7 Over 70 by SouthwestIowaNews.com

Sunday, April 18, 2010 1F

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2F Sunday, April 18, 2010

Celebrating Celebrating

Sponsored by

over seventy 2010 Honoree

Joanne Carrithers

TIM ROHWER Staff Writer

timothy.rohwer@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5752

People who telephone the Deloitte C.P.A. firm in Omaha receive a pleasant and youthful greeting. It’s Joanne Carrithers, who loves what she does. Never mind that she’s 78 and could retire anytime if she wanted to. “I enjoy it and they treat me so wonderfully,” Carrithers said. “I’ve been here 14 years. I’m still working full time. I don’t know when to quit.” The Council Bluffs resident is the receptionist and administrative assistant for the firm located on the 31st floor of downtown Omaha’s First National Tower. “You can go from the lobby to the 31st floor in 12 seconds,” Carrithers said of the elevators. Deloitte is a major international accounting and consulting firm, with Omaha serving as a regional headquarters for its offices in Des Moines, Davenport, Cedar Rapids and Lincoln, Neb. Among her duties there, besides greeting callers, Carrithers schedules conference room meetings and arranges the shipment of important tax documents to clients. “Today, I have already sent out seven big boxes of tax reports,” she said

recently when it was just 9:30 a.m. Retirement is something Carrithers experienced before, though it wouldn’t last long. “My husband (Tom) was an architect, and I worked with him for 38 years.” Both retired when a local bank purchased their home/business office for its own expansion and the Carrithers moved to a residence on DeLong Avenue. “I couldn’t make up my mind what I wanted to do,” she said. “I’ve always been so active.” Interestingly, it wasn’t so much her efforts in finding continued employment, but different companies seeking out her work ethic and experience. “I started to get calls from different companies,” Carrithers said and she performed temporary jobs before receiving a call from Deloitte. “I came over for an interview and they hired me. That was 14 years ago this April.” Carrithers’ life, however, has long been more than just an 8 to 5 daily routine as her civic involvement is extensive. She was a member of the Council Bluffs School Board for an impressive 13 years, beginning in 1980. Then, in 1996, she was appointed to serve out the term of another board member who moved to the East Coast. A major accomplishment for the board during her years there, Carrithers remembers, was allowing transfer students to graduate with-

‘I am convinced (work) keeps the brain active.’

out having to take additional credit hours. She’s still active today, currently serving on the city’s Building Division Board of Appeals and as a member of the Abraham Lincoln High School Hall of Fame committee, which chooses nominated entries to join that select group. And, there’s more. “I am currently the chairperson for the Iowa West Foundation Education Committee.” This group reviews and approves funding applications for educational-related projects, she said. Carrithers always watches the Council Bluffs City Council meetings on television to stay informed on issues around town. Carrithers said as long as she’s healthy and her company appreciates her work, she’ll continue to enjoy her life the way it is right now. “I am convinced it keeps the brain active.” Retirement? “I wouldn’t know it.”

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We applaud

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and to all who serve others no matter what their age might be.... especially this year’s “7 over Seventy” honorees. We believe people never stop making a difference and we salute the efforts of these seven special seniors. All have served the greater community in unique and noble ways. Thank you to each of the seven and also to the legions of others who serve in large and small ways every day...even in the shadows of anonymity.

Because we believe that people never stop making a difference!

MINISTRY VALUE

As Christians, our actions and conduct will reflect biblical standards for morality, ethics, and ministry leadership.

Sunday, April 18, 2010 3F

Celebrating Celebrating

Sponsored by

over seventy 2010 Honoree

Junior Green

MIKE BROWNLEE Staff Writer

mike.brownlee@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5732

Since 1999, Junior Green has been making sure Hoover Elementary students cross North Broadway safely. The 76-year-old said the kids keep him young. “They love to see me, and I love to see them,” Green said. “It’s just great being up there to get them across the street.” Hoover principal Joy Stein calls Green an ambassador for the school. “He provides a welcoming smile and wave to not only those who come to our school but also those who pass by on North Broadway,” Stein said. “He’s helped make children and families safe at Hoover for the last 10 years.” Green grew up in Blockton on the southern edge of the state in Taylor County. He attended now-defunct Athelstan High School. He began working his way north in 1964, when he took a job as a coal handler, charged with the task of keeping the building warm, at the Glenwood State-Hospital School, now the Glenwood Resource Center. From there Green moved to Omaha in 1968 to work at the Wilson meat-

packing plant. He moved to Council Bluffs in 1969 and met his wife, Marvel, a year later. The Greens will celebrate their 40th anniversary in August. The couple have two sons and a daughter, Bud, 54, Michael, 45 and Juanita, 44. They have one grandchild. “We’ve had great years together,” Green said of his marriage. “We have wonderful children, a wonderful grandson. Everything’s going great.” Green spent the majority of his working days at the Stockyards, working there from 1975 until the doors closed at the Omaha institution in 1993. When he’s not helping the kids across the street, Green can be found mowing lawns. Green has seven accounts around Council Bluffs and Omaha. He said it allows him to be outside. Marvel grew up in Council Bluffs and spent 35 years with Pendleton Woolen Mills in Omaha before semiretiring to work in food preparation for the Underwood school district. She said both she and her husband enjoy working around the kids. “I love interacting with the kids,” Marvel said. “And Junior, he loves those kids. They make his day.”

‘It’s great being up there to get them across the street.’

When Junior’s not at school or on the mower, he said he likes to relax at home and watch television. He enjoys watching older Westerns on cable channels like AMC and TCM. “And Jerry Springer, too,” Junior said. Hoover is relocating for a year to the old St. Albert elementary school building on Ninth Ave next school year because of renovations, and Green is making the move with them. When Hoover hosted an open house to get parents and students acquainted with the Ninth Avenue building, Green was a welcome sight to many. “One of the parents said, ‘When we pulled up to Ninth Ave and we saw Junior at the cross walk, we knew it would feel like our home,’” Stein said. No matter what building they’re in, Stein said, Green always starts and ends the school day on a great note. “We are so pleased to have Junior as part of our team,” she said.

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Because we believe that people never stop making a difference!

MINISTRY VALUE

The needs of those we serve will be our first priority and we will strive to promote independence and dignity for all.

4F Sunday, April 18, 2010

Celebrating Celebrating

Sponsored by

over seventy 2010 Honoree

Carl Heinrich

DENNIS FRIEND Staff Writer

dennis.friend@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5746

Carl Heinrich claims to be selfish. The 77-yearold former president of Iowa Western Community College said he has an ulterior motive for his involvement in a variety of volunteer organizations since he retired from IWCC 15 years ago. “Volunteering helps the volunteer. When I was at the college, people made the effort to help IWCC. When I retired, I decided to give back. It’s a selfish thing, too. It keeps me active and up to date,” he said. Iowa Western has had only three presidents since its founding in 1966. Robert D. Looft, the first president, retired in 1987. That’s when Heinrich, then president of Butler County Community College in El Dorado, Kansas, took over the leadership spot. He was there from 1987 to 1994. Dan Kinney became the third and current president when Heinrich retired. To hear Heinrich tell it, everyone else gets credit for the way IWCC has flourished. He has praised Looft for “his vision and for putting this college together,” and Kinney for “his leadership on shaping

the college for what it is now.” Community support also plays a major role in the Iowa Western success story, Heinrich said, because the community has “continually responded to the needs of the college.” His approach to life includes the use of humor when possible. He noted his involvement on boards for American Red Cross, Heartland Family Services and the Union Pacific Railroad Museum, and his fundraising efforts for the Center, he claimed, “My wife thinks I sit around too much” and joked that his involvement with the Center has yet to include the use of their physical fitness center. He also pointed out he has been married to Shirley Heinrich for 56 years and stated for her benefit, “Isn’t my wife lucky?” She just laughed and said, “I’m just glad at my age to have a husband,” then added, “He’s devoted, trustworthy and concerned about the world. And we both think that one person can make a difference.” Both he and his wife were born in Kansas, he in Emporia and she in Moran. “Her dad was a state trooper, and we met in Great Bend. We have four sons, four daughtersin-law and 10 grandchildren,” he said.

‘I always told my sons, ‘Do whatever you want, but do it well.’

None of his children went into education, he said, but “I always told my sons, ‘Do whatever you want but do it well.’” While the Heinrich offspring have moved away – to New Mexico, Kansas and Missouri – Heinrich said he sees no reason to leave Council Bluffs. When he retired, he said, “People asked me, ‘When are you leaving?’ I would say, ‘Am I supposed to? Do you want me out of here?’ We really like this area. We decided to stay here. We like the community and it’s close to Omaha and the Holland Center. Council Bluffs is an ideal location.” They have attended Broadway United Methodist Church “since we came here,” Shirley Heinrich said, and they liked the community enough to move his mother, Leota Heinrich, to Council Bluffs about three years ago. “She’s 101, lives nearby and is in good health,” Shirley Heinrich said.

Because we believe that people never stop making a difference!

Congrat ulat ions! Dr. Carl Heinrich,

for being honored as one of the “7 Over Seventy”

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Congratulations

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For information or to join us in this ministry, call:

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We applaud

Carl Heinrich

for being a “7 over 70” recipient

Because we believe that people never stop making a difference!

MINISTRY VALUE

We value our employees and recognize they are our most important resource.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Celebrating Celebrating

Sponsored by

over seventy 2010 Honoree

Ken Hummel

CHAD NATION Staff Writer

cnation@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5738

Thirteen years after retiring from the real estate game, Ken Hummel can still be found nearly everyday in his cubicle at Heartland Properties. His cell phone ringing and the concrete guy waiting for a check, Hummel at 85 years old doesn’t miss a beat. “What do you do if you retire?” he asks. “You die, that’s why I keep coming in.” While he doesn’t sell property anymore, he still manages his more than 40 rental properties, which is a lot of work. Hummel still finds time to volunteer, but admits he has slowed down a little over the last few years. “I take care of the rentals and volunteer or help out when I can,” he said. “It gives you something to do.” He is also willing to answer any questions for another agent in the office. His son-in-law Tom Flood recently started selling real estate through Heartland, and Hummel has helped Flood learn the ins and outs of Pottawattamie County. And there isn’t an inch of Pottawattamie County that Hummel doesn’t know. Raised on a farm southeast of Oakland, Hummel has spent most of his life in Pottawattamie County. Whether it was driving an egg route with his brother or the 10 years he spent as a Council Bluffs Police officer before getting into real estate, Hummel has never veered too far from his native home. Notwithstanding, after graduating from Oakland High School, Hummel spent nearly

three years in the U.S. Army as a tank driver during World War II. As part of the 8th Armored Division Thundering Herd, B Company of the 36th Tank Battalion, Hummel drove a tank across Europe and fought in a wide range of battles, including the Battle of the Bulge. “I was a farm kid. In May (1942) I got of high school and in March (1943), I was drafted,” he said. “They asked me, ‘What do you do?’ And I said I drove tractors on the farm. I think that’s how I ended up in driving tanks.” After two or three weeks of tank driving training at Camp Polk in Louisiana – a military base that the plain-spoken Hummel described as “a hellhole” – Hummel found himself training others to drive the equipment. “Some of the men from New York or back east had never even driven a car, let alone a damn tank,” he said. “We ran into a lot of trees and everything that came along.” After returning from the service, Hummel married his wife, Peg, in 1947. Together, they have three children and a handful of grandchildren and great grandchildren. Helping children has always been a core belief for Hummel. He has been a member of the Optimist Club for 30 years and helped thousands of children over that time. Hummel said being elected as Governor of the Iowa Optimists in 2000-01 ranks as one his highest professional achievements. “I was able to work with kids, work with other groups and clubs and it all kind of blended together,” he said. “We tried to keep kids out of trouble and get them interested in something.” Hummel has also given back to his community through

‘I say stay active. You could be out volunteering or working with kids.’

volunteering on dozens of boards over the years. He spent five years as a justice of the peace, 20 years as a Lewis Township trustee, 28 years on the Pottawattamie County Planning and Zoning Commission and was chairman of the Southwest Iowa Crimestoppers. He still gets together with his law enforcement friends once a month for the “Fuzz That Was” breakfast and sees his tank commander every year. Staying active and plugged into what is going on around him keeps him moving. “So many people can’t wait to retire. When they hit 65, they get out, go home and sit on their asses,” Hummel said. “I say stay active. You could be out volunteering or working with kids. “Instead of griping and groaning about what is happening, maybe you could help fix it.” And speak your mind. “Say what you think. That is the only way to be in this world,” he said. After more than 45 years in the real estate business, Hummel realizes that he has it pretty good, and maybe that’s why he strives to help so many others. “I’ve done pretty good with what I’ve got,” Hummel said with a rye smile. “The good Lord has been good to me.”

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Congratulations

Ken Hummel

We applaud

Ken Hummel

for being a “7 over 70” recipient

Because we believe that people never stop making a difference!

MINISTRY VALUE

We will be careful stewards of our resources.

6F Sunday, April 18, 2010

Celebrating Celebrating

Sponsored by

over seventy 2010 Honoree

LeRoy Lovely

MIKE BROWNLEE Staff Writer

mike.brownlee@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5732

When LeRoy Lovely arrived in the Midwest during the winter of 1951 he thought it was the coldest countryside in the world. The Chandler, Oklahoma, native had just been stationed at Offutt Air Force Base after a basic training stint at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. The change in weather between the Oklahoma plains and Iowa and Nebraska corn country was a shock. “It gets cold in Oklahoma,” Lovely said, “but not as cold as it gets up here.” Lovely, 80, spent most of his four years in the Air Force at Offutt. He taught unarmed defense and was one of four-star general Curtis LeMay’s bodyguards from 1952-1955. LeMay is famous for orchestrating the firebombing of Japan during World War II, assisting in the leadership of the Berlin airlift and reorganizing Strategic Air Command into a powerful resource during the Cold War. “That’s when things were pretty scary around the country,” Lovely said of the ever-present fear of nuclear war with the Soviet Union. Lovely said he and LeMay never exactly became pals. “A tough, cigar-smoking guy,” Lovely

said of LeMay. “He didn’t go out of his way to be friendly. He was all business.” When asked if he ever called LeMay by his nickname, “Old Iron Pants,” Lovely laughed. “I might have,” Lovely said. “Not where he could hear me. He was tough.” After his service time ended in 1955 Lovely settled in Council Bluffs with his first wife and started looking for a job. He answered an ad for a manager-trainee position at Max I. Walker, the local dry cleaning giant, and was hired. Lovely eventually climbed the ladder to a vice president position within the company. These days Lovely still works for Walker, part-time, teaching safety classes to new employees. Lovely married his second wife, Dolly, in 1966 and the couple celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary in January. He has two sons, Jeff, adopted during his first marriage, and Rodney, whom he had with Dolly. Both sons are in the dry-cleaning business as well. Dolly stays busy working once a week as a tour guide at the Dodge House, a post she’s had for over 20 years. “That’s her first love,” Lovely said with a laugh. Since 1976 Lovely has been a member of the Council Bluffs chapter of the Cosmopolitan International Club, a non-profit organization that

‘My wife and I like to go dancing. That’s my favorite thing to do.’

works to fight diabetes. He has served as president of the chapter in the past and is currently the secretary. “My wife worked for a dentist who kept telling me how much fun he had as a Cosmo. So I got involved,” Lovely said. “First job I had was making pancakes at the American Legion hall in Council Bluffs. It was about 100 degrees in the kitchen.” Lovely found out in 1999 that he had type-2 diabetes, giving even more meaning to his membership in the organization. When they’re not working or holding fundraisers with the Cosmos, the Lovelys don’t sit around at home. “I keep my garden. I still bowl,” Lovely said. “Dolly is in a few playing card clubs.” The couple also loves dancing. They like country music, so they go where the music is. Lovely said they attend dances at American Legion posts, as well as the Council Bluffs Senior Center. “My wife and I like to go dancing,” Lovely said. “That’s my favorite thing to do.”

Because we believe that people never stop making a difference!

would like to congratulate Leroy Lovely on his inclusion in “7 Over 70.” Thank you for your loyalty and years of service as a member of the Max I. Walker family! Visit www.maxiwalker.com to sign up for our eNewsletter & receive valuable coupons every month. Our fourth Council Bluffs location will open at 928 Valley View Drive in May. 712-256-3911 1201 E. Pierce Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-323-4033

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Congratulations

LeRoy Lovely

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www.alz.org/midlands Omaha: 402.502.4300 Council Bluffs: 712.322.8840 Here to help and offer hope. All day. Every day. We applaud

LeRoy Lovely for being a

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recipient

Because we believe that people never stop making a difference!

MINISTRY VALUE

We will involve our sponsors and supporters in our ministry.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Celebrating Celebrating

Sponsored by

over seventy 2010 Honoree

Ken Petersen

TIM ROHWER Staff Writer

timothy.rohwer@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5752

Council Bluffs volunteer Ken Petersen recently recalled his World War II military service in what were then considered Third World countries. It made a lifelong impression. “Every American should have the opportunity to view a Third World country and come back to the U.S.A. and kiss the ground to be thankful. I figure I owe the community and want to give something back. I want to pay my dues. That’s why I love volunteering.” And, Petersen has been doing this a long time. For example, this is his 29th year as a board member of Area Education Agency, AEA, 13. “I hadn’t planned on being on that long. I guess time slips by.” Petersen enjoys doing his part to help his native community, which has seen many positive changes over the years, mentioning the Lakin Human Services campus, the Union Pacific Railroad Museum, the new Bayliss Park, the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge and construction of a modern interstate highway. “There are a lot of volunteer opportunities in Council Bluffs.” Education has always been impor-

tant to him. At the urging of his late wife, Petersen ran for a seat on the Council Bluffs School Board way back in 1976. “I won by 32 votes. It was a very close election.” He would continue to serve on that board, off and on, for 20 years, which included the passage of a bond issue to build a new Kirn Junior High School. “It was the first bond issue passed in Council Bluffs in a long time,” Petersen said. He remains involved with these officials by being a member of the board’s policy committee that approves the school district rules and regulations. Health, particularly the fight against cancer, has also been a passion in his volunteer activities. There’s a personal reason. Petersen lost his wife to lung cancer 20 years ago. Over those two decades, Petersen has volunteered time at both Jennie Edmundson and Alegent Health Mercy hospitals, and is currently the board vice president of the Wings of Hope Cancer Support Center. He’s also involved in the Pottawattamie County Tobacco Coalition, plus the Iowa Hospital Association auxiliary group. There’s more. He’s the current chair of the committee in charge of arranging movies and music in Bayliss

‘I’m just getting warmed up. I’m going to keep going until I run out of gas.’

Park for the Bluffs Arts Council. This is also Petersen’s second year on the Iowa Department of Aging board. “I was appointed by Gov. Culver,” Petersen said from Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal’s nomination. He’s also a member of the Iowa Western Community College Volunteer Board. With the exception of his World War II military service and a year in Chicago, Petersen has lived and worked in this area his entire life. A 1941 graduate of Abraham Lincoln High School, he would later receive an engineering degree from the then University of Omaha. “I’ve always been proud to be a graduate of that school,” Petersen said. He was employed for 26 years at Enron when it was headquartered in Omaha. One might think that at age 86, Petersen might consider slowing down. No way. “I’m just getting warmed up. I’m going to keep going until I run out of gas.”

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MISSION STATEMENT

Christian Homes exists to honor God by providing a continuum of excellent care and support services, primarily for older adults.

8F Sunday, April 18, 2010

Celebrating Celebrating

Sponsored by

over seventy 2010 Honoree

Frances Young

TIM JOHNSON Staff Writer

tjohnson@nonpareilonline.com (712) 325-5750

Frances Young of Council Bluffs never seems to get old. Young, 93, has volunteered more than 14,500 hours at Jennie Edmundson Hospital during her 29 years of service there. “That just made a wonderful second career for me,” she said. Young has volunteered in the emergency room, surgery and outpatient waiting rooms, information lobby desks, book and hospitality carts and in the gift shop. She also volunteered at Jennie’s House childcare and as a Jennie Lunchtime Pal with local elementary school children as a mentor and homework helper. Now, she volunteers primarily in the gift shop, said Tara Slevin, director of volunteer services and foundation. “She’s worked in so many areas,” Slevin said. “She’s been Volunteer of the Year, past president. She gives from the heart. She’s very compassionate.” She especially enjoys working in

the gift shop and at the desk in the west lobby, she said. Young started volunteering after retiring from her job as a bookkeeper for John Day Rubber & Supply in 1980. Her husband, Robert Young, had retired in 1978 as manager of the Water Works plant. “I knew Anna Mae (Stevens, then volunteer director), so I went down and talked to her,” she said. Her husband died about 12 years ago, but she is still plugging away. In 2009, she received the Iowa Medical Society Alliance’s Adult Volunteer Health Service Award. Young has faced a few of her own health challenges. Last year, she realized she needed an assistant to help her in the gift shop in order to continue working there. She recruited her daughter and changed her schedule to one evening a week. She calls recently discharged outpatient surgery patients to ask how they are doing and get feedback on hospital services for the Performance Improvement Department. She is chairwoman of chapel services and plans services several times a year. She

‘I love people. I love being with people and, of course, my family’s a great source of joy for me.’

leads the board in prayer before meetings. “She’s an amazing lady,” Slevin said. So what keeps her going? “The love of being with people and feeling that I had a lot more to give to life than just to retire,” Young said. “I really get more enjoyment out of my retirement working with people than I did my work. I love people, I love being with people and, of course, my family’s a great source of joy for me.” “Frances is truly an inspiration to many,” Slevin said. “She has continued to find ways to serve – even with tremendous challenges. Her smile, the twinkle in her eyes and that loving, caring voice speaks with such calm and soothing words, you just know everything is going to be alright.” Young has three daughters, nine grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and four greatgreat-grandchildren.

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Congratulations

Frances Young

We applaud

for being a “7 over 70” recipient

Because we believe that people never stop making a difference!

VISION STATEMENT

Christian Homes, building Christian communities that promote independence, wellness, and affordable living for older adults.