50 PLUS! March 2016 by Gannett Wisconsin Media

March 2016

plus! The magazine for active, mature lifestyles

9 page

Age not always barrier

50 plus!

INSIDE

2 The Savvy Senior: How to calculate your retirement number

Manitowoc Senior Center offers Beginners’ Tai Chi Class

Jim Miller

Syndicated columnist, NBC Today contributor & creator of SavvySenior.org

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Dear Looking, Calculating an approximate number of how much you’ll need to save for a comfortable retirement is actually pretty easy, and doesn’t take long to do. It’s a simple, three-step process that includes estimating your future How to calculate your retirement number living expenses, tallying up your Dear Savvy Senior, retirement income and calculating Can you help me calculate about how much my wife and I the difference. There are even a need to save for retirement? We are both in out late-50s and host of online calculators that want to see where we stand. can help you with this, too. –Looking Ahead

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Living Expenses The first step is the most difficult – estimating your living expenses when you retire. If you want a quick ballpark estimate, figure around 75 to 85 percent of your current gross income. That’s what most people find they need to maintain their current lifestyle in retirement. If you want a more precise estimate, track your current living expenses on a worksheet and deduct any costs you expect to go away or decline when you retire, and add whatever new ones you anticipate. Costs you can scratch off your list include work-related expenses like commuting or lunches out, as well as the amount you’re socking away for retirement. You may also be able to deduct your mortgage if you SAVVY SENIOR continued on page 3

sessions about Medicare offered

When to stop mammograms a tricky issue as US ages

6 5 surprising

superfoods for baby boomers

7 Woman finds

artwork by father killed in Vietnam

8 Puzzles 9 ON THE COVER: Age not always barrier

Have aches and pains? We’re here to help.

10 Puzzle Answers

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Brandon Reid, editor Herald Times Reporter 920-686-2984 breid@manitowoc.gannett.com 50 Plus! is published monthly by the Herald Times Reporter Media. It also is distributed to select businesses in Manitowoc County.

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expect to have it paid off by retirement, and your kids’ college expenses. Your income taxes should also be less. On the other hand, some costs will probably go up when you retire, like health care, and depending on your interests, you may spend a lot more on travel, golf or other hobbies. And, if you’re going to be retired for 20 or 30 years you also need to factor in the occasional big-budget items like a new roof, furnace or car. Tally income Step two is to calculate your retirement income. If you and/or your wife contribute to Social Security, go to ssa.gov/myaccount to get your personalized statement that estimates what your retirement benefits will be at age 62, full retirement age and when you turn 70. In addition to Social Security, if you or your wife has a traditional pension plan from an employer, find out from the plan administrator how much you are likely to get when you retire. And, figure in any other income from other sources you expect to have, such as rental properties, part-time work, etc. Calculate the difference The final step is to do the calculations. Subtract your annual living expenses from your annual retirement income. If your income alone can cover your bills, you’re all set. If not, you’ll need to tap

your savings, including your 401(k) plans, IRAs or other investments to make up the difference. So, let’s say, for example, you need around $55,000 a year to meet your living expenses and pay taxes, and you and your wife expect to receive $30,000 a year from Social Security and other income. That leaves a $25,000 shortfall that you’ll need to pull from your nest egg each year ($55,000-$30,000 = $25,000). Then, depending on what age you want to retire, you need to multiply your shortfall by at least 25 if you want to retire at 60, 20 to retire at 65, and 17 to retire at 70 – or in this case, that would equate to $625,000, $500,000 and $425,000, respectively. Why 25, 20 and 17? Because that would allow you to pull 4 percent a year from your savings, which is a safe withdrawal strategy that, in most cases, will let your money last as long as you do. If you need some help, there’s a bevy of free online retirement calculators to assist you, like the ones offered by T. Rowe Price or Financial Mentor. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

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Manitowoc Senior Center offers Beginners’ Tai Chi Class USA TODAY NETWORKWisconsin

The Manitowoc Senior Center has a new Beginners ‘Tai Chi class, which will be starting the first week in April. Tai Chi is a form of martial arts that involves slow, controlled and lowimpact movements, which can be easy for seniors, even those with limited movement. Benefits of participating A previous Beginner Tai Chi class in action at Manitowoc Senior include: relaxation and Center. (File/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin) balance of mind and body, better balance, and Center offers several other fitness reduction in falling down. It also helps classes, including Senior Shape-Up participants have a sense of wellbeing, (low-impact aerobics), Functional helps fight the effects of arthritis, Strength (stretching for arthritis), Yoga, and helps to improve circulation and Line Dancing/Line Dance Lessons posture. Beginners’ Tai Chi is held on Tuesdays and Zumba Gold. All fitness classes are available to and Thursdays at 2:55 p.m. Because Senior Center members and have a Tai Chi is a progressive class, new participants must start within the first nominal fee associated with them (most few weeks of class. Call the Senior are $4 per month). Senior Center membership is open to Center at 920-686-3060 to be added to the list of participants. Note that all, ages 55 and older. Stop in for a tour or to learn more about how to join. The membership is required for this class. In addition to Tai Chi, the Senior center is at 3300 Custer St.

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Call 920-732-3440 Today! 50

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ADRC

lar scam, calling it “sophisticated and aggressive.”

Aging and Disability Resource Center

Free sessions about Medicare offered By Cathy Ley The ADRC of the Lakeshore will offer information sessions about Medicare and its different parts. The sessions, titled “Medicare A-D,” should be attended by anyone of any age who is/will be new to Medicare or who is already on Medicare and is interested in more information. The sessions are a free public service, but registration is required by calling the ADRC of the Lakeshore at 1-877-4167083. Sessions will be held on the following dates: • Tuesday, April 12, 1-3 p.m., Algoma Public Library, Algoma; and • Tuesday, April 19, 3-5 p.m., Manitowoc Office Complex, 4319 Expo Drive, Manitowoc.

Lakeshore Memory Café Have you heard about the Lakeshore Memory Café? Memory Cafés welcome those experiencing early stage dementia, mild memory loss or cognitive impairment, and family and friends of those affected. It’s a great opportunity for lively discussions, information gathering, refreshments, camaraderie and lots of creative fun! We have a dementia specialist professional on hand to answer questions and an enormous wealth of experience among participants to be shared. We’d be delighted if you would join us. Upcoming sessions will be held on the following dates: • Wednesday, March 2, 10-11:30 a.m., Manitowoc Public Library, Manitowoc; • Saturday, March 19, 10-11:30 a.m., Lester Public Library, Two Rivers; • Wednesday, April 6, 10-11:30 a.m.,

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To date, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration has received reports of 736,000 scam contacts from all states in the country, with nearly 4,500 victims paying more than $23 million as a result.

While this is an ongoing scam yearround, the IRS cautions that people are more at risk the closer we get to tax seaManitowoc Public Library, Manito- son. woc; and In this highly successful scam, the • Saturday, April 16, 10-11:30 a.m., scammer calls a vulnerable person and Lester Public Library, Two Rivers. threatens them, usually saying he or she March’s theme is Think Green! and owes taxes. The scammer further threatincludes St. Patrick’s Day Trivia, sham- ens that if the money is not paid immedirock decorating, Irish music and treats. ately, the person will be arrested. April’s theme is Good Old Fashioned Recent immigrants are more at risk, “Game Day,” remembering all the table with scammers using threats of deporgames we used to play with, including tation, arrest, loss of a business, utility popcorn and soda. shut-off, or driver’s license revocation. Lakeshore Memory Cafés are a proThe scammer usually demands cash, gram of the Dementia Friendly Commu- wire transfer, prepaid debit cards, or nity Committee – a partnership of many even checks or money orders deposited local organizations to make Manitowoc into a bank account. County more dementia friendly. The scammers are usually very specifFor more about the program, or if you ic about the way the “owed tax” must be would like to volunteer for the commit- paid. Most IRS and consumer warnings tee, call Kim Jacquart Franzen at 877- mention the middlemen (the recipients 416-7083. and/or owners of the bank accounts) in these IRS scams as being the scamSt. Nazianz, Valders volunteer drivers needed for Meals on Wheels mers themselves. However, in a recent Wisconsin case, an older person with The Meals on Wheels program is lookmemory issues was discovered to have ing for individuals, couples, groups or multiple bank accounts open at differorganizations interested in driving and ent banks and more than 20 credit/debit delivering meals to homebound seniors cards with names on them that were not in the St. Nazianz and Valders area. his own. He had transactions — both The time involved would be approxi- money coming in and going out — that mately 10:30 a.m.-noon on Tuesdays, he could not explain. He also could not Wednesdays and/or Thursdays. explain why he had so many bank acFor more about this program, or if counts. He cashed checks mailed to him you would like to give some time to this without knowing who they were from or endeavor, contact Alyssa at the Aging & what they were for. This behavior had Disability Resource Center of the Lake- been going on for several years. Most likely, he was receiving telephone threats shore at 920-683-4180. for his failure to comply with the scamIRS telephone scam shows no signs mers.

of slowing

Whether a person is being targeted for A pervasive IRS telephone scam sureither layer of this scam, the recommenfaced around 2013 and shows no signs dations are the same: of letting up. • If you’re concerned about owed Since 2013, the IRS has issued more taxes, call the IRS directly at 1-800than 15 warnings regarding this particu829-1040.

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• The IRS will always send taxpayers a written notification of any tax due via U.S. Postal mail. The IRS will not call a person without first sending a bill in the mail. • Never give bank information (debit card, PIN, account numbers) over the phone. The IRS never asks for this information over the phone. • The IRS does not demand payment without offering the opportunity to question the amount owed or appeal the decision. • The IRS will not threaten to bring in the police or other agencies to arrest you for not paying/complying. • If you receive such a phone call, call and report it to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484 and include the words “IRS Telephone Scam.” Some of the additional warnings from the IRS include the following: • The main tactic the scammers use is fear. They will threaten, insult, bully, harass and confuse the victims. If they threaten arrest or revocation of driver’s licenses, the victim will usually receive another phone call from a different person pretending to be from the police department or DMV to make the threat seem credible. • The scammers are able to make their telephone numbers mimic one from the IRS so it looks legitimate on caller ID. • The scammers will often follow up with emails claiming to be from the IRS to support their threats. • Scammers generally use common first and last names and often have fake IRS ID badge numbers. • In many cases, scammers already know a lot about the victim, including the last four digits of his or her Social Security number. This is probably the most pervasive and persistent scam in recent history. Help yourself and any vulnerable adults in your life avoid falling victim by educating yourself and others. Keep this checklist handy if you get a suspicious call this tax season.

When to stop mammograms a tricky issue as US ages Some doctors say other potential illnesses complicate choice Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Lost in the arguing about whether women should begin mammograms at age 40 or 50 or somewhere in between is the issue they’ll all eventually face: when to stop. “There’s a point at which everybody begins to scratch their head and say, ‘How much longer do you have to keep doing this?’” said American Cancer Society specialist Robert Smith. It’s an increasingly complex balancing act as older women are living even longer. The risk of breast cancer rises with age. But so do the odds of other serious illnesses that might be more likely to kill in a senior’s remaining life span — or to make them less able to withstand the rigors of cancer treatment. “If we pick up a cancer in someone who’s 75 and they die at 76 of something else, did it really matter? That’s really the question here,” said Dr. Susan Boolbol, breast surgery chief at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center in New York. Medical guidelines don’t agree. The cancer society’s advice: Women should continue mammograms as long as their overall health is good and they have a life expectancy of at least 10 more years. Last week, guidelines issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said there’s not enough evidence to recommend for or against mammograms at 75 and older because that age group just hasn’t been studied enough to tell. Getting such evidence is “critical, given the graying of America,” said Dr. Jeanne Mandelblatt, an expert on cancer and aging at Georgetown University. Indeed, some in the 80-and-beyond crowd are as spry as 60-somethings. “People are taking better care of themselves,” said Yale University pathologist Dr. Fattaneh Tavassoli. “If we don’t start discussing it, it’s going to be more difficult to come up with management approaches for these patients.” She recently reported that Yale’s medical center is diagnosing more breast cancer

at 90 and older, averaging about eight diagnoses a year since 2000, compared with one a year during the 1990s. Many were diagnosed after the woman or doctor detected an abnormality, not from routine mammograms, Tavassoli said. But she’s asked if other hospitals see a similar trend and also wants to study what treatment they underwent. Marion Jones was 84 and active when a mammogram spotted breast cancer. Surgeons removed a small tumor, but during follow-up chemotherapy, Jones developed pneumonia and blood clots. She needed a portable oxygen tank for a year until her lungs healed. For Jones, mammograms were “just a habit” that she didn’t question when a new doctor said she was due, and she’s grateful her cancer was detected. But now 86 and healthy again, the Silver Spring, Maryland, Marion Jones of Silver Spring, Md., was treated for breast cancer after a mammogram at age 84, but woman recently told her oncologist that if during chemotherapy she was struck by pneumonia and blood clots. She now says she doesn’t want her cancer ever returns, she doesn’t want to go through chemo again if cancer resurfaces. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) chemo. “She said, ‘Marion, at your age you probably won’t die of breast cancer anyway. It’ll be something else,’” Jones recalled. “That’s nice to hear.” About 26 percent of breast cancer deaths each year are attributed to a diagnosis after age 74, according to the American Cancer Society. “The question we have not really studied very carefully is what fraction of those • Spacious one-bedroom apartments deaths is truly avoidable,” Smith said. Mammography does decline as women • Utilities included get older. About three-quarters of women • On-site Resident Managers ages 50 to 74 have had a mammogram for your convenience & security within two years, compared with 41 percent of the 85-plus group, according to • Openings now available at both of our locations: 2013 government figures. VILLAGE GREEN WEST If cancer is found in the frail, Mount VILLAGE GREEN EAST Sinai’s Boolbol said there are less-aggressive options that aim to stop a tumor’s growth rather than eradicate it. 2 GREAT LOCATIONS FOR COMFORTABLE SENIOR LIVING She wants doctors and patients to have frank discussions about the woman’s overall health in deciding how long to VILLAGE GREEN WEST VILLAGE GREEN EAST continue mammograms. 2602 FOREST AVE., TWO RIVERS 2401 POLK ST., TWO RIVERS “It really needs to be based on their health status and not your age,” Boolbol said. “Because it’s not one-size-fits-all.”

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5 surprising superfoods for baby boomers (BPT) - An estimated 77 million baby boomers represent the largest generation of Americans born in U.S. history. Many are embracing their golden years and taking a proactive approach to their well-being. If you are a boomer, you understand nutrition is fundamental to maintaining your health. But do you know some foods are particularly powerful in helping you age well? “Certain foods provide nutrients that are extremely beneficial for baby boomers,” says Kristen Johnson, registered dietician, nutrition expert at On Target Living, and author of the newly released cookbook “Target To Table: Healthy and Delicious Meals One Superfood at a Time.” “Eating these superfoods regularly is one of the easiest yet most impactful things boomers can do for their health.” Johnson’s top five superfoods for baby

boomers include: Fresh cold water fish “On top of being a delicious lean protein, fish is loaded with omegas-3s that keep our brains healthy as we age,” says Johnson. “EPA and DHA are the type of omega-3 fat found in fish and are especially important for a healthy heart, hormonal balance, energy and mood.” Since most of us don’t have access to fresh, wild-caught or cold-water fish on a daily basis, she suggests taking a high-quality cod liver oil daily, like Nordic Naturals Orange-Flavored Cod Liver Oil. “There’s no fishy smell and a quality you can taste,” says Johnson. “Also, cod liver oil naturally contains vitamin D, which is needed to absorb calcium.”

Super seeds Certain seeds, like flax, chia and hemp seeds, have extensive health benefits and more boomers are incorporating them into Rise and Shine Smoothie their daily meals and Serves 3 snacks. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons chia 2 cups carrot juice or flaxseeds “Flaxseeds and chia 1 cup kale or 2 tablespoons seeds are high in omegaspinach hemp seeds 3s and fiber and contain 1 banana 1 tablespoon 2 cups frozen or Nordic Naturals antiviral, antifungal and fresh berries Orange Flavored antibacterial properties,” Cod Liver Oil says Johnson. “Hemp Directions: seeds are high in healthy Mix all ingredients in a omega-6s, along with blender until smooth. being high in protein. These super seeds help balance hormones and can also help with digestion.” Easy ways to start incorporating seeds into your daily routine is to add them to smoothies or sprinkle on yogurt or oatmeal.

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Super vegetables “Vegetables provide many nutrients, including potassium, fiber, folate, vitamins A, E, C and are alkalizing, meaning they neutralize acids in the body and help your body thrive and stay mineralized,” says Johnson. Try to get a variety of super vegetables into your daily diet including leafy greens, bok choy, broccoli, mushrooms, beets, celery, carrots, onions and garlic. Leafy greens and broccoli are especially high in calcium and vitamin C needed to keep your immune system healthy and prevent sickness. Beets and celery are extremely detoxifying. Garlic is part of the onion family and contributes to a healthy immune system while helping to lower inflammation. Super fruits “Fruits are packed with flavor and are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, cancer-fighting antioxidants, and are extremely alkalizing,” says Johnson. Strive to get a variety of super fruits in your daily diet including strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, lemons, limes, apples and bananas. Dried fruits like

figs, dates, goji berries and raisins are high in the calming mineral magnesium which helps to relax the mind and body and aid in digestion. Organic virgin coconut oil Lately there has been a lot of buzz about coconut oil and for good reason, explains Johnson. “Coconut oil is a healthy saturated fat high in lauric, capric and caprylic acids which have antiviral and antifungal properties contributing to a healthy digestion,” she says. “Coconut oil also contains medium-chain fatty acids that can aid in a healthy metabolism.” Try using coconut oil in baked goods or to replace other oils when sautéing or stir-frying. It’s also a fantastic butter substitute on toast and other foods. Start the day on the right foot with this easy-to-make smoothie that features several of Johnson’s recommended superfoods. This recipe can be found on Johnson’s blog at www.targettotable. com.

Woman finds artwork by father killed in Vietnam She was only a year old when he died in a plane crash JULIE WATSON Associated Press

SAN DIEGO - Erika Colligan spent three decades searching for her father’s artwork — paintings the South Vietnamese pilot made for the U.S. Air Force aviators who trained him during the Vietnam War. Colligan, a 50-year-old San Diego software consultant, was only 1 when her father, Phan Khoi, died in a plane crash in his native country in 1966. When she was 10, her family fled Vietnam and came to the United States, leaving behind their belongings and his artwork. Colligan believes most of his paintings were destroyed after the Erika Colligan holds a painting her father, Phan Khoi, painted during the Vietnam War for his Air Communist government took power, Force flight instructor, Col. Billy Mobley, right. (Gregory Bull/AP) but she kept faith some of the artwork

Khoi made for his American friends was still out there, offering a tangible sliver of the father she never got the chance to know. For decades she showed veterans a faded photograph of Khoi sitting with a paintbrush and two portraits in his room at a U.S. Air Force base. She posted the image online repeatedly, asking whether anyone recognized the American pilot in one of the portraits. Her search paid off about three months ago when it led her to Khoi’s former Air Force instructor, retired Col. Billy Mobley. Mobley told her in an email that Khoi had given him a painting — a serene landscape that has hung on his Artwork continued on page 11

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Age not always a barrier to aggressive medical care Many in 90s are robust enough to withstand risks

LINDSEY TANNER Associated Press

CHICAGO - Irwin Weiner felt so good after heart surgery a few weeks before turning 90 that he stopped for a pastrami sandwich on the way home from the hospital. Dorothy Lipkin danced after getting a new hip at age 91. And at 94, William Gandin drives himself to the hospital for cancer treat-

ments. Jimmy Carter isn’t the only nonagenarian to withstand rigorous medical treatment. Very old age is no longer an automatic barrier for aggressive therapies, from the cancer care the former president received to major heart procedures, joint replacements and even some organ transplants. In many cases, the nation’s most se-

nior citizens are getting the same treatments given to people their grandchildren’s age — but with different goals. “Many elderly patients don’t necessarily want a lot of years; what they want is quality of life,” said Dr. Clifford Kavinsky, a heart specialist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. “They want whatever time is left for them to be high quality. They don’t

want to be dependent on their family. They don’t want to end up in a nursing home.” Treatment for Carter, 91, has included surgery, radiation and a new cancer drug with fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy. It seems to be working — Carter announced Dec. 6 that brain scans show no signs of the AGE continued on page 10

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AGE

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melanoma that was found in August. The nation’s 90-and-up population, about 2 million people, has nearly tripled in recent decades, and the pace is expected to continue. Many are struggling with more than one age-related illness, and that makes them poor candidates for aggressive and often costly care. But plenty remain robust enough to give it a try. Lipkin, now 93, had hip replacement surgery two years ago in the Philadelphia area. Arthritis made walking difficult and painful. She’d been a good dancer in her younger days, and had tried to remain active, so her doctor recommended the operation. “Otherwise I was going to be in a wheelchair the rest of my life,” Lipkin said. Soon after, she made a video doing a line dance to show how well she was healing. In the winter, she lives in Florida,

walks at least half an hour daily and leads “a normal life.” Lipkin says having such major surgery at her age should be an individual decision. Doctors agree. Some 90-year-olds are fitter than some 60-year-olds, but they say other considerations need to be in the mix. At MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, the oldest patients are evaluated by geriatricians — specialists in medical care of the elderly — to make sure they’re able to tolerate harsh treatments. Physical and mental health are assessed; so is social support — whether there are family members or friends available to help during treatment and recovery. “We do believe that cancer care should not be limited by age,” said Dr. Beatrice Edwards. While many elderly patients are healthy enough to tolerate conventional treatments, advances including more

Some Decisions are TOO IMPORTANT to be Rushed

targeted, less toxic drugs and minimally invasive surgery techniques are opening the door to others. Gandin, the 94-year-old, received his prostate cancer diagnosis more than 10 years ago. Treatment with radiation and chemotherapy failed to stop cancer from spreading to his lungs and bones. He’s now on hormone treatment that he said is controlling the disease. A retired Exxon Mobil auditor, Gandin helps take care of his wife of 74 years in their assisted living home in Houston and is not ready to give up on treatment. “I’m an eternal optimist — that’s what has carried me through,” he said. Weiner, a retired furniture manufacturer representative, had a hardened, leaky aortic valve — a common condition in the elderly that can lead to disability and death. Open-heart surgery is a common option, but some doctors hesitate to perform it in the elderly, said Kavinsky, the Chicago heart specialist. Dr. Joseph Lamelas, Weiner’s surgeon at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Florida, used a newer approach, implanting a new valve through a small incision on the right side of the chest. After four days in the hospital last January, Weiner was back home in Boca Raton, Florida, and was well enough to have two big 90th birthday celebrations less than a month later. Organ transplants are less common

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but not unheard of in the very old. Since 2013, there have been more than 100 kidney transplants in patients at least 80, including an 88-year-old, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. Its records show that since 1987, the nation’s oldest kidney transplant recipient was a 96-year-old. There are generally no strict age limits on transplants. Dr. Dorry Segev, a Johns Hopkins Medicine transplant specialist, said frailty is a more important factor and his center measures it rigorously, including assessing patients’ grip strength, walking speed and muscle mass. Ethical issues complicate decisions on providing treatments costing tens of thousands of dollars to the very old and life expectancy has to be considered, Kavinsky said. “When you start doing procedures on a 90-year old, you have someone who has already exceeded the average life span in America,” he said. “How far should we go to keep them going?” Dr. Joseph Dearani, chairman of cardiac surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said a good gauge is whether treatment would likely help patients live well for at least another two years. He said costs to the patient, their family and society also should be weighed, so that treatment is given to right patients, and “for the most part, that happens.”

artwork continued from page 7 wall for more than 50 years. Colligan immediately drove to Mobley’s house in Stephenville, Texas. “He grabbed hold of my face and said, ‘Yep, you’re Phan Khoi’s daughter all right,’ ” Colligan said. He then handed her the painting. “I took the painting and cradled it for half an hour and cried a lot,” she said. She ran her finger over her father’s signature on the back. She and Mobley talked well past midnight that cold December day. She learned her father was a quiet, serious man, a surprise to the outgoing woman with an easy laugh. “It did not bring me closure, instead it marked a beginning for me,” she said later. Mobley, now 83, was overwhelmed as well. “That hit me right in the heart,” he

said of Colligan’s visit. “Phan Khoi gave me that painting in 1962 and then here was his daughter standing in front of me.” Khoi was among more than 1,500 Vietnamese pilots sent to the U.S. for training. The U.S. military helped build the South Vietnam Air Force to be among the 10 largest air forces in the world in 1974. U.S. military instructors would spend up to a year alongside the pilots, inviting them to their homes for barbecues and holiday dinners, despite the cultural and language barriers. But once the training ended, most of the U.S. instructors lost contact with their students. After the fall of Saigon in 1975, the South Vietnam Air Force dissolved. Many of the South Vietnamese pilots returned to the U.S., this time as

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refugees battling discrimination in their adopted country. “They were such dedicated, such honorable men and we didn’t know what had happened to them,” Mobley said. Colligan learned that the two portraits in the faded photograph she had shared with veterans for decades were paintings her father made for his other Air Force instructor, Doyle Ruff, who appears as the young pilot in one portrait; the other was of Ruff ’s daughter, Rebecca, who was 2 at the time.

In the room where they chatted was the painting Khoi made for Mobley. Now that she has seen his paintings in person, she can see that her father would paint the name of the person into the background, as if hiding a clue. Her search continues to lead her to more people who knew Khoi.

After contacting him, Doyle Ruff sent Colligan a birthday card Khoi had given him in 1963, and later his ex-wife sent her the two portraits, and shared her own memories.

“I think my father is doing this,” she said of her search. “My objective is still to find his artwork but along this journey I’ve been able to learn what my father was like. It’s been a great journey.”

In early January, Colligan organized a reunion with Mobley, Ruff, other

Welcome to

Maritime Gardens WE OFFER: • Independent living in a warm, welcoming positive environment • 24-Hour secured, safe home with 24 Suites, each with its own private bathroom and shower • Homemade meals - made to order breakfast and stimulating activities To learn more or to schedule a tour call Jerry or Karen today

Friday, July 15 - Sun, July 17

1945 Dewey Street, Manitowoc

Casino & Sunset Tours LLC reserve the right to change offers at anytime, also due to unforeseen acts of God.

(920) 682-1945

Pickup at: Manitowoc–Holiday Inn • Visit our website sunsettoursllc.com

Call for times and information

www.maritimegardens.com

920-775-9503 • 1-800-261-4687 WI-5001978942

Air Force officers and some of the Vietnamese pilots they had trained more than half a century ago. She and her family spent two days at a San Diego hotel, mostly listening to the men reminisce about grumpy instructors, the risks of flying then and the pilot who loved to paint.

WI-5001978703

Caring for your Heart & Soul 50

plus!

. MARCH 2016 . 11

Creating A Community of Caring ... When Shady Lane, Inc. was founded in 1951, its goal was to serve our community with a range of care at a reasonable cost under the direction of community leaders. Community leaders envisioned a not-for-profit organization dedicated to offering best care practices. Today, our board of directors is drawn from community leaders, we serve without stock holders, only stakeholders, and are dedicated to the needs of our community.

a smarter approach for rehab

The day you plan your stay at Rehab at Shady Lane is the day we begin preparing for you to leave us. Your team – including your surgeon, your medical facility, and our staff – optimizes resources and plans the best way for you to recover. Because our rehab unit is separate from other units, you are surrounded by people who share your objective of going home. Add to this a healing diet, a cuisine of “power foods” designed to encourage healing.

for the joys of home without the work

From two bedroom apartments to single bedrooms with private bathrooms, Laurel Grove offers a variety of assisted living options to meet your needs. Enjoy the gardens, optional activities and care-free living.

Secure Memory Care Available.

for comfort, respect, and dignity

Part of maintaining dignity is having a space that is all your own and the support of a caring staff. Shady Lane has only private rooms and residents may add private telephone and may decorate their own rooms if they wish. Hospice care is available. Medicaid Certified.

Manitowoc’s only not-for-profit citizen directed care facility.

1235 South 24th Street • Manitowoc, WI www.shadylaneinc.com • 920-682-8254 WI-5001978705

12 . MARCH 2016 . 50

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OPENINGS AVAILABLE!