a lot of description in the book about what heroes go through. I aspire to his legacy. So, when I heard he had passed away, I wanted to do a tribute about Chris Kyle the hero. I’ve thought about doing a piece on American heroes for a while.

They made this country what it is. If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t have the things we have now.” Rebecca wanted to honor Littlefield also. She shared, “I didn’t know much about Chad Littlefield until I heard he had died. I heard things about him that were very good, such as, he volunteered to help with the veterans. He had a big role. They both should be recognized and not just the one. This was my way to honor them.” It is difficult to describe the wounded heart of a community, even as the grief was shared by millions across the country. With their tragic deaths, a community held hands and mourned. Even with the darkest night, a tiny flicker of candlelight can banish the darkness and light and hope can live again. Rebecca sought to be one of the symbolic candles of light and hope with her pictures.

Written by Betty Tryon.

He has dated his family tree back to the Revolutionary War, and that fact is part of what drives his interest in military memorabilia. Cordell collected enough military items over the years to fill a 30×40-foot, two-story space. He started his collections with a few World War II items from his father, Private First Class Jesse Hall, who served in the Fourth Infantry Division. Cordell, who served in the Air Force, began to buy flight wings at flea markets, and it went on from there. “It just kinda grew on me and got out of hand. That’s what my wife says,” he joked. When he heard about the plan to open the U.S. Veterans Museum in Granbury five years ago, his wife, Linda, knew they had found the perfect place to house some of his collection.

When Cordell first saw the space on Thorpe Springs Road, he knew he had his work cut out for him. “It was dark, dingy and rough.” So, Cordell decided to step in as a volunteer and clean up the old feed store. Carpenters built walls inside the metal building to make show rooms. The local Brookshire’s grocery store donated some of its old ceiling tiles for use inside the museum. Cabinets, also donated, line the museum’s walls filled with war keepsakes. Many veterans have spent hours at the museum, helping to organize the hundreds of pieces of memorabilia that come in on a regular basis.

“You get to know these people, and they’re just like friends,” Cordell said. Family members of veterans who have passed on drop off medals and uniforms to keep the memory of their loved ones alive. “They’re ordinary people who have done extraordinary things. A lot of people say that, but it’s true,” Cordell said. Having heard his share of war stories over the years, he www.nowmagazines.com 6 GranburyNOW May 2013 enjoys sharing them with people who visit.

Cordell is always happy to give a tour to anyone who drops by. Cordell’s father-in-law, Staff Sergeant Eugene Richardson, fought at the Battle of the Bulge in 1945. “He came faceto-face to one German, who had him in his crosshairs,” he said, adding that his father-in-law froze. “He said, ‘I can still see that German smiling at me, but he didn’t pull the trigger. I got out of there as fast as I could.’” Cordell is no stranger to war himself. He grew up in rural Kentucky and moved to Texas after graduating from high school. His cousin was in the Air Force and encouraged Cordell to join in 1966 before he got drafted. “When I went to enlist in the Air Force, I found out I had been drafted. I don’t know how they did it, but I got released from the Army to the Air Force.”

Asked where he wanted to go, Cordell chose then-Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth and asked to be stationed in Europe. He didn’t get his wish. He trained in North Dakota and was stationed in Guam, where he worked on B-52 and KC-135 jet engines. Cordell thought often about getting back home on U.S. soil. “It was a lot of hard work, but I had some fun and met some nice people over there.” He was released from service in December 1970 and entered the work force. The military crept back into his life in 1981, when he joined the 49th Armored Division. “I had a ball. It was hot, hard and tiring, but I met a lot of guys and a lot of friends.” Cordell went on two weekend drills with the division each month until 1986. Although educating others about veterans’ personal war stories comes easily for Cordell, sometimes, it can be difficult to share his own experiences. He lost four lifelong friends in Vietnam. “I tell everybody, they’re still young,” he said. “There are a lot of other guys who did a lot more than I did.” And, that’s why Cordell spends so many hours volunteering at the museum.

“It’s a tribute to all the people who never came back. And the ones who came back, who still have a lot of problems. And the ones that don’t,” he explained. “It’s just in me to help people, especially those who can’t help themselves.” Cordell was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia three years ago. “I had a hard time with it for about a week,” he confessed. He could have a bone marrow transplant, but there is no known cure for the disease. “At least I know now when I’m going to go.” His wife Linda has had a hard time dealing with the diagnosis, but Cordell tells her they have to live each day like it’s the last. And, Cordell spends his days doing what he enjoys. Each day he learns more about weapons from various wars and hears other’s personal experiences.

Cordell had the pleasure of getting to know World War II veteran and longtime museum supporter, Al Getchell. Al passed away recently, but Cordell remembers him fondly. “He kept us going all the time.” Cordell’s wife even called him sweetheart. Photos of Al can be seen in the museum with his uniforms and patches. His ashes were even placed into a torpedo and launched into the Pacific Ocean off of Hawaii. “So, he’s back out there,” Cordell said. “It’s people like that – I’ve met so many people.” The museum has really come together and includes several rooms dedicated to all of the wars, with the exception of the Revolutionary War. Tom Green also volunteers at the museum and works each day to organize and display the military memorabilia.

From machine guns and a Civil War canon to uniforms and a C-119 aircraft outside, the U.S. Veterans Museum has plenty of history to offer. “It just goes on and on and on!” Cordell exclaimed. One of his favorite pieces is a metal helmet from World War II. One side has a small bullet hole, and the other side has about a two-inch wide hole where the bullet escaped. “It’s what it stands for. That guy was killed at the Battle of the Bulge,” Cordell explained. “He never knew another step.” The museum sponsors events throughout the year, including Memorial Day. Volunteers displayed 1,000 flags in a field in Granbury last Memorial Day. Although maintaining volunteer help and funding can be challenging, Cordell plans to do what he can to help keep the museum up and running. “It’s just something you’ve got to do,” he said. “There’s something that just won’t let me leave.”

Written by Amber D. Browne.

Her book, Beyond Ellis Island, depicts a simple way of life unfathomable to younger generations. “We lived in the great depression years,” Mary said. “Our kids wouldn’t know how to cope nowadays. This generation has so many giveaways. For us there was no welfare, or help like that coming from anywhere, but people made it. I call my parents and grandparents ‘the survivors,’ for each lived in a generation that truly tested their imagination and skills in methods of survival.” Mary’s mom and dad were born in Ennis, but her grandparents were originally from Czechoslovakia, and came to the United States by ship through the port of Galveston. Her paternal grandparents, the Betiks, arrived in 1901; her maternal grandparents, the Marusaks, landed the following year. Upon their arrival, Galveston was still recovering from the great hurricane of 1900, and Mary speculated that her family didn’t find exactly what they expected.

“The first Czechs that came to www.nowmagazines.com 8 EnnisNOW May 2013 America wrote letters to families back home saying that life in America was so bountiful the streets were paved with gold,” Mary recalled. Instead, widespread destruction was still evident in Galveston, but her grandparents were at a point of no return. They were in a new country, faced with unfamiliar customs, and a language they didn’t speak made it difficult for them to get around. They found a train station in Galveston, but it wasn’t in operation, so they walked for miles, carrying children and trunks. When the family found a station that was open, they boarded the train for their final destination – Ennis. There they were met by a friend from “the old country,” as Mary called it. Most immigrants settled in clumped areas with relatives where they depended on one another, bonded, worked and socialized.

They sharecropped on other immigrants’ farms until they saved enough money to buy land of their own. “These families, including children, really had to work to survive,” Mary said. “And always, there were enough chores to go around for everyone. Not one was left out.” In her book, Mary chronologically details their lives as immigrants in rural North America, sharing the many experiences farm life had to offer. Mary was born in Ennis on Christmas Day in 1929, to Joe and Frances Marusak Betik. The third of 10 children, Mary’s childhood was vastly different from that of today’s generation. She remembers a time in her youth when the only transportation was by horse and cart. Mary also noted that her family had no radio, refrigerator or running water until after she was of high school age. “Now, life is faster-paced, and people take these comforts and conveniences for granted so much,” Mary pointed out.” Immigrants who had done without had no sense of entitlement and valued whatever good came their way.” Beyond Ellis Island eloquently portrays the history of Mary’s family, and a segment of her husband’s family.

Easily read, Mary’s book flows in a harmony of anecdotes. Events of the past, supported and explained within the context of the time, give the account some historical value. Mary’s book documents her life through the age of 18 — a life that was secure, wholesome, happy and built on family unity. What was her inspiration and motivation for writing the book? “I wrote it for my kids,” Mary shared. “They kept asking me, ‘How were things when you were growing up?’ I would tell them bits here and there, but finally they just asked me to write www.nowmagazines.com 9 EnnisNOW May 2013 it down so they could have something to share with their children. So, I wrote down what I remembered. They were fascinated with the manuscript and insisted I have it published!” Mary and Jerry met while attending elementary school in Creechville. When Jerry was 9 years old his family moved from Telico to Creechville to a farm across the road from Mary’s family. When school buses came into being, they rode the same bus. Mary remembers it was on one of these bus rides her fondness for the boy across the street began.

The Betik home was set back quite a distance from the road. When it was muddy, she and her siblings wore old shoes to the bus stop, then walked over to the Trojaceks and changed their shoes on their front porch. One particularly muddy morning, Mary boarded the bus, and Jerry noticed she still had mud on the back of her legs. He pulled out a clean, white handkerchief and handed it to her to clean off the mud. “I thought it was so sweet, I’ve never forgotten it,” Mary smiled. “I remember thinking just how nice he was, and I guess that is when I started thinking I liked him. I’m not sure what point it was for him, though.” www.nowmagazines.com 11 EnnisNOW May 2013 The two didn’t make a connection until after graduating high school. Mary was in a nursing school in Dallas, and Jerry had enlisted in the Air Force. They were married in 1950 before her training was completed. After graduation, she moved to Wyoming to be with Jerry, and their first child was born there. Eventually, they relocated to Dallas, and in 1962 bought a farm in Ennis and have resided there ever since. Mary and Jerry, now retired, reared seven children.

They boast of having nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. “Between rearing a family, having a full-time job, being an experienced farm hand, marketing homegrown produce and working in the family nursery,” Mary said, “it has been a busy life!” Mary, Jerry and her ancestors faced many obstacles. But in the end, family, faith, commitment and confidence in themselves and in each other, motivated them to keep moving forward. “The Czechs have always been very family-oriented and believed in integrity, character and in doing the right thing,” Mary said. “They were known as workers and taught their kids how to work and be self-sufficient. I think that has been very important in our lives. You didn’t take anything for granted. You expanded on God-given talents. You worked hard and prayed a lot.”

Written by Hope Teel.

“I’m one of the few kids who grew up with two pianos,” he recalled. His mother’s musical career also played an important part in Zeno’s choice of a wife. He met Anita Massey in his family’s Mexia home, where she took piano lessons.

In high school, . “I was Annapolis bound,” he said. But that all changed during the required physical exam, when his eyes didn’t measure the required 20/20. Instead, he found a place in the Southern Methodist University Mustang Band on full scholarship, while working on a music degree. Anita, a flautist, was at nearby Texas Woman’s University until there was a need for her talents in the SMU band. “I think Anita may have been the first woman member of the SMU band,” Zeno said. They shared a life together for 61 years of marriage, until her death in 2001.

As a young couple their life together was interrupted, as with so many young people of the 1940s, by military service during World War II. After basic training, Zeno went into an Army Air Corps band in Victoria, TX. He showed such talent that he was soon sent to the U.S. Army School of Music at Fort Myer near Washington, D.C. As a newly minted chief warrant officer, Zeno was ordered to create “the finest band in the world” for the 83rd Thunderbolt Infantry Division and serve as its leader. Soon,
Zeno and his band members were crossing the Atlantic Ocean to England, where they performed in parades and concerts every day.

Those days came to a close with orders to leave England without their musical instruments. Instead of a director’s baton, Zeno had to pick up his rifle with fixed bayonet. Historically, military band members become warriors, stretcher-bearers and provide security, when needed, as they were when the 83rd hit Omaha Beach as part of the Allied D-Day Invasion at Normandy, France, June 6 through mid-July 1944.

Zeno remembered having to prepare to go ashore while many of the troops were still seasick from the crossing of the English Channel. Then things got worse. “We were right in the middle of it,” Zeno remembered. “Three band men and a medic were assigned to each stretcher. We wore the Red Cross on our helmets and cloth arm bands. The terrain was awful with the dead and shell holes,” Zeno recalled. “It looked like every plane in the world was flying over our heads.” In all, 21 of the 56 men in the band were captured or wounded at Omaha Beach. The Army’s official count for the 83rd Division numbered 3,620 deaths and 11,807 men wounded during WWII.

The Allied troops broke through German defenses and headed for Berlin under the command of General George S. Patton. Zeno and his men served in different capacities during that time. Over 26,000 German soldiers had surrendered and become prisoners of war. The band members ran a POW camp and aided in the transporting of POWs. Zeno remembered the Americans could get 90 prisoners into trucks or use “40 and 8” railway freight cars. “I’m not sure whether the name came from 40 horses and 8 men that could be loaded into one car or the other way around,” Zeno commented.

Another duty performed by band members during that time was to act as security for the headquarters of the 83rd Division. By the end of WWII, the 329th Infantry Regiment, a part of the 83rd, had the distinction of being the closest U.S. troop unit to Berlin, just 30 miles from the city. Patton remarked of the 329th, “That’s the finest body of soldiers I have ever seen in the field.” Zeno remembered talking with Patton on several occasions.
The band was relieved when their instruments arrived during the occupation of Europe by U.S. troops. The band took charge of about 100 Hungarian musicians. Among them was Sári Barabás, a famed coloratura soprano. “We put together a show and went all over Germany one summer,” Zeno remembered. “They all spoke English and were very well educated.” The band also played for what turned out to be one of Patton’s final reviews of the troops in July 1945. “We were wearing new chrome helmets. Patton saw a Purple Heart and Silver Star on the coat of one of the trombone players and came over to hug him,” Zeno said.

The time came to return home to Texas. Zeno moved to a National Guard band unit, but otherwise had no job. He went back to SMU and not only got a job offer to become an assistant band director, but completed his degree. He returned to playing trombone professionally in bands as he had done prior to joining the Army and, for a short time, was a high school band director. “Anita and I didn’t have anything. Poor didn’t even begin to describe us,” he said.
“In the music world, I was known as ‘Buddy,’” Zeno said. During the Big Band Era, he played with orchestras led by Durwood Cline and Ted Weems. “We played lots of dances. You came to the bandstand, hair cut and combed, shaved, tuxedo cleaned and pressed, shoes shined and took your seat on time ready to play. I loved it,” Zeno remarked. “I was never that good a musician, but I knew a lot of them,” Zeno remembered.

Zeno also had a 20-year career in the life insurance business. He and Anita bought a wholesale farm supply business in 1969 and moved it to Corsicana in 1981. Later, they “retired” to ranching in neighboring Freestone County. He now enjoys spending time with his sons, David King and wife, Carol, of Jefferson, Texas; Stephen King of Dallas; and Lindsay King and wife, Shannon, of Corsicana. Zeno has eight grandchildren, “I was a part of one of the finest divisions ever created in the Army.”

15 great-grandchildren and two greatgreat-grandchildren. Family and his service to his country make Zeno proud today. “I was a part of one of the finest divisions ever created in the Army. He and Anita have gone to many of the 83rd’s reunions. Zeno recalled, “Anita was adopted by everyone who ever met her. We met the most wonderful people in the world in the Army and became lifetime friends. It was an experience!”

Written by Virginia Riddle.

Those intense moments of love for music reappeared many times. Eventually, he decided playing the trombone meant more to him than simply continuing through high school. He began thinking of music as a career.

Rudy Salazar and the band directors at Crowley High School influenced much of his decision to pursue a music degree, especially Kenneth Iyescas. Beyond teaching students how to play an instrument, he taught them about the piece itself. Explaining the story behind the music helped the band understand the feel of the composition, bringing depth as they played and captured the composer’s emotions. “Mr. Iyescas made it fun,” Brandon said.

The trombone is the only brass instrument that uses a slide. Originally called a sackbut, a trombonist moves the slide to one of seven different positions to play the correct note. As with any brass instrument, the ability to buzz the lips with a strong embouchure brings the sound to life. By moving the slide, the musician lengthens or shortens the tubing, producing lower and higher sounds.

Playing the trombone is a challenge for younger students with shorter arms. Most kids grow into the instrument as they get older and their reach expands. Brandon recalls the difficulty he had as a new player in the seventh grade.

“When I first started playing I could not reach seventh position,” he said. “You have to get your arm all the way out. Even today, I’m fully grown and have to stretch and use my fingertips to reach it.”

The soprano trombone, slightly smaller with a higher sound, is an instrument of a different key than the tenor version Brandon plays. While most brass musicians read music from the bass clef, the soprano trombone must play notes from the treble clef. It often requires the trombonist to transpose music, requiring additional work and skill. Brandon hopes to learn the soprano trombone someday, in addition to the one he already plays.

A successful trombonist practices buzzing his or her lips, but having a long arm helps too. Many hours of practice improve the quality of not only hitting notes, but also the sound. Brandon spends an average of two hours every day practicing songs and basic fundamentals.

He first learned about trombones when high school students came to his school and played, trying to spur interest in band. He thought the trombone looked cool. When he tried out for band in seventh grade, they allowed the students to choose five instruments and provided testing to see which fit best. On a scale of one to 10, Brandon scored 10 on all of his choices. Torn between French horn and trombone, it finally came down to a coin toss — and ultimately deciding which looked coolest.

The trombone proved a wise choice, as he immediately began winning UIL (University Interscholastic League) competitions. His first year, he chose a class 3 solo, the easiest level, and ranked a one — the best he could score. By the time he reached his freshman year, Brandon tried out with a class 1 solo for the first time. Although he made a one again, he hadn’t memorized the solo, so he was ineligible for state competition. During his junior year in high school, Brandon memorized the solo and advanced to state.

Playing the trombone isn’t Brandon’s only talent. He also plays the piano and sings. Seeking an outlet for singing, he performed in school musicals. His friends told him, “You should join choir.” For years, he resisted the idea, but as he moved into his senior year, he agreed. As a part of choir, he had the option to enter the UIL solo competition. At this competition, he received the prestigious Outstanding Soloist award, given to only two percent of students competing.

That year, he made fifth chair in the Region Choir. Advancing to state competition, Brandon earned a fourth chair seat. With the vocal accomplishment, he completed the UIL trifecta, a rare achievement. He made first chair in the Region Concert Band and fourth chair in the Region Jazz Band with his trombone.

After graduation, Brandon registered at Hill College as a dual music major. “I cannot choose between choir and band. I love them both,” he said. Applying for the Clara Freshour Nelson Scholarship, given by the Texas Association of Music Schools, required producing a 10-minute CD displaying his ability as a solo trombonist.

He picked up a solo he had performed before and started practicing, sometimes seeing 4:00 in the morning while working on it. Mr. Lowe, his band director, timed the solo. With three minutes left, he asked if Brandon wanted to include something vocally on the CD. He chose to add the solo he had performed at state UIL competition his senior year.

An agonizing summer of anticipation ensued, waiting for a decision. One day he got the call saying he won the scholarship. “It was amazing,” Brandon said, “one of the coolest moments of my life. I’d honestly never done anything bigger than that.” Winning the scholarship represents the greatest thing this young man has done. Not satisfied, he wants to keep getting better.

While his parents always supported Brandon and somehow found money for band trips, the scholarship will help him fulfill his dream of attending the University of North Texas (UNT). He will soon transfer, where he plans to obtain a Bachelor of Music as a trombonist with a secondary in vocal studies. He will continue and earn a master’s degree. Then, following Mr. Iyescas footsteps, he hopes to spend several years teaching at a high school or perhaps college level before returning in pursuit of a doctorate. “It’s one thing to study things and learn from books,” Brandon stated. “But you’re not gonna have all you need to be a teacher without experience.” He wants to sit back, conduct and do what he loves to do for as long as it takes.

Brandon and some friends have a jazz trio and play locally. He always spots one kid, mesmerized by the instruments, moving past only because his mom pulls him along. He remembers feeling that way. Someday that child may grow up to be a great musician or just love music because of a band director. “I was one of those students — I want to be one of those teachers,” he said. “One of my favorite quotes says, “Find a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Teaching music will undoubtedly be the job he loves.

Written by Lisa Bell.