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At 88, Mesa nurse at Banner keeps on healin’

BY MONIQUE SELEEN

Tribune Contributor

For Ellie Ucci, age is just a number. At 88, the Mesa woman still works as a postpartum nurse at Banner Gateway Medical Center in Gilbert and has no plans to retire.

“I have purpose,” said Ucci. “I don’t come to work for the money. I love what I do.”

Ucci’s nursing career dates back to 1954 when, right after graduating high school, she attended a diploma-based program in Chicago, where she was living at the time.

“When people asked me what I wanted to be, I’d always say a nurse,” said Ucci.

She began working as a psychiatric nurse in a military hospital during the Korean War, where she remained for the first six months of her career.

Later, she went back to school to obtain a dual degree in Nursing and Psychology and moved to Arizona with her husband.

Once in Arizona, Ucci worked for Mesa Lutheran Hospital and Mesa Public Schools, gaining experience in the emergency room, labor and delivery, and with high school students at Westwood and Red Mountain High Schools.

She has been with Banner Health for over 42 years and started in the postpartum unit at Banner Gateway when it opened in 2007.

Ucci, who has three daughters, seven grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren, said she enjoys working with young mothers and getting to see them expand their family.

“I give that grandmother image and they tell me they love that I’m taking care of them because it feels like their grandmother is with them,” said Ucci. “They learn from me.”

When COVID-19 hit, Ucci said she wasn’t scared.

Throughout her years as nurse, she said, she has worked through several epidemics including polio, tuberculosis, meningitis, and the swine flu.

“During the Polio outbreak, the only things we really had to protect ourselves were gowns and masks,” said Ucci. “But now, I trust my vaccines and feel like the

Ellie Ucci is 88 but she’s nowhere near the end of her nursing career. She is a postpartum nurse at Banner Gateway Medical Center in Gilbert. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

seeNURSE page 21

Mesa artist expresses passion in many media

BY ANNIA ZAVALA Tribune Contributor

Marva Ayoka Harris is one of those rare artists who expresses her passion in many different art forms.

The Mesa woman is a painter, creative writer, poet, choreographer and artistic director at Marvalous Productions, a performing arts company she founded in Georgia in 2014 and then relocated to Tempe to produce “shows that speak to the experiences of everyday people, preserve history as well as offer creative stress solutions to individuals and organizations.”

She also is the chief cheerleader for the Millet House, an art gallery and community gather space at 440 W. 1st St., Mesa.

“I would consider myself primarily an abstract artist because of the freedom, mystery and emotion I feel while painting and beholding this type of art,” she writes on her website. “However, I do not limit myself to one style of art as I am Marva Ayoka Harris of Mesa is a painter, creative writer, poet, choreographer and artistic director at Marvalous Productions, a performing arts company she founded in Georgia in 2014 and then relocated to Tempe. (Special to the Tribune)

ever exploring and ever evolving.I would describe my artistic work styleas largely holistic, eclectic and organic.”

Earlier this month, Harris held her annual exhibit of her paintings in honor of Black History Month. She said the exhibit, titled “The Dreamy Night,” was about “reclaiming of the beautiful color black.”

Harris is a passionate artist known for expressing her story, focusing on Black culture, and sharing knowledge through her art.

“Sometimes you got to do things even if you’re scared to do them, in fact, because you are,” Harris said. “That’s the most powerful thing about sharing your passion.”

She explains on her website, “The subject of my artwork highlights personal experience, experiments with the relationship between colors and holistic therapy, examines movement, energy, frequency waves and flow, as well as exploration of creative ways to dispense paint onto its surface

“I can examine how emotion correlates to color, how music influences content and how cultures shape artistic style,” Harris seeHARRIS page 21

Mesa pilot earns master flight teacher status

TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF

AMesa resident and pilot has earned master flight instructor certification from the National Association of Flight Instructors.

Jeanne Rieck, an instructor since 2013 and owner of Airplane Rental Ventures in Mesa, said she tries to build confidence and a high skill level in her clients and that she loves seeing a student solo successfully in the challenging, busy airport environment where she teaches.

Rieck is a former special education teacher and administrator with a master’s degree in special education.

After 20 years in the classroom and leadership roles, she decided to take off on a new chapter and “fell in love with flying at the first rotation.”

She says she loves an adventure and the combination of flying and leading others to accomplish their aviation goals was a natural place for her to land.

Rieck, who has numerous pilot and flight instructor certifications and ratings, owns two aircraft at Falcon Field, which she calls “a beautiful and demanding place to fly.” When not flying, Rieck is exploring near the Grand Canyon with her husband at their off-grid cabin.

The NAFI Master Flight Instructor Accreditation is earned by aviation educators based upon a system of advanced professional standards and peer review. The accreditation identifies flight instructors “who demonstrate an ongoing commitment to excellence, professional growth, and service to the aviation community.” Applicants must have been a flight instructor for two years and logged at least 1,000 hours of flight instruction and meet standards in four categories: instructor, educator, service to the aviation community, and professional activity.

Members of the National Association of Flight Instructors work as independent instructors, at flight schools, universities, FBOs, corporate flight departments and in the military.

Since 1967, NAFI and its members, who teach in 30 countries, are dedicated to increasing and maintaining the professionalism of flight instruction. ■

Mesa resident and pilot Jeanne Rieck is now a master flight instructor..

(Special to the Tribune)

Mesa woman aids Civil Air Patrol blood drive

TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF

Giving is in Barb Clevenger’s blood – literally. The 10,000th unit of blood collected during Civil Air Patrol’s Operation Pulse Lift mission at its Falcon Composite Squadron came from the Mesa woman.

“My mom gave blood and that was something that was very important to her. I just started giving and I’m so excited to be doing this in honor of my mother,” Clevenger said.

“Since the evening of March 17, 2020, when the surgeon general noted the critical need for blood donations during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, and the closure of nearly 7,000 blood donation centers, Civil Air Patrol has been engaged in the coordination, planning, and execution of the longest series of blood donation center operations in the nation by a single organization,” said Lt. Col. Bob Ditch, CAP incident commander for Operation Pulse Lift.

American Red Cross CEO Gail McGovern called CAP “an incredible partner in responding not only to the urgent need for critical blood products” but also to the need blood drive hosts.

Operation Pulse Lift, which began in Arizona before the pandemic, expanded to include multiple locations in Alabama, Colorado, Kentucky, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia. CAP has sponsored 146 emergency blood donation centers since April 2020 to support this COVID-19 humanitarian assistance mission.

Transporting blood by land and air also is part of the CAP mission, with more than 500 trips to remote hospital locations by CAP aircrews and drivers.

The Red Cross leveraged Operation Pulse Lift to support hospitals in California and Oregon during wildfire season, Texas and Louisiana for hurricanes, and the Southwest for a major winter storm. The mission’s emergency blood donation effort surged to collect 222 units of blood in response to the December 2021 tornados in Kentucky, Tennessee, and surrounding areas.

Across the country, Civil Air Patrol members and their families who don’t live near a CAP-sponsored donation center have reported their local blood donations for inclusion in the mission’s total. So far, about 5,700 units have been collected at CAP donation centers and about 4,300 at other locations, totaling 10,000 units and 30,000 lives saved.

Acting as a Total Force partner and official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, Civil Air Patrol’s 56,000 members help First Air Force rapidly respond to non-military threats domestically “to save lives, relieve suffering, prevent property damage and provide humanitarian assistance.”

Established in 1941, Civil Air Patrol operates a fleet of 555 single-engine aircraft and 2,250 small unmanned aircraft systems and performs about 90% of all search and rescue operations in the U.S. ■

The 10,000th unit of blood collected by the Civil Air Patrol came from Barb Clevenger of

Mesa. (Special to the Tribune)

Marva Aoyka Harris spoke with some of the guests at a recent showing of her artwork.

(Annia Zavala/Tribune Contributor)

HARRIS from page 19

said. “I love to play with texture, to give more than just the eye, to awaken other emotions.”

Harris has always been attracted to the “powerful messages that paint can create” on canvas, explaining that she received her first painting set for a birthday present in 2020 :and I haven’t stopped painting since.”

At that time, she was going through a rough patch in her life, and painting became the inspiration she needed to keep moving forward. For her, the best thing creating art offered her has been healing.

One of the most popular pieces in her newest collection is titled “Shooting and Falling Stars.” Harris said this painting was to honor one of her students who was shot and killed.

The painting portrays how “when someone dies in the city, you take their shoes and put them over the light cables to represent those who were lost.”

During the exhibition, Harris’ father shared with the audience a short piece of Native American flute music. Her family has Native American ancestors and wanted to honor them through music.

Tears streamed down her face as Harris presented and thanked her parents for the support and knowledge they have given her for all these years.

Harris’ art has been recognized by galleries and on social media. Harris appreciates all of the support and love for her art, but to her, her art is good “not because someone else says it,’’ but because she feels it.

“Good is what you feel when you’re doing it, that’s what art is about — about you,” Harris said.

Vincent Candidi, a music writer and Arizona State University student, said Harris’ art represents who she is.

“You can tell she owns her style, and it’s not just something she did ‘just because,’” Candidi said. “It truly is art.”

Harris also is a booster of the Millet House, whose mission is “to support people from marginalized populations by giving them a chance to participate as equals in a real-life gallery and community space, and to learn art and life skills by networking with those who already have such skills.”

The Millet House has always served homeless/formerly homeless people, people with disabilities, and survivors of domestic abuse and violence, with outreach to shelters and to individuals through a peer mentoring program.

Information: themillethouse.com,

ayokaartstudios.com ■

GOT NEWS?

Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@ timespublications.com

hospital is the safest place to be because we know what we’re dealing with.”

While there have been several changes to the healthcare system and nursing throughout Ucci’s career, she said she learns to adapt, saying it’s a good way for her to keep her mind sharp.

“I always tell myself I can do it,” she said. “I do all the programs that the 30 year olds do. It’s good for my brain. It takes me a little longer but I do it.”

Ucci will turn 89 in May and although

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she admits she has some aches and pains, she said, “Physically I’m very blessed as far as health. I have some arthritis but I get up and go and keep moving and that helps. I’ve never been one to sit still.”

Ultimately, Ucci said it’s her passion for caring for others and her love for the profession that keeps her going.

“My family calls me a workaholic but I say it’s a good thing to be,” she said. “My nursing career has really been a blessing. I have never been disappointed that I became a nurse.” ■