A P R I L L B R A N D O N | P I C T U R E T H I S ! | FA S H I O N MARCH/APRIL 2018
COVER STORY
Nelda Strong
LEADS THE FIGHT against Alzheimer's ALSO INSIDE
women in business:
BETTY DEWEESE beauty
LIPSTICK revisited
FLIP-the-ISSUE
Mendy Rabicoff & his wife, Natalie Beating heart quintuple bypass
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To learn more or find a cardiologist, visit LongviewRegional.com/Heart.
If you experience a medical emergency, call 911.
Home
is where your story begins.
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s t n e t n o C MARCH/APRIL 2018
Beauty: Lipstick Revisited
8
Feature: Betty DeWeese, Telco Plus Credit Union
18
Cover Story: A Passion for Service: Nelda Strong Leads the Fight Against Alzheimer's
18
Women in Business: Betty DeWeese, Telco Plus Credit Union
24
Aprill Brandon: The Great Grilled Cheese Meltdown of 2018
8
20
Blue Jeans, Ball Gowns, Denim & Diamonds, Oh My!
In Every Issue 16 27
Shop This! Picture This!
G
HOMETOWN
spirit ALSO INSIDE
women in business:
ALICIA NOLTE beauty
SKIN PEN
iving back to the Melani commu e Northcu nity is tt Cro grandm ingraine cker’s others their chu d in core. Her were invo rches, parent lved in giving that sam s and their com back in e spirit their own muniti in her. es and ways. The When she retu y encour rned to graduati aged her nati ng from ve Lon college of Lon gview , she bec gview a few yea and ame rs afte is serv involved with the r ing as in Junior league’s its pre 70th ann League sident an ove this yea rlooked iversary r coincidi . A few niche Profess in the years ago ng ionals of commu , recogniz Longvie nity, she 190 mem ing w. Tha establis bers, is t organiz hed You aimed ation, whi togethe ng at brin r to help ch now ging you has the about – give ng bus m connec back to iness pro t, form the com fessiona relation munity In Feb ls ships and . ruary 201 – togethe 7, she also Sugar r Magno opened lia Pro her own had bec perties real esta , in dow ome nea te agency ntown r and dea Young Longvie , r to her Profess w. Dow ionals, heart thro ntown and oth Jun ior Lea ugh her er civic gue, Kee work with organiz ations p Lon “We are gview in which so exc Beautif Melani ited to can’t wai ul e is invo call dow t to aid lved. ntown in the Melani process Longvie e said. of the w hom “It is an Main Stre e and and Sug excitin ar Magno et revi g time talizatio for me, lia Pro n,” Melani our per ties incredib e is the .” le agents Kilgore daught er of High Sch Mik ool, and e Nor Glenda thcutt, Glenda , is a long a teac and Jim -time real her at Melani Hughe e as an estate s. Her agent in agent at mother, a Longvie East Tex Sugar Ma w attorne as who gnolia joined y. Proper Melani ties. Jim e grad Hughe uated and wen s is in 200 t on to 2 from atte Nacogd Pine Tre nd Ste oches. phen F. e High She grad Austin School uated State Uni in 200 versity Melani 6 from e Nor in SFA and thcutt real estate Crocke began continu a rib firm, r cel bon ed Sug ebr on pg. ar Mag cuttin ates 12 the ope nol g and recept ia Proper ning of ties, ion. Photo on Oct her by LLS . Photog 24 with raphy.
microneedling treatment
FLIP-the-ISSUE mycharm
online.com
4 CHARM | M A R C H / A P R I L
On the Cover
Fashion
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
Melanie Northcutt Crocker's
24
Lipstick Revisited
A P R I L L B R A N D O N | P I C T U R E T H I S ! | FA S H I O N
COVER STORY
Feature: The Great Grilled Cheese Meldtown of 2018
20
Beauty
Features 10
Fashion: Blue Jeans, Ball Gowns, Denim & Diamonds, Oh My!
11
It was a lonely time. That’s how Nelda Strong remembers the years when Alzheimer’s interrupted life with her husband, Jack Strong. Jack, an attorney, once served in the Texas Senate and on the State Board of Education.
Spot the Charm Due to a technical malfunction, we did not have a charm hidden in the last issue. We apologize for our mishap! We invite you to spot a special Charm logo in this edition. If you locate it, sign on to mycharmonline.com and click the Spot the Charm link on the homepage.
The
List
It may start pouring, but these goodies are far from boring! Here are some great ideas to save for a rainy day.
~Julia
Who needs 8 hours of beauty sleep when you can fake it with anti-aging satin pillow cases? Dedicated to reducing sleep wrinkles and hair frizz, these silky cases redeene bedtime. Excellent for blow outs, retain shape & shine while keeping hair breakage at bay. $64 for set of 2. We’ve turned this rain companion upside down - literally! Push water AWAY as you ip up your umbrella, making it simple to get in & out without getting wet! Available in masterpiece art prints or traditional solids. $33-$39
I tried it, now it’s your turn! Slough off dead winter skin with one of our favorite obsessions from our bath & body department. After shedding calloused, rough skin, Baby Foot made my feet feel as supple and soft as...well, a baby’s! Shop locally and pick up your box at Barron’s. $25
The creation of rain capes started as a simple idea on a rainy day. These reversible wraps transform an ordinary rain jacket into fashionable rainwear. Water repellent, innovative, and practical, each stylish wrap is hooded and comes with a matching travel pouch for added convenience. $65
When it needs to be
special, you’ll find it here!
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LOL&M
Lots of Laughs and Music
Spring Shows
Zach Williams
CHARM / VIEW MARCH/APRIL 2018 PUBLISHER Stephen McHaney EDITOR Ric Brack • 903.237.7759 • rbrack@news-journal.com
April 7, 2018 • 7:00 pm Sponsored by Chick-fil-A and KVNE 89.5
MANAGING EDITOR Jo Lee Ferguson • 903.237.7724 • jferguson@news-journal.com ART DIRECTOR Katie Case • 903.237.7715 • kcase@news-journal.com
Amazing Grace April 12, 2018 • 7:00 pm
PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Cavazos • 903.237.7748 • mcavazos@news-journal.com Les Hassell • 903.237.7764 • lhassell@news-journal.com DESIGNER Sara Bryan ILLUSTRATOR Michelle Laverell
Passing Zone April 14, 2018 • 7:30 pm
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Aprill Brandon • Jo Lee Ferguson • Dorothy Horne • Jim Hardin Clare McCarthy • Amy McHaney • Anntoinette Moore
“Weird Al” Yankovic April 20, 2018 • 8:00 pm
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Darla Walker • 903.237.7727 • dwalker@news-journal.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Thomas Bonner • 361.574.1249 • tbonner@vicad.com Sylvia Darden • 903.237.7721 • sdarden@news-journal.com Chris Dean • 903.237.7719 • cdean@news-journal.com Kerri Esposito • 903.232.7276 • kesposito@news-journal.com Ginger Lovelady • 903.232.7287 • glovelady@news-journal.com Jeff Martin • 903.232.7221 • jmartin@news-journal.com Tracy Stopani • 903.237.7726 • tstopani@news-journal.com CIRCULATION Josh Hart • 903.237.7765 • jhart@news-journal.com
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Public show, April 23, 2018 • 6:30 pm School Shows, April 24, 2018 • 9:30am, 12:30 pm
PRODUCED BY TCM PRINTING Sherri Goodwin • 903.232.7245 • sgoodwin@tcmprinting.com SPECIAL THANK YOU TO Models: Leisha Kidd-Brooks, Libby Bryson, Brent Bryson, & David Shelton Fashion Photo Location: Miss Mary's Place
Season Sponsors: Martin Midstream Partners, KLTV Marquee Sponsors: Joy Global Foundation, Carol and Richard Manley, Transet Co. 6 CHARM | M A R C H / A P R I L
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HEALTH & BEAUTY
Women have colored their lips for thousands of years. Ancient Mesopotamians used dust from jewels and fish scales to doll up their lips. Cleopatra reportedly used crushed beetles and ants to stain her lips red. Cow brain was even once an ingredient in lip color! We have come a long way since the days of crushing our own lip color, and the array of product offerings is overwhelming. I did some research with girlfriends, as well as my BFF Google, to identify lipsticks to sample.
MERLE NORMAN AGE DEFYING LIP COLOR $17, Merle Norman Favorite online review: The color wears for hours and hours. I wore this red and it did not bleed. The biggest problem I have right now is lipstick bleeding. I am 42 and I am dealing with the idiosyncrasies of aging. So this is a nice change. – I am the Makeup Junkie I stopped by Merle Norman and visited with Judy about the Age Defying Lip Color. She said the formula is supposed to diminish the appearance of fine lines – and prevent feathering – so I purchased a tube to try. The lipstick was smooth and slightly glossy, but not lip gloss glossy. This formula wore extremely well on me – even through meals –
LIPSTICK REVISITED Words by AMY MCHANEY
R
without feathering or staining my lips. A winner for sure.
BUXOM BIG & SEXY BOLD GEL LIPSTICK $22, Ulta Favorite online review: It is AMAZING! I own more lipsticks than I can count in my never ending search for the perfect color. This is it! My search has ended. I also love the packaging. There is a magnetic
ecently I found myself without my favorite lipstick. I had not misplaced it. I did not leave home without it. I was out. Completely out. Brushed every-last-bit-from-the-end-of-
the-tube out. And I’m embarrassed to say, as a believer in shopping local, my favorite lipstick is one that must be ordered from the “big city.”
locking mechanism in there, so it doesn't just open in your bag. I love this product. – Natural Glow, New Jersey A beauty consultant at Ulta recommended Buxom Big & Sexy Bold Gel Lipstick for my dry lips, and the online ratings confirmed her
I decided it was ridiculous to be beholden to a single brand,
enthusiasm. As the review above pointed out, the packaging is nifty;
particularly one that I have to actually remember in advance to procure.
I really liked the magnetic closure. The lip color went on smoothly. It
Four kids, too busy to remember such things, etc. My basic requirements
almost felt like a sheer gloss, though it did provide full coverage. The
for a new go-to lippy were a moisturizing lipstick that lasted well and did
effect was fleeting, though, and the color faded significantly within an
not feather or stain my lips.
hour or two as well as feathering into my wrinkles a bit.
8 CHARM | M A R C H / A P R I L
your lips slightly with water, then applying the product. The gentle
REVLON SUPER LUSTROUS LIPSTICK
exfoliation easily removed flakes and left my lips feeling smooth.
$7.99, Drugstores
BURT’S BEES CONDITIONING LIP SCRUB
Favorite online review: I have very dry lips so I couldn’t use a lipstick until I met Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick! I always get lip balms, but I
$8.99, Drugstores
wanted vivid color. This has everything. Color, texture, long-wear, great price!! – Sammy, Los Angeles Revlon’s Super Lustrous Lipstick has been a favorite of many for years, as evidenced by numerous awards from Allure magazine, Ulta and others. The lipstick is currently offered in 90-plus shades and a variety of finishes, so there is truly something for everyone. The lipstick feels creamy and smooth when applied, and the color was true to the
This scrub is derived from exfoliating honey crystals and is sweet to the taste, delicious, actually. It comes in a little pot and is applied with your finger, which is not as convenient as a tube since you’ll need to wash your finger before and after. That said, this scrub did its job of removing flakes as well as leftover lipstick.
tube. I liked the fact that you can actually see the lipstick through the
Does your lipstick feather? Feathering is 2 a problem I’ve had for 018
clear top of the lid – important when choosing a drugstore lipstick that
years, long before I became the wrinkled 40-something I am today!
you can’t try before you buy. I liked the smooth application and the long
Although I like to keep my routine simple with a lipstick that stays put
wear, although it did feather slightly. Overall I thought it was very good.
on its own, I discovered a new trick that I plan to use in the future:
One of my lipstick requirements was that it be moisturizing. My skin is dry from head to toe, including my lips. One friend I spoke with suggested trying a lip exfoliator to help slough away flaky skin. I tried two different exfoliators that I liked equally well.
MERLE NORMAN LIP EXFOLIATOR
Welcome the holiday season clear lip liner! You will not end up looking like 1992 with a strong line and faded lips – as the name indicates, this stuffjoyfully is invisible. Fool proof. And it works! The formula I tried was Sephora Collection Universal Lip with a free Liner ($10, Sephora). C Winter Makeover. UPDATE: I wrote about SkinPen last month and provided the
contact for providers Gina Archer of Platinum Beauty and Mandy Faughn at Cherry Hill Med Spa. I’m happy to report that Gina
$18, Merle Norman
has now joined the staff at Cherry Hill! If you’re interested in ring at (903) 757-2955.
2018
Welcome the holiday season joyfully with a free Winter Makeover.
Merle Norman Cosmetic Studios have been independently owned and operated since 1931.
Get a fresh, spring-ready look with a FREE makeover. Name Mall LocatedStudio in: Longview 3500 Address McCann Rd, Longview, TX 75605 Phone Number 903-753-0041
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mycharmonline.com 9
Spring 2018 Makeover Ad Slick 70-86 S.A.U. system: 2 columns x 7" (4-1/4" x 7")
to the brand’s lipstick. Judy at Merle Norman recommends wetting
SkinPen – or any other med spa procedure – give Cherry Hill a
© 2018 Merle Norman Cosmetics, Inc.
Merle Norman’s Lip Exfoliator comes in a shiny silver tube similar
COVER STORY
10 CHARM | M A R C H / A P R I L
A PASSION for SERVICE Nelda Strong Leads the Fight Against Alzheimer's Words by JO LEE FERGUSON | Photos by MICHAEL CAVAZOS
It was a lonely time. That’s how Nelda Strong remembers the years when Alzheimer’s interrupted life with her husband, Jack Strong. Jack, an attorney, once served in the Texas Senate and on the State Board of Education. He was known as a champion of civil rights and tireless community volunteer. He also loved art, with Nelda inviting a recent visitor to the home she shared with her husband to tour the numerous pieces on display there. continued on pg. 12
mycharmonline.com 11
J
ack was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2005 and died in 2015. Within those years, he resolved to use the time he had left for good, determined that the disease would not
define him.
She did the best she could, searching the Internet for information to help navigate the challenges of Alzheimer’s. “Thankfully, I had raised children, which, as you know, don’t come with directions either, but sometimes you have a mother or
“He said, ‘I’m not going to be a victim. I’m going to be an
an older sister or someone who can help you through that,” Nelda
advocate,’ ” Nelda recalls of the time after his diagnosis. “While
says. “There was just no one to compare notes with or to know
he could, we went to different places and gave talks, and he really
how to handle certain situations, like the sundown effect.”
was an advocate, and we did that together. When he could no
Before his illness, Jack read newspapers cover to cover. He
longer do that, he kind of pushed me into it, and I did get very,
eventually reached a point where he could no longer read them.
very involved with the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Dallas
He was unable to follow and understand television news. She did
and sat on that board for two years.” Still, she and Jack lived in the void that Alzheimer’s creates – a lack of information, a lack of understanding from the world around them, a lack of assistance that isolates the people who have the disease and those who love and care for them. Now, Nelda is continuing the work she and her husband started as advocates, joining with a group whose goal is to provide support in a variety of ways to families affected by Alzheimer’s. She’s a board member for the East Texas Alzheimer’s Alliance, which marked its first anniversary in February. Nelda and Longview Councilwoman Kristen Ishihara, another board member, are leading the nonprofit organization’s first fundraiser – the Longview Wine Festival on April 28. It’s the first event of its kind in Longview.
find that music comforted him, but it wasn’t enough to replace all he had lost. “His life became so narrow and empty, and trying to keep him happy and comfortable and engaged was difficult,” says Nelda, a retired educator. “I used the Internet, and there’s a wealth of information on the Internet, but I have such a passion now for having that information available for other caregivers so they don’t have to look and read and try to find answers and resources.” That was a lonely time, Nelda recalls. “Fortunately, Jack and I had a precious relationship which lasted to the very end, but it was lonely,” she says. The couple were married for 25 years. She has two daughters, and he had four children. Together, they had 13 grandchildren. She recalls she didn’t see her friends, and his friends stopped coming to see him, she suspects because they were uncomfortable.
“It was very lonely,” Nelda recalls about the years when her
“People with the disease try so hard to maintain a sense of
husband started losing his ability to function as he once had.
dignity and life, and so, consequently, Jack would make up these
“Being a caregiver for someone with the disease is somewhat like
elaborate stories. They were just wonderful,” Nelda says, smiling.
trying to work a jigsaw puzzle without a picture. There’s just no
In one story, he helped Elvis Presley. In another, he started the
direction whatsoever.”
Oscars. He also said he mentored U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. continued on pg. 14
Left: Senator Jack Strong watches a presentation about his life during the Unity Honors Luncheon sponsored by the Race Relations Committee and the City of Longview Partners in Prevention, on Thursday February 2, 2012, at the Maude Cobb Convention Center. Right: Nelda Strong, second from right, introduces herself and her husband, Jack, right, to other Memory Links Cafe group members Friday, February 8, 2013 at the Good Shepherd Institute for Healthy Living.
Les Hassell - News-Journal File Photo
12 CHARM | M A R C H / A P R I L
"Being a caregiver for someone with the disease is somewhat like trying to work a jigsaw puzzle without a picture.
THERE’S JUST NO DIRECTION WHATSOEVER."
mycharmonline.com 13
“The funniest part about that was that Jack was a Yellow Dog Democrat,” she says. It was cute, she says, but perhaps difficult for people who aren’t accustomed to being around someone with Alzheimer’s. “They don’t know how to react when they know something is not true. My lady friends, obviously, were a little bit more comfortable than the men were,” she says. “I supposed it’s – maybe it’s because they’re around babies and young people.” In the last two years of Jack’s life, Nelda had a caregiver help her at home every day. They were fortunate they were able to have
Ultimately, the group aspires to have a building where it can offer respite care for families with a loved one with Alzheimer’s. “It would give an opportunity for the caregiver to have some socialization,” she says. The organization’s facility would have a day club every day for people with Alzheimer’s. It’s something she and Jack would have used, had it been available, Nelda says. “They’re comfortable in an environment where they’re well taken care of. They’re doing things that they know how to do.
that kind of assistance, she says. Not everyone has those kinds of
Socialization is important,” she says. People with Alzheimer’s
resources available to them, Nelda acknowledges, and caring for
reach a point at which they can’t read or watch TV – they can’t do
someone with Alzheimer’s is “extremely tiring” and emotionally
anything. “This gets them up and out and about, which is healthy
and physically demanding.
mentally as well as physically.”
“There’s a sense of grief as we watch our loved ones with this
Nelda had been involved with the Alzheimer’s Association
disease become someone we’ve never known before,” she says.
in Dallas because she hoped it would lead to more services in
“There are times I would just get in my car and go to the mall
Longview. Then, that organization, which had organized an
and sit out in the parking lot and just cry, because I couldn’t cry
annual Alzheimer’s walk here, pulled out of the city.
at home.” The Alzheimer’s Alliance is holding the wine festival to raise start-up money. The organization needs a paid staff member, Nelda says, and an office. Some attorneys have donated furniture, which she kept in her garage until she moved it to a storage unit after Christmas. Nelda says the group already has been working to organize
A couple of years after Jack died, people approached her several times trying to get her to lead efforts to increase Alzheimer’s services in Longview. At 77, she didn’t think she could take the project on by herself. Then, separately, a group of people organized the new alliance. It wasn’t long before she was invited to join the board.
support groups and it has hosted caregiver conferences. The
“I just really have a passion for service, and the need is
group also has secured grants to provide respite care at local
absolutely so prevalent in Longview,” Nelda says. “After having
assisted living facilities with memory care units
the experience of being a caregiver, I feel that I can help.” C
Board members of
THE EAST TEXAS ALZHEIMER’S ALLIANCE: • • • • • • • • • • • •
Lacy Barron Christy Black Cammie Camp Julia Fritz Dr. Stacey Holder Kristen Ishihara Julie Rucker Dr. James Sawyer Nelda Strong Lori Tooker Wes Wells Cameron Williams
14 CHARM | M A R C H / A P R I L
asa CF lora FLOWER SHOP
Monday - Friday: 8:30am - 5pm Saturday: 8am - Noon 314 Magnolia Lane, Longview
www.casafloraflowers.com 903.753.4492
Experienced laser professionals *SKIN TIGHTENING *DARK SPOTS *FINE LINES *WRINKLES *SCARS
Med Spa www.CherryHillMedSpa.co mycharmonline.com 15
Shop this! Things that Sparkle
Hearts on Fire Lorelei Ribbon Necklace $39,000 JIM BARTLETT FINE JEWELRY
Pink River Quartz Bracelet $26 MERLE NORMAN
Miasol Coin Your Style Bracelet $28 Miasol Coin Your Style Insert $9.99 MERLE NORMAN
Cubic Zirconia Ring $28 MERLE NORMAN
Aurora Borealis Pink Necklace $18 MERLE NORMAN
16 CHARM | M A R C H / A P R I L
Aurora Borealis Pink Earrings $18 MERLE NORMAN
Veined Turquoise Earrings $52 MERLE NORMAN Veined Turquoise Necklace $52 MERLE NORMAN
Hearts on Fire Beloved Bracelet $29,000 JIM BARTLETT FINE JEWELRY
Sorrelli Swarovski crystal and semi-precious stone earrings $175 BARRON’S
Hearts on Fire Copley Bangle Bracelet $6,750 JIM BARTLETT FINE JEWELRY
Hearts on Fire Acclaim Ring $24,900 JIM BARTLETT FINE JEWELRY
Irradiated Canary Diamond Ring $15,000 JIM BARTLETT FINE JEWELRY Sorrelli Swarovski crystal and semi-precious stone necklace $480 BARRON’S
Sorrelli Swarovski crystal and semi-precious stone ring $60 BARRON’S
Sorrelli Swarovski crystal and semi-precious stone bracelet $335 BARRON’S
mycharmonline.com 17
F EATURE
WOMEN in business: BETTY DEWEESE Telco Plus Credit Union
Words by JIM HARDIN | Photo by MICHAEL CAVAZOS
B
etty DeWeese laughs when she recalls her first credit union job,
“She raised me in the credit union world,” DeWeese said of Hollis.
“I love accounting, so I had plenty of numbers over the years,” she said. “That is why
working in a two-person office that
A series of “35 or 1983” promotions are
was so small one person couldn’t type while the
planned at Telco Plus Credit Union this year
DeWeese had advice for professional women.
other talked on the telephone.
to celebrate DeWeese’s upcoming retirement.
“Don’t dwell on regrets,” she said. “You
The campaign is named to focus on DeWeese’s
can’t do anything about those, just do the best
career that started 35 years ago, in 1983.
you can to improve tomorrow.”
“Actually, it was a blessing to work in a small, two-person office because I had to do everything,” she said of her experience at East
During the credit union’s annual meeting
Industrial Credit Union that later merged with
on Feb. 19, participating members were
East Texas Telco Credit Union.
encouraged to dress in 1980s attire for a chance
DeWeese will retire in August as president
to win cash prizes. The first-place prize was $83.
and chief executive officer of what’s now Telco
The credit union’s board of directors is
Plus Credit Union, which has a main branch at
conducting a search to find DeWeese’s successor.
423 Gilmer Road in Longview, a Tyler branch
DeWeese, a lifelong Longview resident and
at 7395 S. Broadway, 28 employees and about
graduate of Pine Tree High School, said she
8,000 members.
never imagined during the early days that one
She believes the experience she got working at the small credit union – “posting sponsor company payrolls, doing the loans, doing withdrawals and deposits” – is a reason she advanced through the ranks at the financial institution.
day she would retire from the credit union as the top executive officer. “I was just helping to keep food on the table for my (four) kids,” DeWeese said. She developed a love for her job because of people and numbers.
She was promoted to vice president in 1994,
“It’s all about people helping people,”
executive vice president in 2006 and president
she said of the credit union philosophy. “I
and chief executive officer in February 2010.
enjoy helping people. I enjoy helping people
The other employee in that office was Diane Hollis. When DeWeese was promoted in 2010, she followed Hollis as president and CEO. 18 CHARM | M A R C H / A P R I L
understand finances, saving.” And she didn’t become bored because of her love of working with numbers.
the financial part of it is my favorite part.”
And don’t sit still, she said. “You cannot say, ‘OK, I’ve finished my education. I know it all. I’m not going back to school,’” DeWeese said. “If you sit still, you’re always going to be losing ground because the world’s moving forward.” DeWeese wants to leave the message that financial help is available. “There’s always help out there,” she said. “We offer credit classes. We offer reality fairs at the schools. There’s always help. Just ask.” Between the two, she and husband Jimmy have seven children, 14 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. DeWeese said they are the main reason she and her husband built a new home for retirement. “Most couples at our age downsize,” she said. “We didn’t because we have so many kids and grandkids. We always have a blast when we all get together.” C
Your first baby steps begin here.
Ready. Set. Baby! Thursday, April 19 5:30pm - 7:30pm
CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Institute for Healthy Living 3133 Good Shepherd Way • Longview
At CHRISTUS Good Shepherd, we understand the indescribable joy and wonder of having a baby – and we also know this life-changing event can leave you with many questions. To help you get ready and set for baby, we’re here to support you during pregnancy, childbirth and beyond.
• Meet our Mother/Baby team • Q&A with OB/GYNs and pediatricians • Connect with other new and soon-to-be parents • Door prizes, local vendors, goodies and more!
christusgoodshepherd.org
mycharmonline.com 19
FASHION
BLUE JEANS, BALL GOWNS,
DENIM AND DIAMONDS
Oh My! Photos by MICHAEL CAVAZOS
April brings the arrival of two fundraisers that invite attendees to mix their Texas with some bling and help out a couple of good causes: Denim and Diamonds by Junior Achievement of East Texas and Blue Jeans & Ball Gowns by East Texas CASA. Our Charm models found the perfect outfits for the evening at Cavender’s Boot City in Longview, with the event center Miss Mary’s Place offering a beautiful backdrop for this Charm fashion feature.
Libby Bryson, chairwoman of Junior Achievement’s Denim and Diamonds fundraiser Pink, mid-sleeve, criss-cross top by Umgee, $26 Necklace by Wired Heart, $18 Skirt with stitching by Umgee, $38
if
you go DENIM AND DIAMONDS
Models: Event chairwoman Libby Bryson and her husband, Brent. When: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. April 7 Where: Susie and AP Merrit’s ranch in Kilgore What: Games, silent and live auctions, steak and chicken cook-off, Darrin Morris Band Cost: $100, includes a change to win a Hearts on Fire “Beloved” pendant, valued at $5,500, donated by Jim Bartlett Fine Jewelry Information: (903) 297.2202, www.jaeasttexas.org
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Brent Bryson, representing Junior Achievement’s Denim and Diamonds fundraiser Blue striped shirt by Ariat, $54.95 Jeans by Wrangler Retro, $53.99 Belt by Hooey, $66 Hat with 4-inch brim and low crown by Cavender’s, $64.99
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David Shelton, dancing in East Texas Casa’s Blue Jeans & Ball Gowns fundraiser Ariat royal blue shirt (one of many colors), $49.95
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Leisha Kidd-Brooks, dancing in East Texas Casa’s Blue Jeans & Ball Gowns Turquose Dress with white embroidery by Rock & Roll Cowgirl, $49 Earrings and necklace by Blazin Roxx, $19.50 Corral Boots with bone floral stitch, $209.99
if
you go BLUE JEANS & BALL GOWNS
Models: David Shelton and Leisha Kidd-Brooks, dancers in the competition When: Doors open at 6 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m., dance contest starts at 7 p.m., April 14 Where: Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center What: Local celebrities participate in “Dancing with the Stars” type competition Cost: $75 Information: www.bluejeansballgowns.com
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F EATURE
the great
GRILLED CHEESE MELTDOWN Words by APRILL BRANDON | Illustrations by MICHELLE LAVERELL
M
of 2018
aybe it was because my husband has been swamped
grilled cheese sandwich stuck to the pan. Which destroyed the flip.
with work lately. Or maybe it was because we couldn’t
Which destroyed the sandwich. Because while “technically” it was
find a babysitter so we could get out of the house
still edible, I was making it for the world’s most discerning and acid-
for a few glorious kid-free hours and have a hot date night at a mattress store, where we both immediately jump into a display bed and take a nap. Or, who knows? Maybe because it was Tuesday...I think it was Tuesday...but really it doesn’t matter if it WAS Tuesday
tongued food critic in the entire world… A preschooler. A preschooler, mind you, who considers potatoes too exotic and spicy.
because the demands of motherhood never, ever stop, making the
(And that is a direct quote.)
very concept of time irrelevant. And the concept of death, for that
The whole reason we were HAVING grilled cheese for dinner in
matter, since I can guarantee the kids will only visit my tombstone
the first place was because it was supposed to be easy. I was tired.
to ask me to refill their sippy cups and, oh hey, can I help them find
I didn’t want to fight about how my meatloaf smells weird and the
their Batman toy?
lasagna looks like dog food.
But regardless of the reason, I had a meltdown over a grilled cheese sandwich. A flip out over the flipping of a sandwich. An existential crisis over an extraordinarily mundane dinner.
(Also direct quotes.) And then the kids started fighting in the living room and the dog started barking at the kids because he thinks the solution to every
It was all the pan’s fault. That stupid non-stick sticky pan.
kid-related problem is to just be louder than them (which is also
I should have gotten rid of it ages ago. But who wants to go pan
pretty much my parenting method) and it just seemed like too much
shopping? I get 45 seconds of free time every day. Like I’m going
effort to butter some more bread and throw cheese on it and so…
to use it to do something necessary and grown-up and boring. Pffft.
I lost it.
So, since I am selfish and immature and use my free time to do
I dramatically threw the whole mess- ruined sandwich, stupid
outlandish things like pee and write curse words on Facebook, the
sticky pan, any semblance of remaining dignity- into the sink and
24 CHARM | M A R C H / A P R I L
I WAS TIRED. I DIDN’T WANT TO FIGHT ABOUT HOW MY MEATLOAF SMELLS WEIRD AND THE LASAGNA LOOKS LIKE DOG FOOD. dropped to my knees right there in the kitchen, letting out a primal
ask, I am keeping the broken ones because of the delusional idea
scream. And then I cried a little. Not really a real cry but one of
that I will someday “fix” them. With duct tape. As soon as I buy
those “I wish someone could see me so they could feel sorry for me”
some duct tape.
cries. But still, it did include real tears so if you HAD seen me, you probably would have felt at least a little sorry for me. It was then, as I sat there on my disgusting kitchen floor and
I need to get rid of all this stuff. Replace it with actual functional stuff. Gain control. Any control. But then the tiny twin tornadoes hit again.
looked around, I realized with the clarity that comes after the release
And again.
of intense emotions that the pan is just one of a thousand items in
And again.
my house that have completely lost their usefulness and are merely
And suddenly it’s two weeks from now and I find myself ruining
skating along the thin ice of their former reputation. Because my whole life is out of control. Because children are tornadoes of pure love and pure chaos and pure time suckage. Exhibit A: The case of Stella Artois beer bottles sitting in an
another grilled cheese sandwich IN THAT SAME PAN. But Aprill, you might be thinking, the solution to your problem is so simple. You’re making a mountain out of a sticky molehill. Just suck it up, put on your grown lady panties, and buy a new pan.
obscure corner of our kitchen that has been there so long I’m
And you’re right.
pretty sure it’s essential to the structural integrity of our house by
Completely right.
now. The beer that was bought because hey, let’s try something
And I will.
new. And the beer that was abandoned because, hey, it tastes like
I totally will.
alcoholic boogers.
Eventually.
Exhibit B: The Tupperware full of used batteries that I can’t
Maybe after the Big Omelet Breakdown of 2019.
get rid of because I want to properly and responsibly dispose of
Or the Pancake Freakout of 2021.
them but I don’t know how to properly and responsibly dispose of
Or the Even Greater Grilled Cheese Meltdown of 2035.
them and also don’t want to bother looking up how to properly and
To be honest, I’m probably going to be buried with that stupid
responsibly dispose of them.
pan and that ancient case of Stella beer.
Exhibit C: The ever growing pile of Swiffer sweepers in yet
But hey, at least my ghostly essence will have something to refill
another corner, only one of which isn’t broken, which also is
my kids’ sippy cups with when they come visit the cemetery. I’ll
coincidentally the one I can never find. And yes, before you even
even throw some used batteries at them for their Batman toy. C
322 W Tyler St. 903.212.9098 Longview, TX floor-medic.com mycharmonline.com 25
REA DENTAL
Karen Frazer Rea, DDS General, Family, Cosmetic, and Implant Dentistry
F. Dee Rea, DDS, MSD Practice limited to Periodontics
We Make Smiles!
903-753-3531
907 Walnut Hill Dr. | Longview, Texas 75605 | www.ReaDental.com
? ?
VIEW
26 CHARM | M A R C H / A P R I L
(903) 663-1515 303 W. Loop 281 Ste. 105 Longview, Texas 75605
Henry & Moore Jewelry
Cover Reveal Party Thursday, April 19th, 2018 5-7PM Get a Sneak Peek at the Cover of the Next Charm/View Magazine Enjoy a Variety of Wine Tastings by Heritage Wine & Spirits and Luscious Food And Refreshments by the Cace Kitchen
HERITAGE WINE & SPIRITS 2000 N. Eastmand Rd., Longview
Sponsors HERITAGE
WINE & SP IRIT S
PICTURE
This!
CHARM/VIEW
COVER REVEAL PARTY
KEVIN HAWKINS
LONGVIEW | BARRON’S | 12/14/2017 Photos by LES HASSELL
Barron’s graciously hosted the Charm/View Cover Reveal Party in December. Heritage Wine & Spirits, at 2000 N. Eastman Road
MELANIE NORTHCUTT
in Longview, will host the May/June cover reveal party on April 19, complete with wine and spirits tasting, The Cace Kitchen will cater the event.
JOHN SMITHSON, M.D., JAYNE SMITHSON
KIRSTEN PHILLIPS, BONNIE BEADLES
JOANNA BURROWS, DEBBIE SADLER, JANE LEWIS
TENA & JERRY NELSON
mycharmonline.com 27
P ICTURE THIS
STARS OVER
LONGVIEW LONGVIEW | MAUDE COBB CONVENTION AND ACTIVITY CENTER | 1/11/2018
MARTHA HUNT, VIRGINIA DORTCH
Photos by MICHAEL CAVAZOS
On Jan. 11, Longview Regional Medical Center recognized 12 women as Stars Over Longview. The annual event honors women who work to make a difference in Longview. Hundreds of people attended the event honoring Shalonda Adams, Lori Ball, Crista Black, Sharon Bradley, Mary Collier, Carmela Davis, Gerrie Forbis, Carol Manley, Dawn Martin, Pamela Mercer-McWilliams, Mary Morris and Julie Woods. The luncheon at Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center featured retired Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee as guest speaker. DANA CARTER, JENNIFER JACKSON
LAUREN LAND, WHITNEY SCHUBARTH, LINDSAY SIMMS
BELINDA BENNETT, LAURIE TIBILETTI
KAYLEN TATE, SHELICA WASHINGTON, JEANETTE CENTERS, LARASLUM WILLIAMS, VICTORIA CHADWICK, CHLOE JEDLICK
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P ICTURE THIS
GO RED
FOR WOMEN LONGVIEW | SUMMIT CLUB | 2/2/2018 Photos by MICHAEL CAVAZOS
Red was the color of the day on Feb. 2, when more than 400 people turned
JOY STONE, BRITTANY FULLER
out for the annual Go Red For Women luncheon supporting the American Heart Association. The event, held at The Summit Club, raised more than $86,000 for the organization.
LINDSAY FOSTER, APRIL ALLEN KIM BRITTON, STEPHANIE SILVERMAN
YANIKA VALENTINE, WENDY WRITT, HOLLY GREER
RUBY AFROZ, FAHMI FARAH
VIRGINIA HARDAWAY-GEORGE AND KAYLA TOLAR
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