Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined

Marva has worked in nursing, real estate, business brokerage and more. Married in 1969 at 22, she raised 3 children, has 9 grandchildren, all of whom live nearby, and believes satisfaction comes from within. For the last 18 years, Marva has satisfied her desire to be closer to her Methodist faith. As Episcopal Secretary for the Bishop in the Northern Conference, she manages 385 churches, the Bisho...

Ellen’s mother died at 101. Like her mother, Ellen’s current life path is filled with enthusiasm and enrichment. She is fueled by the strong community that is the Docent Volunteers of the Chicago Architecture Center.  Even before becoming a docent (certified in 25 different tours), Ellen pursued one path after another that led to her interests in historic preservation and the rich heritage th...

Donna Lawrence was happily living life until the unspeakable death of her son, at age 20, from a brain seizure. Through the Main Street Entrepreneurs, Matters Cafe and Laughter Yoga, Donna discovered ‘it’s an amazing thing when you realize you can go on’. The color pink helped boost her spirits and, today, she surrounds herself with pink through painting, clothing, decor, and helping others find t...

Worldwide traveler and former teacher at Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Art, Ingrid is an established and well-known artist, specializing in watermedia. From florals to petroglyphs, pictographs and hand-made paper making influenced by her travels, Ingrid is inspired by how light and shadow create unusual perspectives. “My experiences are what help me see and paint what I do today.” - Ingrid...

Marilou Eldred, Ph. D., was called to serve others as a young girl. She devoted ten years as a nun with a teaching order and, upon leaving the convent, embarked on her journey as an educator. Marilou has held top level leadership positions in higher education for women, including President of Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN. After retirement, she was called to philanthropy, serving as Presi...

Many people fear change. Not Leni! She has traveled the world, moved from city to country and back again, many times. Leni began her career as a teacher and discovered that teaching is about influencing changing behavior. So is sales. Joining Xerox for its training and development, she worked there for 3 years. Then, on to insurance, real estate, selling her beaded jewelry, and recently, joining A...

Shirley Holm, age 70, has learned to adjust and thrive to life’s unexpected turns using three anchors: family and friends; education; and active engagement in what matters. After experiencing devasting deaths of her mother, best friend, and husband, Shirley supported her young family teaching in the St. Paul public schools. “Teaching, next to parenting, is the best thing I’ve done in my life.” Alt...

Mary Kemmer was born in Sheboygan Wisconsin, lived in Chicago for almost 20 years and currently lives in Arlington Va. Her professional background spanned 30+ years in Human Resource with a focus on Leadership Development and Executive Coaching. A woman of purpose and learning, Mary serves on two Advisory Boards at Georgetown University Medical Center, The Drs. Speak Out program and Partners in Re...

For over 50 years, Peg Cruikshank has challenged mainstream thinking about women-- in particular, about lesbians and women growing old.  Now retired from Women’s Studies at the University of Maine, Peg serves as an Associate at The Maine Center on Aging. She is the author of award-winning, groundbreaking books: Learning To Be Old: Gender, Culture, and Aging (2003/2013) and The Gay and Lesbian Libe...

Jean Ann Durades, age 89, from Minneapolis, MN., says that in early adulthood, she didn’t imagine what her life would be like. In retrospect, teaching is the thread throughout her career as a schoolteacher, social worker, and for 27 years, as a trainer and field consultant with the YMCA. In 1970, Jean Ann was the first African American woman to become a field consultant with the YMCA; in 2019, she...

This week, we’re celebrating the125th episode of Women Over 70– Aging Reimagined. In this episode of Get Real, Gail and Catherine share what they have learned as they reshape the conversation around women aging. Find out what’s next for the podcast and the ever growing community. Thank you for listening! “At Women Over 70–Aging Reimagined we make it our mission for all women over 70 to be seen and...

Lauren Coodley’s 35-year career involved fighting the educational establishment to legitimize Women’s Studies and to teach using feminist pedagogy. She was profoundly successful with female and male students alike. Yet, Lauren was forced to retire from her tenured position at age 60 due to misogyny and ageism, as well as her activist career. Lauren’s work as an historian includes a textbook on Cal...

Nancy Hunter loves adventure. As the first Affirmative Action Officer for Harris Bank (now Bank of Montreal), she helped forge a path for women and minorities to rise in the ranks. After a move to First Chicago (now Chase Bank) and 30 years in banking, she opened her own consultancy a year before her husband tragically died by suicide at the age of 59. 4 years later Nancy sold her business and mov...

Marcia Ross, 78, held a deep-seated love of history and Jewish studies. As her children grew she started taking courses at Spertus Institute which led to a master’s degree in Jewish communal service. Working for the Jewish Federation and Spertus Institute, Marcia felt extremely fortunate to be part of the team that built the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. The skills sh...

As the Midwest regional campaign and outreach manager for Compassion & Choices, a national non-profit organization, Amy Sherman advocates for planning for and expanding end-of-life care options and empowering people to take charge of their own journeys. She leads a statewide coalition in Illinois, in partnership with Final Options Illinois and the ACLU of Illinois, and oversees activities...

Patricia Manahan Anderson, age 83, has been children and family-centered her entire adult life. She gave birth to 6 children in 8 years, including her first-born who died from spina bifida at a young age. With an “uncanny appreciation for healthy children,” Pat developed a holistic parenting style that was congruent with the “natural living of farm life.” During 18+ years of child-rearing, Pat ear...

Margot Wallace is a marketer, academic, author and life-long learner. Starting out, Margot was a writer and creative director for J. Walter Thompson (now JWT), global advertising agency. At age 62, Margot earned a master’s degree from DePaul University and became an assistant professor of marketing at Columbia College Chicago, where she received tenure. Margot pioneered the study of museum brandin...

Nancy Manahan, Ph. D., age 75, lives an inspired life with her wife, author Becky Bohan, on the Florida coast in an intentional community of 500 women, aptly called Carefree. Life partners for 27 years, Nancy and Becky have published six books between them and co-created a 2020 award-winning documentary film about the Carefree Concert Band. Highlights of Nancy’s journey to Carefree include: joinin...

Meg Forney, age 73, advocates for all things park related in Minneapolis, Mn., “the city inside of a park.” As the oldest elected official in the city, Meg serves as a Commissioner-at-Large with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board where she is committed to advancing racial and economic equity through various initiatives, for example: increasing access to park land in underserved communities;...

Description: Teresa Powell, age 72, has always been driven to do something significant with her life. During her pursuit of many interests and causes, Terri developed as a polymath, acquiring experience in the arts, business, education and health care, along with credentials: MPH, MBA, MST and a BA in Music. Terri has a passion for grass roots organizing, e.g., advocating for women’s rights  and c...

Master storyteller, Margaret Burk, believes in the power of story, not only to entertain, but to touch the heart, spark the imagination and embolden the spirit. Margaret performs at storytelling venues, senior residences, women's gatherings, and festivals; co-produces and co-hosts storytelling events; and, teaches storytelling. She is former President and presently Treasurer of Storytelling Inc.,...

As a young girl in Germany, Dr. Maresi Nerad aspired to be a train conductor so she could venture out into the world. She created more expansive means. At age 73 and retired from full-time work at the University of Washington,  Maresi notes three major strands that embody her life’s work: travel to experience and discover the wonders of the world; education to open doors to knowledge and influence...

“I have integrated death into my life in a seamless way through ministry and legacy.” - Rev. Gloria Randolph Rev. Gloria Randolph’s legacy, in addition to the nearly 1000 children she taught as a primary teacher, is the ministry entrusted to her by God, Giving God the Glory Ministries. Gloria’s enthusiasm, boundless energy, and zest for life belie the profound grief she experienced from the loss o...

Anthropologist Bethe Hagens, now 74, imagines her life as the realization of the mantra of the late 1960s: “We are stardust. We are golden. . .and we have to get back to the garden.” She believes human being is the dual cosmic identity of earth energy, uniting the “clay” body and emotions of Mother Earth with the celestial magic and science of the extraterrestrial.  Bethe has used Platonic geometr...

“I continue to work because I love it, I can still be useful and helpful, enjoy what we are doing, and make a contribution.” Since helping found the first non-profit interdisciplinary home health agency in the Midwest in 1972, Dr. Schwartzberg has been a leader in building consensus around new programs in geriatrics, home care, community health, health literacy, and medical education. She currentl...