Discovering The Mature Lifestyle
A couple from Eagan creates a postretirement exercise plan. Page 2
Fitness
January Issue
January 14, 2016
Age doesn’t stop seniors from being active in Richfield, Edina BY SUE WEBBER CONTRIBUTING WRITER Next time you’re winded from exercising, stop and consider Pat Marble of Richfield. At 103 years old, Marble is at the Richfield Community Center four days a week. She exercises there, she volunteers, and she’s a member of a quilting group. “I enjoy it; it keeps me moving,” Marble said. “I’m up and going, let’s put it that way. My family sees to it that I am. I do take a nice two-hour nap every afternoon, though.” But she finds time to work on stained glass projects. During 2015, she won third prize for one of the 13 lamps she made. Her lamps are on Facebook, she said. Though she says she doesn’t do too much baking anymore, Marble spent some time in December mixing up the dough for Christmas cookies her daughter would later bake. A native of Indiana, Marble moved to northern Minnesota in 1944, after World War II. She and her husband raised three children and ran a resort in Northome, a small town between Bemidji and International Falls. Ten grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren now round out the family. “I used to brag about my grandchildren, telling people my grandchildren did this and they did that,” Marble said. “Now it’s turned around.” The grandkids are bragging about her now, she said. Indeed, grandson Craig Wiklund tells about his grandmother’s sailing on Lake Pepin, target-shooting at the age of 100, making rhubarb pies, embroidering more than 100 dish towels as gifts for guests at her 100th birthday party, and creating more than 22 stained glass lamps in the past two years for children, great-grandchildren and friends. Marble has checked out on quarterly tests as being as fit as an 80-year-old, according to Cheryl Dragotis, recreation program supervisor for the Richfield senior program. Marble participates in the twice-weekly Silver Sneakers
field’s classes, according to Dragotis. Men as well as women participate, she said. “They’re very able to exercise because they continue to do it,” Dragotis said. An estimated 40 senior citizens take part in Richfield’s Monday and Friday Silver Sneakers classes, and another 36 are registered in the water exercise class that meets three times a week at the middle school. “It helps them stay active and gives them a chance to be social,” Dragotis said.
98-year-old is active in Edina In Edina, Phyllis Waldsmith climbs onto a Metro Mobility vehicle three times a week and goes to the Edina Senior Center to exercise. Not too unusual, except that the Edina woman is 98 years old. She says she’s been exercising all her life. “I work at it,” said Waldsmith, an 18-year resident of Edina who is enrolled in the Silver Sneakers ABC program for agility, balance and core work, and also in the “Sit Fit” class twice a week. “Our family was always interest in sports,” Waldsmith said. “I walked a lot.” She grew up on a farm in Illinois with six siblings, and worked as a lab tech for a while. “Then I went back to school and became a teacher for mentally retarded children,” she said. “I really enjoyed it.” Following retirement at age 62, Waldsmith kept busy with crafts, she said. Phyllis Waldsmith, 98, of Edina, works with Christy Zilka, Donna Tilsner, recreation supervisor at the Edina Sethe instructor for the ABC class at the Edina Senior Center. nior Center, said about 60 senior citizens are enrolled in (Submitted photo) exercise classes. “We will offer cross country ski, snow shoe, Nordic walking, we have golf and tennis in the summer and new in 2016 will offer a putting course league,” Flex Exercise class, Dragotis said. “She’s an amazing person,” Dragotis said. “She’s got her Tilsner said. However, she added, “We don’t see many like Phyllis. memory and all her mental faculties. She’s a lovely person.” Marble also volunteers in the dining facility and joins a She is so good!” quilting group on Thursdays, Dragotis said. Many other 80- and 90-year-olds take part in RichACTIVE ELDERLY - TO PAGE 2