Ageless

FOR THE ACTIVE, EXPERIENCED CENTRAL OREGONIAN • HEALTH, LIFESTYLE, ENTERTAINMENT & ADVICE

Ageless WINTER 2015

COURAGEOUS AVIATION WWII from the air HEALING WATERS RESTORING PURPOSE Our Annual Tribute to Local Veterans Sponsored By

In Partnership With

ADVER T I S ING SUPPLEMEN T

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Ageless

Winter 2015

Editor’s Note & Contributors ......................................4 That Others May Live .................................................5 The Scotch Golf Tournament benefits local veterans.

Propelled by a Positive Point of View ..........................8 With perseverance and a knack for embracing challenges, veteran Howie Pruitt moves through life’s adventures with endless positivity.

Restoring Purpose .................................................... 10 Central Oregon Veterans Ranch gives veterans a chance to live life with meaning, and for some, to finish their lives in peace.

A Man of Honor, A Life of Duty ................................. 12 Veteran Mel Baldivia has spent his life living true to the Marine Corps motto: Semper Fidelis (“Always Faithful”).

Changing Lives One Tie at a Time ............................ 15 Central Oregon veterans learn to move forward with Healing Waters.

A Recipe for Success ................................................ 18

An award-winning magazine featuring health, entertainment, lifestyles and advice for the active, 50-plus Central Oregonian.

Ageless

Courageous Aviation ................................................22

is a product of The Bulletin’s Special Projects Division, 1777 SW Chandler Ave., Bend, OR 97702, and printed by Northwest Web Press, www.northwestwebpress.com. Ageless is produced in partnership with the Central Oregon Council on Aging.

Innately adventurous, Everett “Jigger” Endicott has spent a lifetime in the air as a civilian pilot and as a second lieutenant in the Army Air Corp.

All content is the property of The Bulletin/Western Communications, Inc. and may not be reproduced without written permission.

Local veteran Kristina Guerrero created a business out of caring.

Winning the War on the Homefront .......................... 24 War efforts at home during WWII had far reaching impact.

Let Me Call You Sweetheart .....................................26 The story of Dan and Gloria.

Ageless Staff Members Martha Rogers, Special Projects Manager Kari Mauser, Special Projects Managing Editor Stacie Oberson, Special Projects Coordinator Kevin Prieto, Special Projects Photographer & Graphic Designer Clint Nye, Creative Supervisor

Veterans Outreach Directory ....................................28

Jay Brandt, Advertising Director

COCOA News ........................................................... 29

Steve Hawes, Advertising Manager

Love Your Life in Spite of Your Chronic Health Conditions.

Legal Advice .............................................................30 Will or Trust? Which do I need to complete my estate plan?

Jim Simonsen, Advertising Sales Manager

Story ideas may be submitted for consideration to Kari Mauser, managing editor.

Contact her at 541-383-0379 or via email at kmauser@bendbulletin.com.

For advertising, call 541-382-1811.

Published Saturday, November 14, 2015

To subscribe or learn more about all our publications, please call 541-385-1811 or visit us at www.bendbulletin.com. Cover photo courtesy of Everett “Jigger” Endicott.

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The Heart of our Nation Those among us who have dedicated themselves to protecting and defending our country and others, who are willing to stand up for what is right in this world in the name of freedom and justice, deserve so much more than just one day set aside to honor and celebrate all they have done, all that they do.

Throughout history wars have been fought, blood has been shed, lives lost. The majority of people experience it all from the home front, from the warmth of their homes, safe behind locked doors, comfortable in their own beds at night, reading daily updates in the nation’s newspapers, hearing about the status of things on the radio or the TV. Many have loved ones enlisted; others don’t. But everyone has a vested interest in war’s outcome.

Without the sacrifice of our nation’s veterans, the world would be a drastically different place. The men and women who lay their lives on the line, dedicated to protect and to serve, in times of war and in times of peace, are truly heroes among us.

We celebrate Veterans Day on November 11 each year, the anniversary of the end of WWI, but every day that we live with the simple pleasures so easily taken for granted are days we’ve been granted through the efforts of our soldiers — those who have fought, and those who are still fighting -— for us, for our country.

Our nation’s soldiers face unspeakable horrors on the frontlines. Some never make it home and those who do bring with them scars that will remain forever, not only physical, but emotional and psychological scars that are daily reminders of the things they’ve seen, the things they’ve done.

This edition of Ageless is dedicated to all of those heroes — those who sacrificed their lives so that others may live, those who’ve made it home but bear the burden of reintegration, those who are enlisted today - keeping peace at home or fighting for what’s right overseas - and to their families, whose sacrifices are also very real. It is dedicated, also, to those who volunteer their time and their expertise to helping heal the hearts and souls of our heroes.

The stories within these pages are just a tiny piece of the picture, a small reflection of the true heart of our nation. But they are stories that serve as reminders of why each of us should be thankful everyday for the sacrifices and the courage of our veterans.

— Kari Mauser, editor

Ageless CONTRIBUTORS

Enthusiastic and outgoing, Bridget McGinn enjoys meeting new people and sharing their stories. She spends her days working as a marketing and advertising professional, making photos or documentary films and spending time with her family.

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A former Portland public affairs TV producer, Kathy Oxborrow provides opinion research, facilitation, planning and writing services for businesses and nonprofits. She grew up on a Nevada cattle ranch and moved to Bend drawn by its outdoor amenities.

Her website is oxborrowconsulting. com

Kimberly Bowker grew up in Central Oregon under the shadow of the Cascade Mountains and between the scent of the ponderosa pines.

She currently spends her time teaching and writing, exploring stories of the heart and discovering how our lives intertwine. You might find her sipping a pint of craft beer at a local pub, or out on the trail strolling beneath the sky.

Zack Hall is freelance writer based in Bend and a former staff writer for The Bulletin. He has lived and worked in Central Oregon for nearly 10 years. When not writing about the virtues of Central Oregon or the region’s array of world-class golf courses, he can usually be found chasing his daughter around the house or a little white ball around a patch of emerald-green grass.

Linda Orcelletto is a published writer, event planner and chronic list maker. Orcelletto loves exploring all the best coast has to offer with her husband, Joe, and fur child Colby, an 80-pound, not-sobright, lump of love golden retriever. Linda considers herself a native Oregonian even though she lived nearly 30 years in Wisconsin.

After three decades in Seattle, Sue Stafford returned home to Oregon to put down roots in Sisters. The “dry side,” with its beauty, weather and slower pace, affords her the opportunity to pursue her gardening, hiking, and movie going. Sue’s experiences with motherhood, teaching, fundraising, horticultural and expressive arts therapies, and hospice case management inform her writing.

Gregg Morris is a local freelance writer and musician. You can find him around town finishing articles at the local tea shop, performing with his band Organic Music Farm or homeschooling his 10-year-old daughter. Supposed free time is spent in the woods with his wife and daughter or skillfully executing his duties as a member of the Deschutes County Search and Rescue team.

A native of Sweden, Tor Hanson moved to Bend in 1991. He is a published journalist/ author in both Sweden and the U.S. Also a local historian, he is currently researching the rich history of Bend’s millworker neighborhoods. Tor is married to Nancy and has two daughters.

THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE The Scotch Golf Tournament benefits local veterans.

by Bridget McGinn, for The Bulletin Special Projects

g his second Levon Alldredge and his platoon durin

deployment to Afghanistan.

Redmond native Levon Alldredge credits a phone call from fellow veteran Matt Bassitt, inviting him to play golf, with saving his life. Bassitt, the founder of The Scotch Golf Tournament at Tetherow — which held its inaugural event this past September and raised $25,000 to benefit the Save A Warrior Foundation — had reached out to Alldredge because he had heard that he was struggling. Through what Alldredge and Bassitt refer to as “divine intervention,” the phone call offered Alldredge hope in what had seemed a hopeless point in his life.

At the age of 18, Alldredge had joined the United States Marine Corps, and was stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He served four years, including two separate seven-month deployments to Afghanistan. After an honorable discharge and moving to back to Central Oregon, he found himself facing another challenge: post traumatic stress (PTS).

“It is a difficult thing for me to talk about,” said Alldredge, 24. “I firmly believe that for those who have experienced combat no explanation is necessary. For those who haven’t, no explanation is possible.”

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He struggled with flashbacks, mood swings and nightmares, and within a year of coming home he lost his job and his marriage ended. Alldredge felt like he had outlived his purpose by surviving his experience in Afghanistan.

“I felt a pervasive emotional numbness that is utterly inexplicable unless you have experienced it,” said Alldredge. “I was trapped in a self-fulfilling cycle of having no hope because I was in pain and being in pain because I was hopeless that my situation would improve.”

At his darkest point, approximately one year ago, he attempted to take his own life.

Just two days after his suicide attempt, Alldredge received the phone call from Bassitt that he credits with saving his life. Bassitt extended an offer to Alldredge to join him in participating in The Scotch Golf Tournament and attend the Save A Warrior program, an innovative and evidence-based powerful healing experience for active duty military, veterans and first responders suffering

from PTS. The program is specifically designed to address the high rate of suicide among our nation’s warriors.

According to information from Save A Warrior, 22 warriors are lost each day to suicide. Every 65 minutes a warrior is lost, and each year 8,000 warriors are lost. Since returning home, 150,000 Vietnam veterans have been lost and 530,000 have sought treatment for PTS. Approximately 800,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are currently suffering from PTS. “Oregon has one of the top five suicide rates for veterans in the nation,” said Bassitt. “It is quite an epidemic.

People talk about PTS but there are not a lot of solutions.”

Introduced to Save A Warrior through a family friend, and convinced that it could make a difference for veterans, Bassitt suddenly had the inspiration he needed to bring a long-held vision to life. An avid golfer, Bassitt, along with Louis Bennett, the head golf pro at Tetherow, had been tossing around an idea for several years.

“We wanted to do a tournament with a Scotch theme, and we had lots

of ideas but never got very far with it,” said Bassitt. “We didn’t have the right cause.”

The right cause — raising funds to send local veterans to the Save A Warrior program — galvanized Bassitt into bringing the event to life. As the owner of Northwestern Home Loans, his company sponsored the tournament, embracing a Scotch theme. The tournament is played on the Tetherow course — which was designed by Scotsman David McLay Kidd — and follows the Scotchball format (twoman teams in which both players hit a tee shot and then decide on the more strategic ball to play). Much more than just a golf tournament, the event also includes two days of meals, music, scotch tasting, traditional Scottish games and camaraderie. An old fighter trainer jet owned by one of Bassitt’s friends did a surprise flyover during the national anthem as part of the opening ceremony, kicking the event off in style.

For Alldredge, who describes himself as an “utter novice” at golfing, the event was transformational,

“I have found that only through my willingness to be vulnerable can anyone benefit from my experience.

And if my experience can help someone else in crisis then I have the responsibility of overcoming the fear of being judged by people I don’t know.”

— Levon Alldridge Alldredge takes a minute to tee up during The Scotch Golf Tournament.

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Alldredge sends a kiss to his fiance from Afghanistan

despite playing “horribly” and even abandoning score-keeping altogether at some point during play.

“It sticks out in my memory as one of the greatest days of my life,” said Alldredge. “Between the overwhelming support I received from other veterans and the community as a whole I felt like I could really hope again. It gave me a very small taste of the help I was to receive from Save a Warrior, and hearing the testimony of people who had been through the program strengthened my resolve to go. I am looking forward to going to the tournament again next year and reporting the positive transformation that I have experienced because of this.”

At the tournament awards ceremony and dinner, Alldredge felt moved to stand and share his personal story with the nearly 200 attendees — people who had been strangers just the day before. He shared his belief that Bassitt’s phone call had prevented him from attempting to take his life again, and that he now had hope for his future.

“I have found that only through my willingness to be vulnerable can anyone benefit from my experience,” said Alldredge. “And if my experience can help someone else in crisis then I have the responsibility of overcoming the fear of being judged by people I don’t know.”

When Alldredge bravely stood and spoke, Bassitt felt chills run down his spine. It is the moment that stands

out for him as the most memorable from the event.

“Many eyes filled with tears in that room at that moment,” said Bassitt.

“This cause without doubt has had the most real impact of anything I’ve ever donated time or money to.”

Bassitt, who served in the Air Force Reserves in the 939th Rescue Wing as a crew chief from 1997 through 2003 — including a deployment for three and half months in the Kosovo Campaign — is grateful to be in a position to help with a cause that has essentially the same motto as the Air Force Pararescue creed: That others may live.

“You can’t even begin to comprehend what they are dealing with,” said Bassitt. “All that really matters is saving these guys who have given so much.”

Alldredge recently completed the weeklong Save A Warrior program, which emphasizes not only recovery from combat related stress, but teaches tools applicable to every person for everyday life. He believes that everyone could benefit from the program.

“It has been utterly transforming,” said Alldredge. “It led to an amazing amount of personal growth and healing with regard not only to my experience in combat but to things that were damaged in me before I went.”

Alldredge wants to let others know

that he is much happier now, and the message he most wants to share with others who are struggling is not to give up.

“There is hope. There is help,” said Alldredge. “There is a life on the other side of the darkness.”

“This cause without doubt has had the most real impact of anything I’ve ever donated time or money to. ... All that really matters is saving these guys who have given so much.”

To register for the 2016 Scotch Tournament to benefit local veterans, visit thescotch.org or email info@thescotch.org.

To learn more about the Save A Warrior Foundation, visit saveawarrior.org.

— Matt Bassit

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Ageless | Page 7

Propelled by a POSITIVE Point of View With perseverance and a knack for embracing challenges, Howie Pruitt moves through life’s adventures with endless positivity.

by Zack Hall, for The Bulletin Special Projects

Howie Pruitt was standing behind the golf shop counter of Aspen Lakes Golf Course’s lodge-like clubhouse.

The cool, crisp morning started off slow, hardly uncommon at a golf course in late October. Suddenly, though, there was flurry of action.

Golfers trickled in one by one. Pruitt, the mild-mannered and friendly golf instructor at Aspen Lakes, greeted each one eagerly, sending them on their way to the first tee. A woman came in concerned about a minor pothole in the driveway.

Pruitt quickly dispatched another Aspen Lakes employee to check it out.

Moments later a threesome — a couple and another woman — stepped to the counter. The couple was from Switzerland, where Pruitt, now 66 years old, once spent his winters skiing when he was a U.S. Army civilian working in Germany.

Instantly there was connection. With a distinctive accent the Swiss man asked if he could charge his camera battery in the clubhouse. Pruitt obliged.

“Jack of all trades, master of none,” exclaimed Pruitt, flashing a smile after the momentary flurry.

The statement could easily describe the life of relentlessly positive Pruitt, the lone African-American golf professional in Central Oregon.

The former Army officer is in the latest step in a life that has taken him all over the world and made him successful at every stop. He has sought new challenges and achieved new goals, usually all with a smile on his face.

“Every one of (my professions) has been fulfilling,” Pruitt said. “Every one of them has been challenging. … It’s tough to answer what my favorite is because they were all at different stages of my life.”

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THE BEGINNING Pruitt’s uncommonly positive outlook helped carry him through the Vietnam War, a war the then-Ohio State University ROTC student volunteered for. In 1969 as a member of the Army’s 101st Airborne Division he piloted scout helicopters on armed aerial reconnaissance missions over Vietnam’s A’Shau Valley.

He does not appear bitter, though. A gifted storyteller, his stories tend to be humorous.

Once, his helicopter was shot down. He jumped out of the aircraft and pulled out a pistol, thinking he was helping another soldier get to the chase helicopter there to rescue them.

Instead, all Pruitt did was delay the rescue. The soldier was already on the rescue helicopter and pulled Pruitt in, yelling at him: “Listen dumbass, if I need your help, I’ll tell you I need help!” Pruitt recalled with a laugh.

In all, the former Ranger was shot down three times in his yearlong tour, earning the nickname “Magnet Ass” for the amount of gunfire his helicopters took. He also earned a Distinguished Flying Cross and Bronze Star Medal with a valor device, among others.

“To me, the war was an adventure,” he added. “Every day was different.”

Vietnam did change him, though. A newlywed when he left for Vietnam, he divorced not long after returning.

“I was 21-years-old when I left and 22 when I came back, but emotionally I was 10 years older than that when I came back,” Pruitt said. “I grew up pretty fast.”

Pruitt spent a 10-year active-service career as a commissioned officer, and enjoyed the work, he said. After resigning his commission in 1979, he spent the

Still, he did not give up on the game. After his tour in Vietnam, he frequently took advantage of the Army’s habit of installing golf courses on its bases. (His first job in golf was technically to guard the course at Fort Polk, Louisiana.) And in the Bay Area he joined a country club, even helping other golfers analyze their swings through video.

“The Army is where I got the (golf) bug, and when I was in Silicon Valley I started looking more seriously at golf,” Pruitt said.

Drawn to the same things that draw many to Central Oregon, Pruitt and Grouell quit their jobs, bought a house at Widgi Creek Golf Club in Bend in

“I was 21-years-old when I left and 22 when I came back, but emotionally I was 10 years older than that when I came back. I grew up pretty fast.” following 11 years in West Germany working for the Army as a civilian.

It was in Europe that he met Ruth Grouell, an American who was also working for the Army as a civilian.

Grouell was attracted to Pruitt’s zest for life, and the two were married.

Then, in 1990, Grouell convinced Pruitt to move to California’s Silicon Valley with her two sons.

After the move, Pruitt struggled to find a job. So he became a part-time ski instructor in nearby Lake Tahoe.

Eventually Pruitt did get hired by a tech firm, and over the years worked his way up to be vice president of human resources.

“That’s really one of the characteristics of Howie that is so powerful is

that his response for the most part has been really choosing to make lemonade out of lemons,” Grouell said. “He is very resilient and he is not afraid to take risks.”

A TEACHER OF THE GAME Pruitt first played golf at age 16. But there were obstacles.

He expressed interest in trying out for the golf team at Wilmington College in Ohio. But the coach told him that he would not be able to play or practice on his own at the school’s home country club. The reason? The club did not allow black golfers.

“That was first time that it struck me,” Pruitt recalled. “I thought, ‘This is interesting. I can beat everybody on your golf team, but I can’t play.’”

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2001 and headed north.

Pruitt first tried his hand at being a stockbroker. It didn’t take. Finally, he gave into his urge to teach golf. He got a job in the golf shop at Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond, became a Class A member of the PGA of America (certifying him a professional), and in 2007 was named the head professional at Eagle Crest.

“Howie is one of those people who has always followed his passions, and (being a golf pro) was something that he always wanted to do,” Grouell said.

“He was so driven to learn everything he could do so he could be the best golf pro that he can be. That is the way he approaches everything. He loves learning. He loves challenges.”

MAKING GOLF FUN Pruitt, who joined Aspen Lakes in 2014, teaches golf how he lives. He implores his students to think positively, and he works hard to make the game fun.

For instance, this year he dreamed up a Community Fun League to encourage new golfers by throwing out golf’s infamously stout rulebook and playing simply for fun.

“This is a very fulfilling career in a different way,” Pruitt said. “I think the most fulfilling part about being a golf pro is the fact that you can get new golfers into the sport and have them love it as much as you do.”

For Pruitt, being a golf pro is another important step in a great journey. It is just another goal that gives life its purpose.

“You have to have a purpose,” Pruitt said. “In order to have your purpose and have it fulfilled you have to have steps along the way to get there. So I just felt like all of those were all important things for me to do.”

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Ageless | Page 9

Restoring Purpose Central Oregon Veterans Ranch gives veterans a chance to live life with meaning, and for some, to finish their lives in peace.

by Kathy Oxborrow, for The Bulletin Special Projects When Kara Kelly, 42, came home from saving lives in Iraq as a U.S. Air Force flight nurse, she turned to alcohol to help deal with her post-traumatic stress disorder, (PTSD).

Joseph Florio, 67, a Vietnam veteran, said he wasn’t sure he was going to live beyond his 19th birthday due to his combat experience.

He promised himself after he made it through that difficult time that he would help other combat veterans.

Florio has made good on that promise. He and Kelly have restored serenity and health in their lives by supporting other veterans suffering similar effects from war. They are just a few of the people who have coalesced to bring the vision of Alison Perry to fruition.

That vision is Central Oregon Veterans Ranch (CORV), a nonprofit, 19-acre community where veterans can come to heal, farm, receive support from other veterans and when facing a terminal illness, die with dignity.

While not a veteran herself, Perry has family members who are, and who currently serve Page 10 | Ageless

in the military. As a mental health therapist at the Portland Veterans Administration Hospital, Perry counseled returning veterans with PTSD. She said that experience convinced her to move away from that kind of institutional care.

“The wounding that happens with people in the military is not just [from] the combat experience, but it’s being in an institution and

how your life is impacted when an institution runs your life,” Perry explained.

Ranch manager and Iraq combat vet Wray Harris, 28, said trusting others is difficult for him. The veterans launching the ranch project all agreed that trust is more easily established with other vets because you don’t have to explain; they know the devastating impact of war.

“In combat, you wind up doing bad things, things that you wouldn’t normally do and it’s almost impossible to explain how that works to someone who has never experienced it,” said Florio, the Vietnam vet who is also a COVR Board member.

“There is an ugly side of life that most people don’t get a glimpse into,” Harris added, referring to his combat experience. “Having the ranch is kind of a nice way to sort all of that out because not everything is ugly and it can be hard to remember that.”

The vision for the ranch is three-pronged.

First is to establish a working ranch that fos-

Alison Perry ters camaraderie among veterans and opportunities for community service. Second, through sustainable agriculture, the ranch will provide skill development for veterans. And third, the ranch will be a place where terminally ill and aged veterans can receive specialized care for their unique needs.

Afghanistan war veteran Mike “Wally” Walgrave, 40, just arrived at the ranch on a fellowship with The Mission Continues, a national nonprofit that “empowers veterans who are adjusting to life after the military to find purpose through civic action.”

For Walgrave the ranch offers a service opportunity.

“I’m taking steps to find a greater purpose outside of serving the country in combat to serving the country in the civilian sector now,

“I’m taking steps to find a greater purpose outside of serving the country in combat to serving the country in the civilian sector now, and to me agriculture has a lot of value in making this country great.”

- Mike Walgrave

and to me agriculture has a lot of value in making this country great.”

Staff from Oregon State University Extension and other agriculture experts, are advising the ranch organizers. COVR’s goal is to build a profit-making agri-business.

“There is a big movement around the country to engage veterans in farming and ranching projects,” Perry explained.

The Farmer Veteran Coalition, a national organization, says it is mobilizing veterans to feed America. The group’s website states that it “works with veterans in the food and farming community in all 50 states and U.S. Territories to provide farming education and veteran assistance to those in need.”

What is unique about CORV

is its focus on providing a home for aging and dying veterans.

To meet state licensing requirements, the house on the property is being remodeled. Upon completion, it will be the only adult foster home in Oregon for veterans. Perry expects the house to be ready for occupants in early 2016.

Volunteer Deborah Hopman, a hospice nurse and wife of a Vietnam vet, is using her experience working in other adult foster homes to make that happen.

“We wouldn’t be opening up this home without Deb,” said Perry.

Using his own money in April 2015, Tom Kemper, the executive director of Housing Works, arranged for bridge financing to purchase the $400,000 property between Redmond and Bend.

Kemper gave the down payment and secured a loan through Washington Federal.

“When Alison told me about her vision for the ranch, I said ‘this needs to happen,’” Kemper remembered.

CORV kicked off a fundraising campaign on Veterans Day to retire the debt. The first 100 businesses or individuals to donate $1,000 will have their name engraved on a plaque in the peace garden at the ranch.

“This is truly a community effort,” said Perry, “Without the generous donations of time and money from veterans and others we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

For more information or to contribute visit centraloregonveteransranch.org.

Ageless | Page 11

A Man of Honor A Life of Duty Mel Baldivia has spent his life living true to the Marine Corps motto: Semper Fidelis — “Always Faithful.”

by Susan Stafford, for The Bulletin Special Projects

The small apartment in a Bend assisted living facility is light years away from the war-torn islands of the South Pacific in 1945. The apartment is home to 96-year-old World War II Marine veteran Mel Baldivia. His mementos of serving in the Pacific theater during World War II in 1944 -46 are everywhere.

Baldivia saved everything from that time in his life, from his Certificate of Fitness issued by the Los Angeles Armed Forces Induction Station #2 to pamphlets welcoming the Marines to mainland China in September 1945. Many of his war memories are

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captured in small black and white snapshots of Mel and his Marine buddies, preserved in a scrapbook assembled by Mel’s daughter, Barbara Rood of Bend.

Carefully framed are his battle ribbons, his Expert Rifleman badge, and a corporal’s stripe. On the shelf is the certificate presented to Melisio Garcia Baldivia by the Bend Heroes Foundation commemorating service to his country and his participation in the Honor Flight from Oregon to Washington, D.C. in 2013.

“They showed us lots of statues.

Kids would come up and say they were surprised we had fought in World War II,” Baldivia said, recounting his trip to D.C. Rood describes her father as a man who has lived his entire life with a sense of duty to simply do what needs to be done.

As a 3-year-old, along with his mother, his 1-year-old sister, and

two older brothers, Baldivia was put on a train by his father in Aguascalientes, Mexico and sent to California to live with a cousin. His father had wanted to keep his family safe from the upheaval of the Mexican Revolution and raids by Pancho Villa and his followers.

Years later, when he was 12 years old, his brothers left the family. Baldivia assumed responsibility for supporting his mother, who neither spoke nor understood English, and his 10-year-old sister. He dropped out of school to pick fruit. When a truant officer tried to return him to school, Baldivia told him, “I can’t go to school. I have to work.”

Baldivia’s sense of duty continued even after he returned from serving in the Pacific.

Rood recounted a time when she was just 4 years old, riding with her dad as he drove down a street in southern California. They saw a crowd of people standing around a man who had been shot, lying in the street, with blood everywhere. No one was doing anything to help the shooting victim.

“At first, basic was hell, then I got used to it. Basic training showed me I could do things I never thought I could do.”

Baldivia, Rood recalled, jumped out of the car, picked the man up, put him in his car, and drove him to the emergency room.

For Baldivia, it was as simple as doing what needed to be done, an approach he carried from his childhood into his dedication as a Marine and to life after his service.

Despite his optimistic approach to the world, basic training as a member of platoon # 661 didn’t come easy for Baldivia in the beginning.

“At first, basic was hell, then I got used to it,” he confessed. “Basic training showed me I could do things I never thought I could do.”

Following boot camp in San Diego in 1944, and further training at rifle camp, Baldivia shipped out of San Francisco, headed to Pavuvu, Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. As his troop ship sailed out of San Francisco Bay right under the Golden Gate Bridge, Baldivia said he remembered simply thinking, “That’s a beautiful thing.”

At the same time, he thought about the fact that he was headed to war, but recalls thinking, “Whatever happens, happens.”

The PFC in the III Amphibious Corps, 1st Marine Division, 7th Marines, 3rd Battalion, K Company was leaving behind his young wife Theresa, who was pregnant with their first child.

At Guadalcanal, the fresh troops were replacing those killed (1,592) and wounded (4,183) in the Battle of Guadalcanal and the thousands who were disabled by tropical diseases including malaria. In 1943 the U.S. troops had taken control of the island, helping turn back the Japanese drive toward Australia and turning the tide in favor of the American Allies in the Pacific theater.

It was on Okinawa, from April through August in 1945, just 375 miles south of Japan, that Baldivia, as a machine gunner, engaged in one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific to help the Army 1st Division rout the Japanese.

Rood recalled the story as her father had shared it with her. On a march through enemy territory, Baldivia’s patrol came under enemy fire. The patrol was confused as to where it was coming from.

When they discovered that the Japanese were firing at them from inside a cave, Baldivia met the chal-

lenge straight on, lobbing grenades into the cave.

The enemy, Rood shared, was neutralized.

“If something needs to be done, he does it,” Rood reiterated, reflecting on her father’s actions during the battle that day.

The battle ended with the Allies victorious, on June 22, 1945. The severity of the campaign led to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which caused the formal surrender of the Imperial Japanese government less than two months after the end of fighting on Okinawa. Baldivia still has the painful memory of the exact date, May 5, 1945, etched in his mind. It was the day he helped carry out his wounded buddy on a stretcher before the man died.

Losing his friend left an emotional scar, and two other injuries Baldivia suffered while on Okinawa left him with a lifelong reminder of his service.

During the Battle of Okinawa a sniper shot the driver of the transport in which Baldivia and seven other Marines were riding, the truck left the road and turned over. The seats came loose and landed on Baldivia’s back, knocking him unconscious.

Later, while still on patrol in Okinawa, Baldivia’s squad came across some Japanese troops, took cover behind a large rock, and called in their coordinates. When artillery fired a shot from behind the squad to determine the correct distance to the Japanese, it whizzed right over the troops’ heads, but hit the rock directly in front of them, sending heavy pieces of rock flying and landing on Baldivia’s already injured back. The pain sits with him even today, despite having had surgery to fuse some discs and aimed at alleviating that pain.

Rather than shipping home after Okinawa,

would like to say Thank You Veterans for Your Service J. Huston Walter 1-800-750-6630 • (541) 382-6636 163 NE Underwood • Bend, Oregon 97701 Ageless | Page 13

Baldivia was sent to Tsingtao in northern China as part of the III Amphibious Corps, Fleet Marine Force.

He remembers the stormy crossing with huge waves, and the ships climbing up the face of the waves, and crashing down the backside.

“It was very scary and dangerous,” he recalled.

The Marines were sent to assist the Chinese government and people in disarming and repatriating the surrendered Japanese troops, in re-establishing legal municipal administrations, and in preserving law and order while helping the Chinese people return to a peacetime way of life.

Baldivia’s main duties involved rounding up the Japanese soldiers, loading them in trucks, and sending them to the coast where they were shipped back to Japan.

As the spoils of war, Baldivia took possession of a Japanese pistol made in Germany and a Japanese rifle.

“I mailed the rifle home, wrapped only in paper, with the address written on the stock. It arrived in California.”

The pistol he hid in his mattress on the ship home.

Upon returning home, Baldivia once again passed under that beautiful bridge.

He spent several months at the Treasure Island Naval Base before his formal discharge and then returned home to his family in San Dimas, California. He and his wife Theresa had two more children, Barbara [Rood] and her brother. They spent more than 60 years married, until Theresa passed away in 2007.

It was only after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps that Baldivia was granted U.S. citizenship.

“I remember the lady in the Post Office made a huge paper declaring me a U.S. citizen,” he recalled.

Mel Baldivia, a man who has lived his life true to the Marine Corps motto – Semper Fidelis – Always Faithful - has been shown to be a courageous American who is honorable and duty bound, not only in service to his country but to his fellow human beings.

The Last 20 Years of Life Long Term Care & Estate Planning

E

state planning in the past tended to address mainly the disposition of your property and assets following death.

Today, our “Baby Boomers” are living longer than anticipated. With their extended lifespans, the need for planning for the last 20 years of life has eclipsed the focus on after-death planning.

With the proliferation of dementia, Alzheimer’s and a host of other crippling diseases, many boomers are faced with deterioration of life for years prior to death.

They face serious decisions about who will take care of them, who will make their medical and financial decisions and how they will pay for long term care costs. Those decisions must be made while you are still

competent and capable of understanding what you are doing. If time runs out and you have not made those decisions, you then have to turn to the court for the appointment of guardians and conservators.

All too often, boomers wait until there is a crisis before addressing the planning. A simple rule is that you will have more planning options and solutions the earlier the planning is addressed.

Today, many boomers are without long term care insurance and will not qualify. The insurance rates are rising steadily making it unaffordable for all but a few. Many are concerned that without long term care insurance, their assets will be consumed by catastrophic long term care expenses. Planning for Medicaid long term care benefits is essential. This is especially true for married couples when one of the spouses is likely to well outlive the other. Assets need to be protected to provide for the well spouse.

Planning for the last 20 years of life includes, long term care planning, as well as, estate planning. In today’s “boomer world”, the long term care planning conversation must be addressed any time you are considering estate planning.

I focus my practice on planning for the last 20 years of life through long term care and estate planning to provide my clients with solutions for the obstacles to come.

Contact Will Dennis Today!

541-388-3877 www.WillDennisLaw.com 438 NE Irving Ave Bend, Oregon 97701 Page 14 | Ageless

—Will Dennis, AAL

Changing Lives

ONE TIE AT A TIME Central Oregon veterans learn to move forward with Healing Waters.

by Kimberly Bowker, for The Bulletin Special Projects

Fishing begins long before the first fly touches the water. It commences when Project Healing Waters members gather to embark, when their cell phones lose service on the drive, and when the roads curve around the patient forests and mountains and rivers of Central Oregon.

Stepping into water, stresses and pressures drop away to the sound of the river and the sway of the trees. Underneath the sky, Central Oregon veterans feel the movement of nature. They see an eagle fly or the reflecting sunlight - and there is nothing else to think of. It’s about fishing, but it’s about so much more.

“My main goal,” said president of the group and Vietnam veteran Brad Emery, “is that maybe they aren’t going to worry about who’s going to get elected next time or what is right or wrong in this world they’re just out fishing.”

Central Oregon Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing is the local chapter of a national nonprofit organiAgeless | Page 15

“My main goal, is that maybe they aren’t going to worry about who’s going to get elected next time or what is right or wrong in this world - they’re just out fishing.” zation based in Maryland. It is dedicated to rehabilitating and assisting veterans, while supporting a mutual fellowship through fly fishing. There’s no cost to the veterans who participate and it offers them a chance to connect with the earth and with one another, while feeling the flow and steady support of both nature and camaraderie.

And, of course, they get to fish.

Meetings are held weekly at the Bend Elks Lodge where members gather to swap fishing stories (“all true,” joked one veteran), tie flies, and build rods. Members also learn about entomology, how to read a river and different styles of fishing.

Of the approximately 60 local members, each meeting draws between 12 to 20 participants.

Page 16 | Ageless

There is no pressure to participate. Veterans are welcome to attend and learn and talk if they

like, but nothing is required.

“It’s important to be here,” Brad reflected. “Whether people show up or not, they know somebody will always be here.”

Camaraderie is a foundational aspect of Project Healing Waters. The wide range of veterans – some recently out of the service while others having served in Vietnam – allows space for the veterans to speak the same language and offer understanding. The members are there for one another during difficult times, they check-up through phone calls, joke around, and always go fishing.

“It’s a brotherhood to start with,” said Jim Rogers, a Vietnam veteran and member of Project Healing Waters. “Plus, we have each other. That’s the big draw.”

Being surrounded by people who understand what you are dealing with, without even having to say, offers veterans a healing opportunity.

When Aaron, a veteran who had served in the Marine Corps since 1988, joined the nonprofit earlier this year, he was paired with

Jim. Aaron returned from service with PTSD and would often shop at 2 or 3 a.m. simply to avoid the crowds. Project Healing Waters offered him an opportunity to get out of the house and learn how to tie flies and fly fish. He also quickly recognized how everybody in the group watched out for one another.

Before long Aaron had tied more than 100 of the little nymph

flies, their size requiring full attention on the task with each tie.

“There’s no right or wrong to tie them,” Aaron said. “And that’s the beauty of it.”

When Aaron went fishing with the group, it wasn’t just the fishing that the veteran felt connected to, but nature as a whole. The only thing he could hear were the birds and the wildlife and the whipping of his rod.

“It teaches you how to take a step back and realize not to sweat the little stuff,” he explained. “It’s the little stuff that led us to where we’re at.”

He questioned whether it was all about him catching the fish, or the fish catching him.

A naturally organized character, Aaron decided to build spreadsheets that outlined the steps to the overwhelming process of tying the tiny nymph flies. He created them to share with the group, to help others master the process.

Through the program, the veterans are teaching one another and learning from each other, not just how to fish, but also the benefits to incorporating the activity into their lives. It is more than just a fishing trip.

“We’re getting them to learn East Lake or Lava Lake so they can be comfortable,” said Brad. “If stresses happen – they think, ‘Oh, I can go fish!’”

The members not only learn how to fish, they learn what they like about fishing. They then feel at ease to venture into the river solo, or ask friends, when the world starts pounding hard at the door.

Cliff Price, an Air Force Veteran and a Project Healing Waters member, recalls a sign on his friend’s desk at work that read ‘I never met a man who could fish and worry at the same time.’

“That’s what it boils down to,” he concluded. “That’s where the healing comes in – you can’t think about anything else.”

The camaraderie, nature, and process of fishing cultivate a healing environment to process very real feelings of veterans, both of those who were in combat and those who weren’t. The water continually flows, the fish swim, the eagles fly, and the members of Project Healing Waters stand in the middle of it all.

“It’s not about catching the fish,” Brad said. “It’s just being there.”

For more information or to make a donation, call (541) 3750749 or visit cophw.org

Ageless | Page 17

A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS Local veteran created a business out of caring.

by Gregg Morris, for The Bulletin Special Projects

Backcountry skiing provides exercise, clears the head, and sometimes, provides inspiration. La Pine resident Kristina Guerrero found this out while on a excursion near Mount Hood with her husband, Brandon Sylvester, and their dog, Dunkan.

Caught without adequate food for Dunkan, Guerrero imagined an easy-to-pack, nutrient-rich “power-bar” made specifically for dogs. For most people, nothing would come from the imagination, but for head-strong Guerrero, it became the inspiration to start a business, TurboPUP. With dedication and determination, Guerrero stepped into her kitchen and began working toward her dream. With time and perseverance, she eventually got the recipe right, creating a perfect 500-calorie, 4.4-ounce TurboPUP bar, designed to sustain energy levels in canine friends and made from human-grade ingredients.

It took Guerrero, alongside her food scientist husband, two years to dial in the recipe for the snacks. Guerrero and Sylvester, who helps with TurboPUP production and research and development, even had to reform the recipe due to this summer’s bird flu epidemic.

Guerrero learned to overcome obstacles like this as a U.S. Air Force pilot.

“I learned in the Air Force how to have a goal and execute it by leveraging resources,” Guerrero explained.

Guerrero spent 12 years in the Air Force, first graduating from the academy and then flying C-130 turboprop planes. The pilot was the recipient of two Combat Air Medals for missions flown in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Horn of Africa. After being deployed three times, she retired from the the Air Force.

Guerrero credits the military for teaching her many lessons that she has been able to apply to her civilian life. “[In the Air Force] we care about things bigger than ourselves,” she said. “It is always about the team, as we believe we are just a cog on a big wheel. Everyone has an equal say and is good at listening. Mostly though, I learned about responsibility — I was a 21-year-old flying a multi-million dollar plane.”

Page 18 | Ageless

The lesson wasn’t lost on Guerrero, who moved to Central Oregon with her husband and two dogs in March of 2013. Feeling a continued sense of responsibility and still feeling the need to serve, she joined Deschutes County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team the following year.

While being a part of Search and Rescue offers Guerrero a chance to help others who find themselves in trouble, it was her own experience during that fateful backcountry skiing excursion that prompted her to draw on everything she learned in the military.

“Being in combat teaches you how to be efficient while under stress,” she said. “The Air Force taught me how to prioritize and decide which steps to take now, to be resourceful.”

The biggest obstacle to reaching goals, is not knowing the steps to get there, Guerrero added.

Armed with a solid refusal to fail and a quality recipe, Guerrero was ready to take her TurboPUP creation to the next level.

Upon hearing about the business-themed reality television series Shark Tank’s call for entrepreneurial veterans, she was ready to compete for a chance to make her goal a reality. While going through a business coaching accelerator program with a group known as V.W.I.S.E. (Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship), Guerrero sent an email to Shark Tank. Immediately regretting that initial, timid email, Guerrero sent a follow-up email proudly outlining her military achievements and boldly explaining why she deserved to be on the show. The second email worked as she was chosen to compete early this year.

“I think I was chosen because they saw my life wasn’t magical and perfect,” said Guerrero. “I’m a very non-stereotypical military person. I mean, I’m a free-spirited hippie.”

After a strong pitch on the set at Shark Tank, Guerrero and her TurboPUP business idea won the support of investor Daymon John. He offered $100,000, as well as business help, in exchange for 40% of the company. Guerrero managed to haggle him down to 35% of the company, and a deal was struck.

While Guerrero has experienced many frustrations on the production front, including dealing with necessary changes in recipes, TurboPUP is poised to break out early next year. She has taken the company, with help from her husband and her success on Shark Tank, from being a $25,000 business with products in 100 stores to a multi-million dollar company which will have products in more than 1,000 stores by January of 2016.

Not only does Guerrero credit the big city help she’s received, she is quick to recognize local organizations as well. US Bank helped her get a loan to get started, while the La Pine Chamber of Commerce offered other support. Economic Development of Central Oregon and the Oregon Outdoor Alliance both provided entrepreneurial education assistance.

“I believe small town, personal relationships aid in success,” explained Guerrero. “The hardest part about being an entrepreneur is feeling overwhelmed. So, it’s great to have some help get you through the tough times.”

“[In the Air Force] we care about things bigger than ourselves.

It is always about the team, as we believe we are just a cog on a big wheel.”

In addition to running TurboPUP, Guerrero has her Masters Degree and works as an on-call occupational therapist, another way she has dedicated herself to giving back. Rounding out her desire to help, she also rescues wild mustangs at her south county property.

Perhaps Guerrero’s greatest attribute is her desire to use her business to help people and bring about change for the greater good. The veteran Air Force pilot donates 5% of TurboPUP’s profits to charities such as the Humane Society of Central Oregon and to various Veterans organizations.

“I think it’s important to have a business revolution,” she said.

“Businesses need to be more socially conscious.”

Guerrero’s future goals for TurboPup include becoming an automated business strong enough to cause change in the world. She wants TurboPUP to become an athletic

lifestyle brand known for nutrition, health, and wholesome ingredients.

While she continues to pursue the best path for her business, soon she will also be guiding her first child on his or her own path. At press time Guerrero and Sylvester were anxiously awaiting the birth of their baby.

While her life has taken many turns

and her future adventures as a mom and a business owner may seem a long ways from her time as an Air Force pilot, Guerrero has not forgotten her military roots. While she pursues her own dreams, she hopes to be an inspiration to her fellow veterans.

“I want to let veterans know how powerful they can be in life.”

Ageless | Page 19

Healing Heroes

Local veterans experience emotional transformation through equine assisted therapy.

by Bridget McGinn, for The Bulletin Special Projects

Eddy, one of a herd of 13 equine therapy horses at Helping Hoofs, was apprehensive. His head was held high, and in the words of equine therapist Cherie Appleby, he was “prancy”— staying well away from Appleby and the young veteran standing next to her in the center of the arena.

The young man, struggling with trauma issues and at the ranch on the recommendation of his therapist, had struck up a rapport with Eddy over the fence. Now loose in the arena with the young man and Appleby, the horse was keeping his distance.

“Horses have a very keen sensibility,” said Appleby. “Eddy could sense

the unsettled emotions in this young man’s body. And since horses are animals of flight, his first reaction was to leave the situation.”

As a certified EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association) military provider working with veterans and their families, Appleby was familiar with this scenario. She knew from experience that he would need to settle his energy and approach the horse on his own. She advised him to empty his mind of thoughts, slow down, whisper and concentrate on breathing, creating an opening for trust and establishing trust with the horse.

Several minutes passed, and as the young man adjusted to the situation, Eddy grew curious and approached. He allowed himself to be petted, and soon the young man had his arms around the horse’s neck and was sobbing.

“He experienced a personal release,” said Appleby. “And Eddy’s honest behavior — moving away from negative energy and coming forward when his energy changed to willing participation — helped. Horses have beautiful instincts.”

At Helping Hoofs, the majority of those provided with Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) are veterans, dealing with issues such as post-trau-

matic stress, depression, grief/bereavement, anxiety, anger and aggression, post-deployment reintegration issues and relationship/family issues.

“They have served our country and are proud individuals who have had been trained to do what you and I couldn’t imagine doing,” said Appleby.

“And then they have to come back and find a new normal. Which is not easy.”

Each session at Helping Hoofs is supported by a trio of facilitators: an equine therapist, a psychotherapist or mental health expert, and a horse.

Horses are uniquely suited to this work, as their natural behavior as herd animals can be a reflection of

Cherie Appelby

“Horses are very sensitive to a person’s emotions.

They seem to have a sixth sense and they notice if you are quiet or sad. They are very healing beings.”

— Kimberly Darling Page 20 | Ageless

“[Veterans] have served our country and are proud individuals who have had been trained to do what you and I couldn’t imagine doing. And then they have to come back and find a new normal, which is not easy.”

— Cherie Appleby human social groups, and because their nonverbal communication based on body language is non-threatening.

Bonding — leading to building trust, confidence and greater self-awareness — can be established with a horse through grooming, walking or just being in their proximity.

One of the challenges that Appleby and her team have faced in this work is finding approval through official channels. Recognizing that further research data is necessary to gain official support for this alternative treatment modality, Appleby and Halina Kowalski, licensed professional counselor and family therapist (who is also a certified EAGALA military provider) have joined forces to launch several pilot programs to gather data.

Their ultimate goal is to establish a national research center for equine therapy.

Kimberly Darling, 56, a U.S. Army and Army Reserves veteran, participated in one of the pilot programs, which focused on providing healing for female veterans who had experienced Military Sexual Trauma (MST).

The eight-week program brought the group of veterans together at Helping

Hoofs once a week for three hours.

The experience was life changing, said Darling.

“Horses are very sensitive to a person’s emotions,” said Darling. “They seem to have a sixth sense and they

notice if you are quiet or sad. They are very healing beings, and I think after that experience I am a better human. I understand that I am not alone.”

One part of the program that stands out for Darling was being asked to

create an obstacle course in the arena and then lead the horse through it.

“It was amazing how for each of us the course we created represented real obstacles in our life,” said Darling.

“And we had figured out a way to get around it, or through it. It was empowering.”

Darling encourages veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress for whatever reason to seek out help from programs such as those offered at Helping Hoofs.

“I think maybe God wired horses in such a way to help make people feel better,” said Darling. “Horses can bring out the best in people, and what they give back is immeasurable.”

For Appleby and her team, the focus is currently on moving the program to a new, more accessible location in Central Oregon with indoor facilities, and continuing to gather data to help better serve veterans in our community and beyond.

“This is where our hearts are,” said Appleby. “And a lot of veterans need our help.”

For more information, visit: www. helpinghoofs.org or email: Appleby. cherie53@gmail.com.

Ageless | Page 21

Courageous Aviation Innately adventurous, Everett “Jigger” Endicott has spent a lifetime in the air as a civilian pilot and as a second lieutenant in the Army Air Corp.

by Tor Hanson, for The Bulletin Special Projects

Everett “Jigger” Endicott pointed to a photo of a young air cadet in front of his P-51 fighter.

“That’s me,” he said. For the second time during the 20th Century the world was at war and he was one of millions of Americans serving their country.

Today, Endicott is more at home in his easy chair.

He was born in Hood River in 1919, but the birthplace was really a fluke. His parents lived in Madras at the time, but his dad was working as a carpenter at the Hood River Hotel when Everett was born.

The family eventually settled in Redmond where Endicott grew up. After graduating high school in 1938, he got a job in a hardware store in Redmond owned by Sid Lloyd and Harry Van Arsdale.

“I was playing baseball in the town league and Sid thought that I was a pretty good player,” Endicott recalled. “At the time there was a Los Angeles Angels baseball player named Jigger Statz. Sid started calling me Jigger and the name stuck.”

Adventurous by fault, Endicott decided to get a pilot’s license. That was a $65 proposition in 1939.

“The government had a Civilian Pilot Training program in Redmond. Only the top three people got to fly and I was way down the list. Ernie Sink, who ran the program, told me he’d give me a private license if I could come up with the money.”

Determined, Endicott borrowed the money and after classroom studies and just eight hours of flying with an instructor, he soloed.

“I was ready for it. It really wasn’t that big of a deal. We were flying high-wing Aeroncas. It was a Page 22 | Ageless

very forgiving airplane and it just seemed so easy.”

After several more hours of solo flying, Endicott got his license. He was 20 years old and World War II was just about to start in Europe.

At age 22, Endicott enlisted in the Army Air Corps. It was at the end of November 1941, only weeks before the attack on Pearl Harbor. He still remembers the events leading up to “the day that will live in infamy.”

Endicott was stationed at Jefferson Barracks in Missouri waiting to transfer to Florida.

“They were sending seven of us to Boca Raton for radar school. The British had just perfected the radar and released the new technology to the Americans to use.”

While waiting for his transfer orders, Endicott enjoyed the nightlife. The U.S. Service Organization (USO) club in St. Louis was a well-frequented hangout. By coincidence, famed singer Kate Smith, best known for her rendition of Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America,” was in town.

“She took six of us out to dinner. She wanted to know if anyone had a special song, and I asked her to sing ‘Stardust’. And she did,” Endicott recalled.

“I was at the club the next morning when a military policeman asked me where I was stationed,” Endicott said, reflecting on that fateful morning. “I told him. … ‘You have to return immediately,’ he said. ‘We’re at war!’ That was December 7th.”

After radar school, Endicott was transferred again. This time to Texas for aviation training.

His time as an aviation cadet in Texas was a fortuitous event. He met his future bride, Betty, at the USO Halloween dance in San Antonio in 1942.

“They lined up the girls on one side of the club and the cadets on the other side,” Endicott recalled. “Betty pointed her finger at me, came over and we started to dance.”

That dance changed the course of their future. The two began dating and on July 23, 1943, they tied the knot.

It was a “parade day” for Endicott.

He got his pilot’s wings, got his commission as second lieutenant in the Army Air Corp, and married Betty.

“She was the loveliest, nicest girl that I had ever met! And she hasn’t changed.”

After receiving his wings, Endicott put in a request to fly single-engine airplanes. That meant flying fighters.

He was sent back to Florida for additional training before he was scheduled to go overseas to join the war.

But fate intervened. While the rest

known for pulling rank and yelling at their cadets, Endicott said he had a more fair and understanding approach.

There were no two-seat trainers at the time, so Endicott had to fly beside his students and talk them through how to fly the airplanes.

Endicott especially liked the “dogfight” training.

“I guess I was a bit more aggressive.

I liked beating the other guy. That’s why they kept me as an instructor.”

When he returned to civilian life after the war, Endicott went back to his pre-war job at U.S. Bank. But a life in the air was tough to give up.

Endicott got a job as a crop-duster for Cal Butler. It was a different type of air acrobatics.

“At the time, we didn’t have any equipment to see what we had already sprayed. We flew low enough to make wheel marks on the potato vines so we could see where we had been,” Endicott said.

propeller airplane. The plane wants to turn itself around the axis of the propeller.

“A P-51 had so much torque that you had to use the right break until you got up to a certain speed. There were no such issues flying jets.”

Endicott’s flying days came to a halt when the doctor told him he had a heart murmur. He may have been grounded, but Endicott still wasn’t done with airplanes. He was trans-

lieutenant colonel with a Bronze Star for meritorious service.

“Jigger” Endicott still lives in Redmond with his wife Betty. They have been married for more than 72 years and have raised two kids. Their son George is the mayor of Redmond and daughter Carol lives in Massachusetts.

A life well lived, sums up Endicott’s experiences. When it comes to picking his favorite episode, Endicott pauses.

“There are so many doggone good

of his class was sent overseas, Endicott was told to stay behind as a flight instructor.

“I went to see the commander. I told him that I wanted to go overseas with the rest of the guys. He told me point blank, ‘No one asked you what you want to do.’”

Recognizing that a lieutenant should never argue with his superior officer, Endicott said, “Yes, sir!”

As an instructor, Endicott flew the latest breed of high-performance warplanes, teaching cadets how to fly the P-40 “Warhawk” and the P-51 “Mustang.”

While some flight instructors were

“I was doing pretty well until I tried to cut down a juniper tree in Prineville.”

Endicott lost the duel with the tree and ended up in the hospital for a week.

In 1953, the Air Force called and wanted him back. This time he got to teach cadets to fly jets – the T-33 “T-Bird,” F-80 “Shooting Star,” and F-84 “Thunderflash” and “Thunderstreak.”

“Jets were easier to fly because you had no torque,” Endicott explained.

A pilot has to take the torque in consideration when he’s flying a

ferred to Strategic Air Command as an aircraft maintenance job control officer. In that position, the former pilot even got to take a small part in the Cuban Missile Crisis.

After the U-2 spy planes took pictures of the missile sites in Cuba, the films were sent to Westover where Endicott was stationed.

“We had a plane ready to fly to Kodak Eastman headquarters in Rochester, New York to have the films developed.”

After an assignment in Burma as an aircraft maintenance advisor for the Burma Air Force and a tour in Vietnam, Endicott retired in 1969 as a

memories. It’s difficult to pick out just one single moment.”

“Ask him about his Honor Flight,” his daughter, Carol, whispered. Overhearing her, Endicott cracked a smile.

Once a year, Bend Heroes Foundation flies veterans free of charge to see the World War II monument and other places of remembrance in Washington D.C. “I got to lay down a wreath at the ‘Tomb of the Unknowns’ at the Arlington Cemetery,” Endicott shared.

“It’s the greatest honor that I have ever had.”

Ageless | Page 23

Winning the War on the Homefront War efforts at home during WWII had far reaching impact.

by Linda Orcelletto, for The Bulletin Special Projects Photos courtesy of the Des Chutes Historical Museum When we shop for groceries, we may take for granted the variety and often overwhelming choices. It takes willpower to pass by the array of candy and gum located in impulse-buy sections next to the cash registers.

Yet, during World War II (1941-1945), fully stocked shelves at the neighborhood grocery store was not the norm.

Food such as meats, coffee, sugar, dairy and canned goods were in short

supply because these staples went to feed our service personnel and Allies overseas. Since the national priority was transporting soldiers and war supplies, gas, oil and rubber tires were limited, too. All these shortages lead to a complex and ever-changing rationing system developed by the Office of Price Administration (OPA).

Every, man, woman and child was issued a series of ration books that

Additional efforts to win the war from the homefront: WAR BOND DRIVES –

Nearly every bank sold bonds that were basically a loan to the government to help finance the war effort. Bonds were sold at 75 percent of their face value. Even kids purchased them.

SCRAPPAPER DRIVES –

Gordon and three other boys dubbed themselves the Patriot Club and gathered more than one ton of newspapers for the war effort. Paper was used for packing ammunition, containers for field rations, protective bands for bombs, blood/plasma containers and more.

Page 24 | Ageless

SCRAP METAL DRIVES –

Even the World War I cannon in Drake Park was melted down for the war effort (see photo).

VICTORY GARDENS –

Central Oregon isn’t a gardeners’ paradise, but families were encouraged to grow their own fruits and vegetables to can/ preserve for later use.

SAVING FAT –

Women were encouraged to save their bacon grease – not only to spruce up our limited supply of food to make things taste better, but the fat was used to make glycerin, used in bombs.

RECYCLING/REPAIRING –

Today we tend to buy a new item to replace a broken one, but during WWII items were fixed instead of being tossed.

Even runs in women’s nylons (used for parachutes) were repaired.

MODIFYING CLOTHING –

Shortening hemlines, no cuffs, patching clothing … some women even drew lines down their legs with a grease pencil to act as the ‘seam’ on nylons.

DOING WITHOUT –

While this wasn’t a new concept to the older generation who already experienced the Depression, during WWII, it was everyone’s patriotic duty.

RED CROSS –

Immediately following Pearl Harbor, the Deschutes County Chapter stepped up their presence in Bend and Camp Abbot in Sunriver. In addition to making thousands of surgical dressings and war garments, Red Cross volunteers knitted hats, socks and sweaters. Red Cross was instrumental in setting up blood drives. Volunteers served coffee and donuts in the Bend and Redmond canteens, plus offered games and stationary to service men passing through. The Junior Red Cross contributed by making Christmas boxes for children overseas.

contain stamps which were good for certain rationed items. You couldn’t purchase a rationed item without giving your local grocer the correct number and color of stamps, which was meticulously tracked by each grocer. Once your stamps for an item were used for the month, you could no longer purchase it.

Furthermore, even if your ration book contained a stamp for a particular item, it didn’t mean you had to buy it; conservation was highly encouraged. A shortage of food meant canning and growing your own, careful menu planning, being creative with recipes and not wasting food.

Gordon Dahlin, now 81 years old, says he and most children were spectators rather than participants during the war, so they had a different perspective than adults. Like many boys his age, Gordon’s main concerns were how to spend his summers at Mirror Pond, what to ‘hunt’ on Awbrey Butte (then considered wilderness) and who would be the enemy when playing war. Gordon didn’t think much about the fact that he rode his tricycle around the yard on rubberless wheel rims, wore patched clothing and shoes he’d outgrown, or played war with his friends using a cast off ‘gun’ salvaged from the wood yard. But when it came to candy (or lack of), Gordon confesses he felt deprived.

“There were only two types of chewing gum, one called Orbitz [off-label produced by Wrigley’s that sent the usual brand overseas],” Gordon recalled. “One of the candy bars was a concoction of sweet, gooey stuff holding peanuts together. It was awful. During those years, everything

went to the war effort. I guess the soldiers needed things more than we did.”

Because Gordon’s parents, Jake and Violet Dahlin, owned Hill Street Grocery Store near the corner of Hill and Delaware Streets from 1941 to 1946, they didn’t experience the food rationing that most families did

during the war. Despite the candy shortage, Gordon feels lucky he and his family weren’t more affected.

“Everyone reluctantly, but willingly, did what they could to keep the war across the ocean in the Pacific and Europe,” said Gordon. “Back then, sentiments about war was different.

We knew who the enemy was.”

Ageless | Page 25

COCOA FEATURE

Let Me Call You Sweetheart The Story of Dan and Gloria

by Jean McPherson, COCOA, for The Bulletin Special Projects The setting was perfect. Soft music and the tantalizing aroma of freshly prepared seafood filled the room. The spectacular view of the Deschutes River as well as Mt. Bachelor and the Three Sisters provided a breathtaking backdrop for the diners. A handsome gentlemen and a beautiful lady sat a table, deep in conversation. Romance was definitely in the air. The handsome gentleman was Dan Degrossa, 82. The beautiful lady was Gloria Doherty, 75. How this romantic couple met is a long and winding tale.

Dan, a true Italian gentlemen, grew up in Philadelphia and joined the U.S. Air Force at a young age. He spent his first year in the service stationed at an airbase in southern California, attending electronics and radar school. He then worked on the F-86-D Saber fighter jets. He also met his wife, Joann Franklin. They were married the same day Disneyland officially opened. Thereafter, his pet name for her was “mouse ears.”

After being honorably discharged from the Air Force, Dan attended college to pursue an electronic engineering degree. His wife was a teachers aid, teaching math and English to 5th grade students.

After graduation, Dan began working for the U.S. Department of Defense, working on projects such as the Apollo Main Stage Saturn Moon Rocket, the internet, and the

Page 26 | Ageless

Navy cruise missile. After 30 years with the government, including four years in the Air Force, Dan retired in 1988.

Following retirement, Dan and Joann moved to Bend and built a house at Awbrey Butte. Joann volunteered for the next 14 years at the Bend Humane Society. In 1990, Joann was diagnosed with cancer. In an attempt to cheer her, Dan carved a full size carousel horse, which still resides in Dan’s living room. The horse was featured in an article in The Bulletin and in a Salem newspaper, as well as featured on KTVZ and on cable news network television in five states,

including Oregon. Dan’s dream was to bring an old fashioned carousel to Bend, but that dream was never realized. In January of 2015 Joann died of cancer. They had been married for 60 years.

Gloria grew up in Minnesota and attended a Duluth, Minnesota beauty school in 1959.

In 1975, she married Clarence Doherty in Fresno, California, where Gloria worked for Fresno Elementary. Clarence adopted Gloria’s three children from her first marriage.

In 1980, Clarence and Gloria moved to Bend, bought a lot, and built their home. Clarence made toys and whirligigs and Gloria made peanut brittle and baked goods, all of which they sold at the Saturday Market. Gloria also conducted demos at grocery stores throughout Central Oregon and later went to work for Albertsons, retiring in 2004. In 2014 Clarence became ill and passed away in September that year at 86 years old. They had been married for 39 years.

Suddenly, both Dan and Gloria were alone after long, happy marriages. Lonely and despondent, they both wanted, and needed, companionship. As Dan says, “whether it was God or Fate that caused us to meet at a Thursday lunch and dance at the Bend Senior Center, who knows?” The gentleman spied the beautiful lady across the dance floor and asked her to dance. After one dance he was smitten. The room was blaring with big band music, so he escorted

her into the hallway, declaring, “I want to talk to you!” In the relative quiet of the hallway, he told her, “We both want the same thing. I am taking you to dinner tonight at Anthony’s.” And that, as they say, was that. And so, the romantic dinner between the gentlemen and the lady happened and a true romance blossomed.

Gloria revels in Dan’s sense of humor and he loves to hear her laugh at his corny jokes. But, just as importantly, Gloria says he respects her opinion and doesn’t try to run her life. Dan, meanwhile, feels very fortunate that they have met each other, someone to love and share companionship with.

They feel comfortable enough with each other to share memo-

ries of their spouses, realizing that is an integral part of who they are as individuals.

The couple have discovered that they have a lot in common, especially music. She plays piano and sings. Dan plays the accordion, often calling her in the evenings and serenading her over the phone with classic favorites, such as “Let Me Call You Sweetheart.” Dan and Gloria are together daily, attending plays, air shows, Oktoberfest celebrations, festivals, dinner, shows, lunch and dances at the Bend Senior Center and Bend Community Center, church, and the gym. But most importantly, they enjoy their time together and their special bond – and a lovely romance.

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Ageless | Page 27

VETERANS OUTREACH DIRECTORY CARE & COMFORT AMERICAN RED CROSS-OREGON MOUNTAIN RIVER CHAPTER 815 S.W. Bond St., Suite 110 | Bend 97702 541-382-2142 | www.redcross.org/or/bend/ about-us BATTLE BUDDIES OF CENTRAL OREGON 541-390-7587 | www.battlebuddiesco.org CENTRAL OREGON PROJECT HEALING WATERS 541-375-0749 | www.cophw.org CENTRAL OREGON VET CENTER 1645 N.E. Forbes Road, Suite 105 | Bend 97701 541-749-2112 | www.vetcenter.va.gov CENTRAL OREGON VETERANS RANCH 541-706-9062 | info@centraloregonveteransranch.org | www.centraloregonveteransranch.org PORTLAND VA MEDICAL CENTER 3710 S.W. U.S. Veterans Hospital Road 503-220-8262 or 800-949-1004 www.portland.va.gov RETURNING VETERANS PROJECT 503-954-2259 | www.returningveterans.org ST. CHARLES HEALTH SYSTEM Veteran and National Service Liaison Wendy Rudy | 541-706-7770 wrudy@stcharleshehalthcare.org www.stcharleshealthcare.org VA COMMUNITY BASED OUTPATIENT CLINIC 2650 N.E. Courtney Drive | Bend 97701 541-647-5200 | john.shea@va.gov WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT www.woundedwarriorproject.org

SUPPORT & ADVOCACY AMERICAN LEGION POSTS • Stevens-Chute Post 4 (Bend) 541-312-3741 | cabinetman@dldrury. com Page 28 | Ageless

• Stevens-Chute Auxiliary Unit 4 541-390-4231 | yvonnedrury@hotmail.com • Redmond Post 44 | 541-548-5688 alpost44@bendbroadband.com • La Pine Post 45 541-536-1402 | alpost@bendnet.com • Sisters Post 86 | genehellickson@yahoo.com • Madras Post 125 | 541-350-8009 americanlegion125@gmail.com • Crook County Post 29 | 541-447-5651 www.theamericanlegionpost29oregon.org BEND HEROES FOUNDATION 541-388-5591 | www.bendheroes.org http://honorflightofeasternoregon.org BETHLEHEM INN 541-389-2820 | www.bethleheminn.org CARING FOR TROOPS 541-317-9040 or 541-549-4907 | caringfortroops2@gmail.com | www.caringfortroops. com CENTRAL OREGON VETERANS OUTREACH 541-383-2793 | covo@covo-us.org www.covo-veterans.com DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS: BEND #14 541-536-7575 | www.davmembersportal. org/chapters/or/14/default.aspx MARINE CORPS LEAGUE - CENTRAL OREGON DETACHMENT #1308 541-350-8512 MILITARY HONORS BY THE PIPES, INC. 541-233-9158 | pipingpj@yahoo.com www.honorsbythepipes.org MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA 541-390-5080 | moaaoregon@outlook.com http://moaaoregon.com OPERATION SANTA: MARINE CORPS FAMILY FOUNDATION info@marinecorpsfamilyfoundation.org or aallen@proaxis.com MaryElla Strelchun (Bend contact) marytunes@yahoo.com www.marinecorpsfamilyfoundation.org/ Santa.html

The following is a guide to Central Oregon nonprofits & organizations that serve and support veterans and active-duty service members in Central Oregon. Not all local entities may be listed as of press time.

OREGON BAND OF BROTHERS 541-977-7883 or 541-312-3741 www.oregonbandofbrothers.org Chapters in Bend, La Pine, Prineville, Redmond, Sisters and Burns.

OREGON VETERANS MOTORCYCLE ASSOCIATION ovmahde@gmail.com | www.ovma-hde. com/ SOLDIERSONGS 206-227-0194 or 541-617-1911 On Facebook “SoldierSongs Central Oregon” VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS • Bend Ponderosa Pine Post 1643 541-389-0775 | vfwpost1643@bend broadband.com | www.vfw.org • La Pine Post 7242 | 541-508-2701 • Prineville Dexter Fincher Post 1912 541-447-4025 | taylorjim@hotmail.com • Redmond Post 4108 | 541-548-4108 | jpent3@yahoo.com | www.vfwpost.org • Sisters Post 8138 | 541-588-0192 VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA (VVA) 541-306-9207 or trazbend@yahoo.com (Bend) | 541-536-2118 (La Pine) | www.vva-or.org

GOVERNMENT & MILITARY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 1-800-827-1000 | www.va.gov OREGON DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 800-692-9666 or 800-828-8801 www.oregon.gov/odva/INFO/Pages/about_ us.aspx DESCHUTES COUNTY VETERANS SERVICE 1130 N.W. Harriman St. | Bend 97701 541-385-3214 | vets@deschutes.org www.deschutes.org/administration/page/ veterans-services

HOSPICE OF REDMOND’S

WALL OF HONOR

The Wall of Honor had long been a vision of Hospice of Redmond as a way of honoring the many men and women who have served our country.

Through the generosity of a bequest by a community member, the vision became reality when Hospice of Redmond constructed the Wall in 2013. It was dedicated at a ceremony on Veterans Day that same year.

Today, the Wall of Honor is inscribed with more than 360 names of honorably discharged veterans, with a connection to Central Oregon; living or deceased, from all branches of service including the Merchant Marines, and all conflicts dating back to World War I. The Wall of Honor is open to the public and may be viewed at any time at 732 S.W. 23rd St. in Redmond.

For more information on having a name added to the Wall of Honor, the required documentation and cost, call 541-548-7483.

CROOK COUNTY VETERANS SERVICE 422 N.W. Beaver St. | Prineville 97754 541-447-5304 | kim.phillipp@co.crook.or.us or angela.gilley@co.crook.or.us www.co.crook.or.us/Departments/VeteransServices/tabid/141/Default.aspx JEFFERSON COUNTY VETERANS SERVICE 860 S.W. Madison St. | Madras 97741 541-475-5228 |Veterans@co.jefferson.or.us www.co.jefferson.or.us/VeteransServices/ ImportantInformation/tabid/1402/Default. aspx OREGON NATIONAL GUARD FAMILY PROGRAM https://www.jointservicessupport.org/fp/

COCOA NEWS

LOVE YOUR LIFE in Spite of your Chronic Health Conditions Just because you have a chronic health condition doesn’t mean you can’t thrive. Well-being reaches far beyond your physical or emotional health. Whether you have faced cancer or live with diabetes, an autoimmune disorder, multiple sclerosis, asthma, COPD, Crohn’s Disease, depression or other conditions—there is help available to support you in learning ways to improve your quality of life and overall well-being.

Chronic conditions usually develop over time and have no cure.

Knowing how to manage one’s health makes all the difference in how a chronic condition impacts one’s life. Since 2007, Deschutes County Health Services (DCHS) has taken a leading role in offering a suite of community based, patient education programs developed and validated at Stanford University Patient Education Research Center.

Three workshops are currently being offered in the tri-county region, they include: Living Well with Chronic Conditions, Living Well with Diabetes and Tomando Control de su Salud (the Spanish version of the Living Well program).

Although the content may vary, the format for the program is essentially the same.

Workshops are given two and a half hours, once a week, for six weeks, in community settings such as senior centers, churches, libraries, clinics, and hospitals. Workshops are facilitated by two trained leaders, one or both of whom are non-health professionals with chronic diseases themselves. A safe and supportive environment is created where participants, who live with long term health conditions can join together in small groups to share experiences and problem solve. Family members are welcome to attend as

well. All workshops are low cost and can complement existing programs, treatment or disease-specific education such as Better Breathers, cardiac rehabilitation, or diabetes instruction.

DCHS is also planning to introduce a new program to Central Oregon in early 2016. The National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) targets people in our community with prediabetes. Prediabetes is a condition in which a person’s blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. People with prediabetes have evidence of a metabolic defect that affects how they use insulin.

This defect causes blood sugar to build up in their blood rather than be used by the cells. It is estimated that about 35% of Americans have pre-diabetes (86 million in the US, CDC, 2012). Participants follow a year long, intensive program that includes regular small group sessions with a specially trained “Lifestyle Coach.” The program emphasizes healthy eating, weight loss, and regular physical activity.

For more information about any of the programs mentioned please contact either Brenda Johnson (541322-7430) or Sarah Worthington (541-322-7446) at the Deschutes County Health Department, or visit our website www.livingwellco.org

Chronic Conditions by the Numbers 1.7 Number of Americans, in Millions, who dies of a chronic disease each year.

91 Percentage of older adults who have at least one chronic condition.

73 Percentage of older adults with at least two chronic conditions.

5 The chronic conditions – diabetes, kidney disease, hypertension, and mental disorders – that account for one-third of the growth in Medicare spending.

3 The risk factors (poor diet, inactivity, and smoking) that, if eliminated would prevent 80 percent of the heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, and 40 percent of cancer.

Source:National Council on Aging, the Wall Street Journal

Ageless | Page 29

Ageless LEGAL ADVICE

Will or Trust?

WHICH DO I NEED TO COMPLETE MY ESTATE PLAN?

by Melissa Lande, for The Bulletin Special Projects

tative to handle your estate administration and provides your beneficiaries with notice and information about the process.

Most of my clients know that they need to have an estate plan so that they can have some control over their assets after death. The question that I am often asked is Do I need a Will or a Trust?

When should you have a Revocable Living Trust?

What is a Will?

A Will is a document that allows you to distribute assets after your death to specific people. A Will can be changed during the person’s lifetime and it only takes effect after death.

In a Will, a person designates a personal representative. In addition, if the person has minor children, the person should designate a guardian in the Will. A Will does not avoid probate.

However, it informs the court the manner in which assets should be distributed and the person who should act as the personal representative.

What is Probate?

Probate is a court supervised process required to distribute assets at death in accordance with the terms of a Will.

What is a Personal Representative?

A personal representative is the executor of your estate or the person who carries out the terms of your Will in a probate proceeding.

What is a Revocable Living Trust?

A trust is a document that can be used to manage your property during your lifetime including Page 30 | Ageless

during incapacity and to distribute your assets after death. The person who creates the trust is known as the “settlor” or the “trustor”. The person who administers the trust is the “trustee” or the “successor trustee”.

Typically the person who creates the trust also acts as the trustor and trustee during his or her lifetime. At incapacity or death, the designated “successor trustee” will operate the trust as the trustor has directed. A trust avoids probate if assets are held in the name of the trust at the trustor’s death.

When should you have a Will?

If you do not own real property, and your remaining assets have designated beneficiaries or are jointly owned with another person or persons, you will be likely to avoid probate at death so a

Will would be sufficient.

Small estates worth less than $200,000 in real property and $75,000 of personal property can be transferred by filing a small estate affidavit with the court rather than a full probate. This is an abbreviated probate process that does not require publication and the filing of accountings with the court.

The probate process includes creditor protection. If a creditor has knowledge of a probate and does not make a claim within 4 months, the claim will be barred forever.

If you do not want to have to manage or fund a trust during your lifetime, it can be avoided until after your death by having a Will.

If you do not have a trusted person or institution to appoint as your personal representative, the probate requires the court to appoint a personal represen-

A trust can avoid the need for a probate when created and funded properly. You should have a revocable living trust if you want your successor trustee to have access to your funds soon after your death and without the need for petitioning the court to open a probate and to appoint a personal representative.

If the trustor becomes incompetent, the successor trustee can manage trust assets for the trustor’s benefit during the trustor’s lifetime.

If you have minor children or children with special needs or addiction issues, that child’s inheritance will need to be managed in a trust after the trustor’s death.

In order to use both spouses’ Oregon Estate Tax exemption of $1 million, it is better to have separate trusts or a joint marital trust. Funding the tax shelter trusts is often easier with a living trust than creating one through a testamentary trust in a probate.

If you own real property, the property can be sold or transferred to the beneficiaries without court assistance.

If you own real property is multiple states, you would have to file multiple probates at the trustor’s death. If you have a trust, all of

the property can be held in trust and probate can be avoided.

Trusts remain private and are not usually filed in court unless they are contested or require other court intervention.

Which should I have?

Wills are typically easier and cheaper to set up initially but require more effort and expense after death. Trusts are more expensive and require more effort to set up and fund but much less work and expense to administer after death or disability of the trustor. Wills tend to leave more of a burden on the heirs while trusts put more of the burden on the person setting up their estate plan to make sure that the trust is properly structured. If you have questions about whether you should have a Will or a Trust, you should consult with an experienced estate planning attorney.

Melissa P. Lande is a partner at Bryant, Lovlien and Jarvis in Bend. She focuses her practice on assisting her clients with estate planning, elder law, wills, trusts, probate, asset protection, guardianships and conservatorships.

Melissa is a graduate of New York University and Washington and Lee University School of Law in Virginia. She is a member of the Oregon State Bar Estate Planning and Elder Law Sections.

She and her husband, Mark, have a son, Griffin, and a daughter, Lila. Contact Melissa at 541-382-4331 or lande@bljlawyers.com.

Whispering Winds celebrates Veterans for their service to our country and our freedom. And to our many resident Veterans, our deepest Thanks and Admiration.

Adult Day Respite for those living with memory loss Community & Provider Education, Family Support & Education Canby:503.266.5100 | Redmond 541.548.3049 www.thelmasplace.org

Whispering Winds Retirement

2920 NE Conners Ave, Bend, Oegon 97701 541-312-9690 www.whisperingwinds.info

Ageless | Page 31

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