Retirement Redefined 2012

AUGUST 2012 • A Claremore Daily Progress Publication

RETIREMENT

R E D E F I N E DR E D E F I N E D

Retirement Redefined • August 2012 • 1

Art of RetirementJanice Baldridge has found a new palette that includes

painting, golf and family.

For the Love of QuiltingCarol Thurman’s love of crafts led her to learn how

to quilt.

Bridge KingL. D. Allision has discovered retirement is

everything he expected it to be and much more.

Volunteering benefits childrenPat Paris has been volunteering at Stuart Roosa

Elementary School since 2002 and loves helping.

Hook, Line and SinkerBill Rader loves fishing. He coordinates the

Claremore Jackpot Fishing Tournament.

Green not just a BuzzwordToday’s senior community is finding ways to reuse

and recycle past methods for a new living.

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R E D E F I N E DR E D E F I N E DRETIREMENT

Page 2 Janice Baldridge

Page 16 Bill Rader

Page 14 Pat Paris

2 • Retirement Redefined • August 2012

By Tom Fink

For Claremore woman Janice Baldridge, re-tirement is something she paints in broadstrokes. Figuratively and literally. After

spending more than 30 years in the workforce,lifetime Claremore resident Baldridge began thenext chapter of her life with a paintbrush inhand when she retired in the early 90’s.

Art of RetirementArt of Retirement

Claremore woman’spalette after working

years includespainting, golf, family

Janice Baldridge


“All my life, I’d been interested inart, and even took some eveningclasses in drawing years ago atOklahoma Military Academy (nowRogers State University),” recalledBaldridge, “but my husband, Johnand I married when I was 19 and Istarted work early, so I really didn’thave the time then to invest in artthe way I wanted to.

“When you’re working, you reallydon’t have time for much more thanyour job or your family, both ofwhich I loved, but it left little timefor me to really explore my interestin art,” she said.

Instead, Baldridge continued tobe a wife and soon a mother to thecouple’s daughter, Tamara, as sherose in the ranks at her workplace,Southwestern Bell — from operator,to service representative in the busi-ness office, to a spot in the Tulsa of-fice as a communications technician.

“I enjoyed what I was doing — Ienjoyed work, but I never lost an in-terest in art — it was always there,no matter what I was doing,” shesaid. “By the time I retired in 1992— for one thing, I’d been preparing(to retire) for years, and when I wasable, I was ready. I knew it wastime, and with all of the new freetime I had, I was finally able to takemore (art) classes, and really try myhand at drawing, painting, etc.

“As it turns out, I wasn’t too badat it,” she said.

Now, 20 years later, Baldridgeand her artwork are still goingstrong.

Her artwork has been entered(and won) contests, as well as beenshown on exhibit around the countyand state as an independent artistand member of Three Rivers Artists,an organization which supports thearts in the Claremore area.

“I’ve worked in just about everymedium there is but if I had to picka favorite, I might say I prefergraphite pencil (similar to char-coal),” she said. “For me, workingwith it is more calming somehow —Ifind myself more relaxed whendrawing with graphite (pencil), andI enjoy it more. To some extent,

painting is just an extension ofdrawing, but it’s very different thanstrictly drawing a subject.”

Baldridge says she tries to paintat least twice a week or more,whether she’s working on a particu-lar project or not, just to keep herskills “honed.”

“I like to keep busy (painting),

just to stay in practice — not that aperson loses their talents if theydon’t do it regularly, but their skillstend to lose something if they walkaway from it for very long,” shesaid.

As far as a favorite subject mat-ter, Baldridge says “It depends.”

“I’m a very detail-oriented person— I pay extreme attention to the lit-tle particulars in anything I’m paint-ing, so the more detailed the subject,the better,” she said. “When I’musing watercolor (paint), I tend topaint more floral pictures — water-color is a good medium for that asits brighter and more translucent,but when it comes to detailed paint-ings, for which I use more acrylic(paint), I prefer animals or birds,those would be a preference, or ifI’m working in still life, maybesomething with a lot of lace, again,because of all the intricacies topaint.”

Typically, Baldridge paints for herown enjoyment, but she said she

does occasionally take on projectsfor family or friends.

“Depending on the complexity ofa piece and how much time I’m will-ing to spend on it a day, it mighttake up to a couple of weeks fromstart to finish, but usually, my paint-ings don’t take nearly that long,”she said. “Right now, I’m workingon something I didn’t realize wouldbe as much work as it’s turned outto be. I was visiting my daughter inNew Jersey and at the garden centerthere, there’s a beautiful metalbench with flowers strewn across it.

“When I saw it, I thought to my-self ‘Oh, this is beautiful — I wantto paint it’, so I took some photosfor reference and later got to workon it,” she said. “After I started, itdidn’t take me long to realize howmuch work it was going to be. I hadno idea there were so many angles(to the bench), and I wanted to dothe painting correctly or it wouldn’tlook ‘right’ to me, you know?

“Sometimes, I paint for otherpeople, but I was painting this —I’m still painting this — for myself,and trying to capture the beautythat I saw that day,” she said. “Try-ing to capture it on canvas the way Ioriginally saw it as beautiful hasbeen challenging. I’ve been workingon it for quite a while and I’m onlynow getting to where I’m paintingthe flowers.

“It may be a long while before Itake on another project this techni-cal,” she laughed.

Retirement has opened up an-other recreational pursuit forBaldridge: Golf.

“Retirement has been wonderful,I do have to say — I’ve gotten to doa lot of things I never had time forbefore, and I’ve started playinggolf,” she said. “That (golf) is some-thing I never thought I’d do or evenwant to do, but my husband took upgolf when he was getting ready toretire and out of curiosity, I tooksome lessons to see what it wasabout.

“I got hooked,” she said. So, these days, Baldridge enjoys

her time on the greens, playing with

I really enjoy what I am doing not working— Janice Baldridge


her husband and friends (”My handicapjust went up to 24, which I’m glad about— I play with some pretty good golfers,”she laughed) or relaxing at home, creat-ing art on her own schedule.

“This is really the best time of mylife,” she said. “I prepared early for re-tirement, so my husband and I don’thave to pinch pennies now like we didbefore retirement. I was fortunate inthat I always enjoyed what I did when Iwas working, but I think of myself aseven more fortunate in that I reallyenjoy what I’m doing not working.”

Longtime Claremore resident Janice Baldridge is aprolific artist and aspiring golfer. After being part ofthe workforce for more than 30 years, she beganher second career as an artist — something shesaid she’d had a passion for her throughout her life.


OK Methodist

The need to save for retirement is some-thing professionals start hearing aboutfrom the moment they begin their ca-

reers. Whether it’s parents extolling thevirtues of retirement plans or employers whoencourage their employees to take advantageof their retirement programs, saving for re-tirement is never far from the minds of pro-fessionals.

As important as such savings can be, manyworkers are deciding to delay their retire-ments. As much as men and women envisionretiring to a faraway seaside villa for theirgolden years, such retirements are not terri-bly common, and many older workers havebegun to recognize the economic and socialbenefits of delaying retirement.

Those undecided about when they want tosay goodbye to the office should consider thefollowing benefits to delaying retirement.

• Fewer years to worry about financingyour lifestyle. Thanks to advancements inmedicine and more and more people livinghealthier lifestyles, men and women are nowliving longer than in years past. While livinglonger, healthier lives is a plus, it does havean effect on retirement. Because people cannow expect to live longer, they must ensuretheir money lasts long enough. By delayingretirement, men and women will have fewerretirement years to finance.

• More chances to save money. It might beyour dream to retire early, but you could bedoing yourself a great disservice by endingyour career prematurely. Men and women ator near the end of their careers are oftenmaking more money than they ever have,which enables them to save more than theyhave in the past, especially if children are fullgrown and supporting themselves. Take ad-vantage of these high-salary years, even if itmeans working an extra few years. If you do,when you retire you could have substantiallymore in savings than you would have had youretired early.

• Stay socially active. In addition to eco-nomic benefits, delaying retirement has socialbenefits as well. Many people get the bulk oftheir social interaction with colleagues andcoworkers. When men and women retire,these opportunities for social interaction candwindle rather quickly, and it’s not uncom-mon for retirees to battle feelings of isolation.Delaying retirement allows you to easilymaintain contact with friends and colleagues,and can lead to a better quality of life.

• The chance to give back. Many olderprofessionals view retirement as being put outto pasture, where their years or experiencearen’t utilized. However, individuals who

Delaying retirement has financial, social benefits delay retirement can use their extrayears around the office as an oppor-tunity to leave a legacy for the nextgeneration.

This is something professionalsfind especially valuable as their re-tirement draws nearer and they wantto leave a lasting mark, be it on theircompany, within their industry or inthe community in which their com-pany operates.

Delaying retirement provides moretime to build this legacy, and can cre-ate a greater sense of fulfillmentwhen men and women do decide toretire.

Delaying retirement is growing in-creasingly popular. Men and womenoften see it as a chance to build abigger nest egg and leave a morelasting legacy within their companyand community.

6 • Retirement Redefined • August 20126 • Retirement Redefined • August 2012

For the Love of QuiltingFor the Love of Quilting


By Salesha Wilken

Carol Thurman is not your average retiree andcertainly not ready for the rocking chair, thatis unless it comes with baskets of patterns,

thread, fabric and other needle turn appliqué sup-plies.

Carol is a quilter and specializes in needle turnappliqué and in the past 10 years she has sewnmore than 100 quilts.

Many of those quilts feature this specialized typeof work. Needle turn appliqué is a traditionalmethod of hand sewing fabric on top of anotherpiece, usually in a pattern or involving an intricatedesign.

Often times the method involves patches orblocks and is very detailed work performed byhand.

“Needle turn appliqué is my favorite. It takes alittle time, but I love it,” Carol said.

This type of quilting is significant throughouthistory and the cloth decoration technique is cross-cultural and can be found in cultures around theworld.

To some ancient societies it was considered aform of writing, storytelling or a way to record in-formation, according to www.textilesindepth.com.

However, for her it is the simple pleasure of cre-ating something by hand, something she loves, agift that can be passed down for generations.

Carol sits quietly showing her artwork, as eachpiece is unique and stitched with love.

It was a love for crafts and her family thatbrought her to learn to quilt.

“When my mother died I found a box of fabricthat was my grandmothers quilt pieces, I wanted tomake something with them,” Carol said.

She had done a little sewing as a child, but hadnever quilted before.

During her life she had learned to sew variousitems including clothing for her four children, butthis was a new adventure.

So Carol then took up the challenge and startedlooking into quilting including joining the localquilt guild, Country Fare Quilters Guild.

“The guild has been so wonderful, their friend-ship means everything to me,” Carol said. “Theyfeel a big need in my life.”

Carol Thurman expresses her thoughts through hercraft of quilt making. She specializeds in needleturn applique, which is a traditional method of handsewing fabric on top of another piece.

Thurman’s love of craftsand family helpedher learn to quilt


RCB

Through the guild a friendshipand a skill blossomed. She quicklypicked up the art and put her imagi-nation to work.

The best part of the process forCarol is designing the quilt in herhead.

“Nobody will have one just likemine,” she said.

Then shopping for the fabricbrings an exciting, fun challenge tofind just the right pieces to match herdesign, she explains.

From the quilt shop to the quiltroom, design starts to become realityand the process continues sometimesfor weeks as each quilt takes on itsown life through her hands.

Once you make one it just startsgetting addictive, she explains.

“I think I will have to live to 200years to get in half of the quilts Iwant to do,” Carol said.

Quilting takes a little patience,Carol explained but it is a productiveactivity that keeps her connected

with others in the community.“I feel like I am doing something

good,” Carol said. “Without this Iwould go nuts because I have workedall my life.”

It is more than a hobby; quiltingprovides Carol with something morevaluable, friendship.

The guild members becomestitches in the each other’s lives, sheexplained.

“Their friendship is everything itis more than quilting,” Carol said.

Carol is now looking to take whatshe has learned with the craft ofquilting to begin to teach others.

Soon she will be teaching classesin the area to help others learn theart of needle turn appliqué.

Carol has taught others in herguild from time to time but now shehopes to expand this to the commu-nity.

Teaching will add another avenuefor her to share her talents and lovefor the timeless tradition of quilt

making.“I would love to see young women

to start an interest in quilting.” Carolsaid. “I would love to see kids learn-ing to do this as well.”

Carol works with her granddaugh-ter when she comes to visit and en-joys watching her learn.

It is a joy to see others enjoy some-thing that she loves and the opportu-nity to share the skill with others isvery exciting, according to Carol.

Carol also wants others to share inthe guild experience; she wants peo-ple to get involved with their localquilting guilds.

Her passion for the craft is dis-played in the stitches of the everyheirloom she creates.

Carol is creating a kind of happi-ness and joy that is contagious.Through quilting she has found away to defy retirement and providenew opportunities for years to come.


Are you ready for retirement? Tips to get on trackFamily Features

When it comes to planning for retirement, there aremany factors to consider. For instance, when is theideal time to retire? How much should you save and

contribute annually? How do you know which type of retire-ment investments will fit your needs, goals and risk toler-ance?

“Retirement today is, not surprisingly,being redefined for many people,” saysLule Demmissie, managing director of in-vestment products and retirement at TDAmeritrade, Inc., a broker dealer sub-sidiary of TD Ameritrade Holding Corpo-ration.

In fact, according to the U.S. CensusBureau, the average life expectancy isnow 78 years. In addition, the Familiesand Work Institute reports that nearly 75percent of people age 50 and older expectto work during retirement. “If you’re notprepared, you may find yourself having towork in some capacity to supplementyour retirement savings. For some, this may not be an avail-able option due to health issues as they get older,” says Dem-missie. “So taking careful consideration when planning foryour financial future can help you retire when the time isright for you and your family.”

With that in mind, Demmissie shares the following retire-ment planning tips:

Focus on the key areasThere are four areas that can directly impact your retire-

ment plan - your budget, resources, investments and lifestyle:• Lifestyle - Consider factors such as where you live, what

hobbies you will pursue, and whether or not you will con-tinue to work in some capacity.

• Budget - Make sure you have a clear understanding ofyour expenses during retirement, from medical needs to thecost of housing and inflation.

• Resources - Determine where your money will comefrom during retirement.

• Investments - Develop a plan that will try to make yourmoney last throughout your retirement.

Utilize online resourcesIn addition to focusing on the key areas, there are a num-

ber of free online resources that can help investors, includingTD Ameritrade’s online retirement center,www.tdameritrade.com/retire.

Understand the benefits of a Roth IRA versus a Tradi-tional IRA

It’s also important to keep in mind that retirement accountscan lead to tax benefits, such as:

• Roth IRA - Affords the ability fortax-free growth and federal tax-free with-drawals (for those investors meeting IRSrequirements, such as age).

• Traditional IRA - The ability todeduct contributions on your incometaxes now and pay the taxes when youmake qualified withdrawals in retire-ment. In the meantime, savers can benefitfrom tax-free growth in the account.

•While some may think they’re tooyoung to begin planning for retirement,it’s actually never too soon,” advisesDemmissie. “It can be difficult to under-stand the different plans, but there aremany resources available to make the de-

cision making process easier. It’s important to ensure that youare prepared for retirement, with the tools and knowledge tolive the life you’ve worked for, and the ability to enjoy retire-ment when the time is right.”

For help deciding which retirement plan may be right foryou, visit www.tdameritrade.com/retire.


By Rebecca Hattaway

Marking his 20th year of retirement, L.D.Allison is healthy and active and doesn’t planon slowing down any time soon. He retired in

1992 after 34 years as a County Agent with OSU ex-tension. Since then, he’s filled his time with a varietyof hobbies and volunteer opportunities.


Bridge KingBridge King

Retirement is everythingAllison wants it to be

L.D. Allison


“I’m 77 and I feel like I want to stay activeand keep contributing,” he smiled.

He said retirement today isn’t what it usedto be decades ago when people quit workingand just waited around to die.

“You can stay active with a good mind a lotlonger than people could 40 or 50 years ago,”he said.

One thing he credits with keeping his mindstrong is bridge.

“I play bridge now so I have a full deck lateron!” he chuckled. “It’s very relaxing and suretakes your mind off of a lot of other things. It’salso a good memory-builder.”

He has been playing for about 25 years,starting with a two-table men’s club.

Four years ago, he helped start a duplicateclub in Claremore.

“We found out we had a director in Clare-more. Richard Butrovich had just moved here,”Allison said. “We started off with 28 peoplethat met with us that first time.”

Now the club averages 40 to 44 playerswhen they play the second and fourth Thurs-days of each month at Claremore CommunityCenter.

“We are tickled at how the bridge club is

doing and how much people are enjoying it,”he said. “We’ve lost some players over theyears. The age of group...well, the womenwouldn’t appreciate that, but they are peoplewell into retirement!

“The ladies love to dress up — they dresslike they’re going to church. People are sofriendly and we enjoy visiting before we startplaying.”

The success of the Claremore club is alsoseen in its attraction of players from the sur-rounding area.

“Four people from Catoosa play with us,”Allison said. “We’ve had two sectional tourna-ments that have brought people here fromKansas, Arkansas, Texas and a number ofclubs around Oklahoma.”

They will host a third tournament Sept. 28-30 and hope to play 25 tables every day.

But retirement’s not just about having fun;it’s also about doing good.

Allison has served as vice president of theFriends of the Will Rogers Library for the lastfour years.

He’s been involved in the organization forabout 20 years, even serving as president atone time.


“Our Friends of the Library is one of the best in thestate of Oklahoma,” he said. “Libraries are having atough time right now. We formed a foundation aboutfour years ago to continue to support the library byproviding supplies and other things. They give us a‘wish list’ every year and we fill that for them.”

Once a month, Allison uses his pickup truck to haulfood from the Community Food Bank of EasternOklahoma in Tulsa to his church — First UnitedMethodist of Claremore— for use in their GoodSamaritan Ministry.

“When I started doing it, we were storing food in a4x6 foot room,” he said. “Then we moved to a largerroom, then another larger room as the ministry contin-ued to grow. Now we’re in a 40x60 foot room.”

He said that while the food supply has been cutback recently, at its peak he was hauling 6,000 poundsof food a trip which was distributed to 380 peopleeach month.

Three years ago, Allison decided to become a do-cent at the Will Rogers Memorial.

“The National County Agents Association meetingwas in Oklahoma that year and I signed up so I couldhelp take them to Claremore,” he said.

Now he enjoys meeting people from far and nearwho visit the museum.

“You just ask people where they’re from and findyou have a lot of things in common, and then I havestories I like to tell them about different parts of theMemorial,” he said. “You’d be surprised at the number

of people from foreign countries who visit. They knowthe Mother Road. They fly into Chicago and takebuses along Route 66 to LA. We are on that circuit.”

This year, Allison started volunteering with the elec-tion board, counting votes during elections.

“You don’t do that because of the money, you do itbecause you want to help out,” he said. “I think it’ssomething everyone should consider doing sometimein their lives. My folks counted votes after I left home.Of course, it’s a little bit different today.”

Then there’s the work he does appraising crops forthe Farm Service Agency, tending to his flower garden,and traveling.

“Anything that interests me I might try because Ilike to stay busy and don’t like a lot of dead time,” hesaid.

His biggest hobby is investing, an interest thatbegan 53 years ago when he started buying stock.

“That’s what I read about the most — investmentsand companies,” he said. “I used to spend most all mySunday afternoons reading investments.”

Allison’s retirement has proven that you’re nevertoo old to learn something new, help your community,and enjoy life.

“A lot of older people are ready to fold the tent,” hesaid. “But retirement is everything I wanted it to be. Ijust hope I have enough time to do all the things I stillwant to do.”

Retirement Redefined • August 2012 • 13Retirement Redefined • August 2012 • 13

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By Jason Davis

What if senior adults and theirloved ones were given more op-tions? Resident choice is at the

center of the Baptist Village of Owassophilosophy and has placed the commu-nity in a unique position. It allows Bap-tist Village to offer an entirely new anddistinctive type of living called Inde-pendence Plus, in addition to its otherneighborhoods of apartments and patiohomes.

Services you want, when you wantthem, in a place you call home. This isthe lifestyle Baptist Village residents areexperiencing through IndependencePlus.

“Independence Plus is something un-like any other service you’ll find at othercommunities,” says Nathan Purifoy,campus director. “We’re really excited tooffer this special concept to senioradults.”

Senior living communities long haveheld a traditional hierarchy of servicelevels. Senior adults are led to believethey start with residential (independent)living and proceed to assistance in livingor health center with 24-hour care, de-pendent on what services they may needlater in life.

Assistance in living services typicallycost considerably more than independ-ent living. This is understandable, sincemany more living services accompanyassistance in living. But what aboutthose that don’t necessarily need orwant all of the services? What if some-one just wanted a few services? This ishow Independence Plus was born.

Independence Plus is available withinthe Sycamore Square neighborhood.Residents experience living through an

array of services specifically designedfor convenience, security and support.Designed around a courtyard, SycamoreSquare includes private, coded entry-ways, sunrooms and a large communityroom.

“This innovative neighborhood pro-vides an enriched lifestyle along withadditional peace of mind for residentsand their families,” said Purifoy.

Among the many Independence Plusservices included in the monthly servicefee are neighborhood breakfasts, addi-tional dining, housekeeping and laun-dry, emergency response pendants andutilities.

Every Independence Plus resident isprovided with the contact informationof their personal, trained “My-L.I.F.E.-Guide”. L.I.F.E. stands for Living well,Inspiring others, Fulfilling dreams, andExceeding expectations. My-L.I.F.E.-Guide services were introduced by Bap-tist Village Communities (BVC) to servethe greater Tulsa area and can bereached at 1-888-910-2234. By includ-ing My-L.I.F.E.-Guide as an Independ-ence Plus service, BVC providesresidents with one contact person toprovide resource coordination, answersto daily living, and even individualized

goal planning.“My-L.I.F.E.-Guides serve by assess-

ing where you are now and what youwant to do with the rest of yourL.I.F.E.,” says Lisa Gilbert, RN and My-L.I.F.E.-Guide supervisor. “We listen toyour goals, find the tools needed toachieve them and provide encourage-ment along the way.”

The concept is simple. My-L.I.F.E.-Guides lead the way through the detailsof aging services. My-L.I.F.E.-Guidesare the solution to financial and timemanagement challenges.

One resident moved to the Independ-ence Plus neighborhood to be closer toher Oklahoma family. “I love the social-ization with other residents and going tolunch in the Redbud dining room,” de-clares the resident. “I have the best ofboth worlds – living independently in aneighborhood of friends while beingable to attend church and family func-tions with my family.”

Another resident has lived independ-ently in her Sycamore Square apartmenthome for nearly 29 years. “I used tovolunteer here, so I knew the FriendsTeam (employees),” attests the resident.“I have always loved going on theplanned life enrichment trips.”

Independence Plus and My-L.I.F.E.-Guide services are part of the greaterBVC L.I.F.E. Network of patio homes,residential living, assistance in living,Entrusted Hearts services at home,medical equipment, health centers and24-hour skilled nursing.

Baptist Village of Owasso is a min-istry of BVC, which operates eight Vil-lages, five home health offices and amedical equipment company through-out Oklahoma. For more information,visit www.baptistvillage.org.

Adding to Life with ‘Independence Plus’ at Baptist Village


Volunteering benefits childrenVolunteering benefits children

Pat Paris donates her time and love for teaching after retirement.

By Mark Friedel

Claremore resident Pat Paris retiredfrom Verdigris Elementary in2003. For seven years she has ac-

tively volunteered her time and talent,helping in the library at Stuart RoosaElementary School.

In 2002, Paris received news that she

was going to have a third grandchild, aboy. Shortly after, she decided it wastime to retire and stay home to take careof him.

“I would come to Roosa and help inthe mornings when he was in Pre-K. Bythe time he was in 1st grade, I was stay-ing all day and helping in the office orwherever I was needed,” said Paris.

Paris gives back to community


“Somehow I started helping in the li-brary and loved it,” she said.

Paris assists in checking books in andout, escorting children to the playgroundor reading center, as well as categorizesbooks and inventory.

“Getting to see these kids everyday isa treat. I love all of them.” she said.

Paris taught mostly 2nd through 5thgrade while at Verdigris and started vol-unteering in Claremore to be closer toher grandchildren. She keeps herselfbusy by spending time with them andattending church at Cedar Point withher husband.

In 2008 she became the first to re-ceive the Heart of the CommunityAward. The award was given by RCBBank and Oklahoma Bankers Associa-tion for exemplary spirit of volunteerismand community service.

She emphasized the importance ofstaying active and having a plan to help the community insomeway after retirement.

Paris demonstrates dedication, heart and immense serv-ice every day while volunteering her time to help benefitthe students of Roosa.

“The little ones love Miss Pat and always ask for her.She helps out a lot and is good at recommending books forthe children,” said Vanessa Kirton, media intern for Roosa.

After each school year Paris gets asked if she will comeback.

She replies, “It just depends.” “The teachers of course know I am returning, but I still

like to lead them on a little for fun,” she said.As for future goals, Paris wants to continue volunteering

in the library and remain active in assisting with end ofyear testing for students at Roosa and the junior high. Herplans are to keep enjoying retirement with her husbandand grandchildren.

I started helping in the library and loved it.I started helping in the library and loved it.— Pat Paris

Pat Paris has been volunteering at Stuart Roosa Elementarysince 2002.

On the banks of Claremore Lake, Bill Radertakes in the picturesque morning sun com-ing over the horizon. It’s a setting that the

long-time educator considers to be perfect, espe-cially when it comes at 6 a.m. with his fishing rodand reel in hand. The 61-year-old Rader can’tthink of a better way to retire than waking up tothe sounds of birds chirping and largemouth basssplashing.

Bill Rader

Hook, Lineand Sinker

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18


By Tim Ritter

In the near future, are you going tochange jobs or retire? If so, thenyou’ll have a lot of things to think

about. And one of the most importantconsiderations is what to do with themoney you’ve accumulated in your em-ployer’s 401(k) plan. While you have afew options, your best choice may be toroll over your 401(k) money into anIRA - so you'll want to know, in ad-vance, what’s involved in this move.

By rolling over the taxable portion ofyour 401(k) - your pre-tax contribu-tions, employer contributions and allearnings - into a new or existing IRA,you’ll gain some key advantages. First,you’ll avoid all immediate taxes andpenalties. Second, you’ll continue tobenefit from tax deferral. And third,IRAs offer you a wide variety of invest-ment options.

Eventually, though, you’ll have to de-cide what to do with your IRA. You canstart taking withdrawals at age 59-1/2without having to pay a 10 percentpenalty tax. But suppose you’ve built upa considerable balance in your tradi-tional IRA, and you don’t think you’llneed to use it all to help pay for your re-

tirement. Can you pass on your IRA’stax deferral to your children?

Yes, you can - through the conceptof the “stretch” or “multi-genera-tional” IRA. To understand how thestretch IRA works, you need to knowone of the rules governing traditionalIRAs - specifically, you have to starttaking “required minimum distribu-tions” at age 70 1/2. In recent years, theIRS changed the life expectancy factorsused to determine your required mini-mum distribution calculations. Conse-quently, you can now take out smalleramounts of money from your IRA,which allows you to extend the numberof years your IRA money has the poten-tial to grow tax-deferred.

Obviously, the revised life expectancyrules will positively affect how much ofyour IRA money you can leave to yourchildren. But the rule changes also per-mit your children, once they inherityour IRA, to base their minimum re-quired distributions on their life ex-pectancies. So, if they are in their earlymiddle-aged years when they receiveyour IRA, they can take out relativelysmall amounts, thereby avoiding big tax

hits. And, if their situation allows, theycan then leave the IRA to their children,who can continue to enjoy the benefitsof tax deferral.

Rollover to Roth IRAUntil recently, you couldn’t roll over

a 401(k) directly to a Roth IRA - first,you had to roll over the 401(k) to a tra-ditional IRA and then convert the tradi-tional IRA to a Roth and pay tax on theconversion.

But new tax laws allow you to makedirect rollovers to a Roth IRA, startingin 2008. You’ll still have to pay taxes onthe converted amount, but you - andyour children or grandchildren - mightcome out ahead in the long run, becauseRoth IRA earnings have the potential togrow tax-free, provided certain require-ments are met. You’ll need to consultwith your tax advisor to make sure youare eligible to open a Roth IRA.

Keep Your 401(k) Working for YouBefore you change jobs or retire, con-

sult with your financial advisor and taxprofessional on whether an IRA rollovermakes sense for you. You worked hardfor your 401(k) funds - so keep themworking for you.


When it comes to the number of retirement accounts you have, the saying “more is better” is not necessarily true. In fact, if you hold multiple accounts with various brokers, it can be dif�cult to keep track of your investments and to see if you’re properly diversi�ed.* At the very least, multiple accounts usually mean multiple fees.

Bringing your accounts to Edward Jones could help solve all that. Plus, one statement can make it easier to see if you’re moving toward your goals.

Having More Retirement Accounts Is Not The Same As Having More Money.

To learn why consolidating your retirement accounts to Edward Jones makes sense, call your local �nancial advisor today.

www.edwardjones.com Member SIPC

*Diversi�cation does not guarantee a pro�t or protect against loss.

Jeremy J JanowskiFinancial Advisor.

2010 S Hwy 66Claremore, OK 74017918-342-5440

Changing jobs or retiring? Consider IRA Rollover


“Fishing is a way for me to relax andenjoy the quietness of God’s wonderful cre-ation,” Rader said.

For the past nine years, Rader has enjoyedhis retired lifestyle — going crappie fishingwith his grandson, duck hunting in the falland deer hunting in the winter.

Though the three outdoor activities takeup most of his time, he still enjoys followingthe Claremore Sequoyah Eagles — where hespent nearly 11 years of his time as an ele-mentary school teacher, principal, coach andathletic director.

According to Rader, Sequoyah turns outsome really great kids.

“Sequoyah provided me a down-homefeeling and the community lets the teachers,administrators and coaches do their job,”Rader said. “The people I worked with at Se-quoyah were wonderful and everyone I wasaround was top class.”

Rader got his first teaching job in 1976,after serving a two-year stint in the UnitedStates Navy. While working in Washington,D.C. at the Pentagon, Rader said he receiveda call from Tiawah schools about a teachingposition.

“My wife and kids were living in Clare-more at the time, and my time in the Navywas getting ready to be up, so I needed ajob,” Rader said. “After going through theinterviewing process, they (Tiawah) offeredme a job and I accepted.”

Rader spent four years at Tiawah, andthen six years at Foyil before finishing histeaching career at Sequoyah.

“Every school system I’ve worked in hasprovided me great friendships and goodmemories,” Rader said.

One superintendent in particular thatRader considered top notch was Olin Gra-ham at Sequoyah.

“Olin made Sequoyah what it is today,”Rader said. “He was a very, very honest manthat didn’t play a lot of games. It didn’t mat-ter who you were. If you needed your rearend chewed on, Olin would do it.”

Rader added that Graham’s leadershipcarried over to the athletic teams as Clare-more Sequoyah head coach Jody Iamsbrought a Class 3A state championship infootball to the community.

“The seniors that were on that 2006 team,

Bill Rader coordinates the weekly Claremore Lake Jackpot Tournament, where fishermencompete for prizes.

I had them in the fifth grade and couldtell then that they were going to be apretty competitive group,” Rader said.

Though he spent 32 years in the class-room, Rader has always found time forhis true love — his wife and his love forfishing.

In his ninth year as the ClaremoreLake Jackpot Tournament Director,Rader has seen a rapid increase in partici-pation each Thursday night in the sum-mer.

“We have more traffic out here in oneweek than Claremore Lake had in amonth when I started coordinating theJackpot,” Rader said.

Rader’s involvement with the Clare-more Lake Jackpot has enabled him tostay active in the community and developnew friendships and fishing buddies.

“Everyone that competes in the Jack-pot is exceptional and really good guys,”Rader said. “I’ve never had to break upan argument or a fight, and the guys thatfish the Claremore Lake Jackpot are someof my best friends.”

Each Thursday night, Rader can bespotted between the hours of 6 p.m. and9 p.m. near the boat ramp with his scalesready to weigh-in the tournament’s nextwinning largemouth bass.

“Every bass that we catch in the tour-nament is immediately released back intothe lake,” Rader said. “In the nine yearsthat I’ve been tournament director, we’veprobably had 10 or so bass die.”

Rader added that the Claremore LakeJackpot draws 21 teams each Thursdaynight and 42 anglers.

Each team has the opportunity to com-pete in 21 tournaments throughout thesummer, and the end-of-the-year ‘Classic’usually takes place in September.

“Our Classic this year will be on Sept.8, and we’re expecting it to be one of the

best in years,” Rader said. “The teamthat fishes the most tourneys over thesummer will start out at No. 1 and thengo down to No. 25.”

With fishing becoming a big part ofRader’s life these days, the local anglernever passes up a moment to tell a ‘fishstory’ or two.

“One time on a trip to the ‘Pump back’at Salina, I reeled in my biggest fish ever.It was a 23-pound Flathead Catfish that Icaught on a rod and reel combo with apiece of shrimp,” Rader said.

Though catfishing is fun, Rader prefersthe suspense that goes into crappie andbass fishing.

“I really like to crappie fish,” Radersaid. “When the weather is just right, youcan’t find a better place to catch a mess ofcrappie than on Oologah Lake.”

Rader, who eats, sleeps and breathesthat Oologah Lake is the best in the coun-try for crappie fishing, comes preparedwith his 1/64th ounce Bobby Garlandtube jigs in lots of green or chartreuse andblack.

“I’m usually crappie fishing at least 2-to-3 times a week,” Rader said.

Now if Rader is bass fishing, his lureselection involves a chartreuse and whitecrank bait or a chrome and blue ‘SassyShad’.

“Lots of guys, including my son, are fi-nesse bass fishermen. They would ratherwork a worm or spinner bait than fast-roll a crankbait through the water,”Rader said. “That’s not my style. I loveripping the crankbait and stirring up asplash.”

And, it’s that ‘splash’ that has Radercoming back to his ‘Honey Hole’ everyweek.

Hook, Line and Sinker ... Bill Raderfinds his home away home at ClaremoreLake.


I really like to crappie fish. When the weather is justright, you can’t find a better place to catch a mess of crappiethan on Oologah Lake.

— Bill Rader


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Age is just a number, according tothe old adage. Whether you areturning 20 or 60, it is your inner

age and how young you feel that reallycounts. This is even more true when youcreate everyday healthy habits that helpyou feel younger.

“Living a healthy life starts from theinside,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, registereddietitian and national CocoaVia supple-ment spokesperson.

“We don’t often think about it, but thehealth of your circulatory system is es-sential for a healthy life - it should beimportant to everyone and taken care ofas you would any other part of yourbody. This is key to healthy aging.”

Your circulatory system impacts manyfacets of your health and the way youlook and feel. In fact, explains Taub-Dix,heart, brain and eye health - even exer-cise performance - depend on a healthycirculatory system.

But as you age, your blood vesselsmay become less flexible and less able toexpand when needed to keep circulationrunning smoothly.

“Cocoa flavanols are scientificallyproven to help support healthy circula-tion by helping your blood vessels stayflexible and expand as needed, even asyou age,” says Taub-Dix. “With daily in-take, cocoa flavanols - such as the 250mg found in the CocoaVia Cocoa ExtractSupplement - help oxygen and nutrientsreach your organs and tissues, so youlook and feel your best today and everyday.”

To help keep your circulatory systemhealthy, Taub-Dix has found a number ofways to help you be your inner best, in-cluding:

Start your day on a healthy note.When you wake in the morning, set ahealthy tone for the rest of your day andbegin with a wholesome breakfast, suchas almond butter mixed in oatmeal witha fruit smoothie or a yogurt parfait tomake sure you’re nourishing your bodywith exactly what it needs.

Add even more health benefits by stir-

Feel your best at any age

CONTINUED on page 23


The senior demographic is quite possibly the best gen-eration to emulate when trying to live an environmen-tally responsible lifestyle. That’s because so many of

the guidelines for being green are concepts that have been apart of seniors’ lives for decades.

A portion of today’s seniors grew up during the Depres-sion, when recycling and conservation weren’t the trends dujour, but survival strategies. In a time when money wasscarce, many people made due with the resources they weredealt, stretching dollars just to stay afloat. Many of the con-cepts associated with today’s environmental movement arestrikingly similar to the ones employed during the Depres-sion.

The behaviors of an elderly parent or grandparent that

may have seemed eccentric or odd at one time are now turn-ing out to be what many people are embracing in order tolive green. Concepts like relying on reusable handkerchiefsinstead of disposable tissues; reusing lightly-soiled napkins;collecting discarded items from the curb and repairing themfor renewed use; saving cans or food jars and using them tostore other items; buying local products from smaller ven-dors; and similar things are methods of living ingrained inthe persona of many older people.

Frugality and awareness of what things cost and whatconstitutes waste are other concepts seniors know well.Many have never adapted to the notion that products aredisposable, preferring instead to hold onto appliances, elec-tronics, clothing, and other items because they still have

Green not a buzzword buta way of living for seniors Green not a buzzword buta way of living for seniors

Recycling and reusing items and reducing reliance on fuel are not new concepts for seniors, many of whom grew upduring the Great Depression.


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ring a package of 30-calorieunsweetened or sweetenedDark Chocolate flavored Co-coaVia supplement in the oat-meal, smoothie, yogurt, oreven your glass of milk or cupof coffee. With 250 mg ofcocoa flavanols, it’s an easyway to have a deliciousbreakfast and support yourcardiovascular health by sup-porting healthy circulation.

Fit exercise into your day.According to the Mayo Clinic,taking daily walks is a greatway to get your blood flow-ing, but speak with your doc-tor about the level of activitybest suited for you.

When possible, avoid sit-ting for long periods of time.If you work in an office,make sure to fit in smallwalks throughout the day -even if that means taking ashort 15 to 20 minute walkduring your lunch break.

Try to get up and movearound every half hour or so.

Stay hydrated. Hydrationis important for many rea-sons, but if you’re looking tostick to your goal of exercis-ing daily, you want to makesure your body is properlyhydrated. If you’re a sodadrinker, consider switching toflavorful options that offerhealth benefits. For example,add a 20-calorie fruit-fla-vored CocoaVia packet toyour water bottle or iced tea.

With two refreshing flavorchoices - Summer Citrus andCran-Raspberry - it’s a fla-vorful way to stay hydratedwhile helping support healthycirculation.

To learn more, follow Co-coaVia on Twitter at @Co-coaVia, like CocoaVia onFacebook or visit www.Co-coaVia.com for more infor-mation.

Feel Your Best. . .

utility, not because the current season dictatesthey should be upgraded.

In 2008, Harris Interactive polled BabyBoomers ages 45 to 62 about their interest in theenvironment. Ninety-four percent of respondentssaid they took steps in the past 6 months to dosomething green. More than 80 percent were con-cerned about the environmental legacy that wouldbe left for their grandchildren.

While many seniors are going green today foraltruistic reasons, it also makes good financialsense. Recycling items, conserving utilities andfuel and making smart choices can stretch a fixedincome even further. Choosing to walk or ride abike instead of getting behind the wheel may benot only environmentally friendly, but it’s finan-cially savvy as well.

Here are some ways of living straight out of theGreat Depression that can be put to use today.

• Use the milkman. Although it may seem likethe milkman is extinct, milk and other dairy prod-ucts can still be delivered straight to a person’shome from a local dairy or farm. Adding reusablemilk bottles reduces the reliance on disposablecontainers, while buying local cuts down on thefuel costs necessary to transport products.

• Pass down clothing. Clothing that is gentlyworn can be passed down to children or even do-nated.

• Walk. During the Depression, cars were aluxury many people could not afford. Walking ortaking a bus or train were some popular modes oftransportation, and such options are still availabletoday.

• Use cloth diapers and linens. Reusableitems, like cloth diapers, handkerchiefs and linens,are more environmentally responsible.

• Get outdoors. Instead of relying on televi-sion, which had yet to be invented during the De-pression, children and adults went outdoors tosocialize and have fun.

• Open the windows. Instead of relying heav-ily on air conditioning, try opening the windowson nice days and let some fresh air in.

• Use clothes lines.Clothes dryers use about10 to 15 percent of domestic energy in the U.S. Aclothesline can help reduce electric bills and en-ergy consumption.

• Get into gardening. If you can grow whatyou eat, that reduces the dependence on commer-cially produced and harvested crops.

Many elements of the Go Green movement aresimilar to those employed during the Depression,when survival mandated people reuse and recycleitems.


With the population of Baby Boomers —people born between 1946 and 1964— at over 77 million, obesity at an

all-time high, and initial signs of osteoarthritisoften symptom free, the vast majority of thepopulation is still relatively unaware of theircurrent state and the importance of jointhealth.

According to a recent study, approximatelyone-third of Americans 35 and older said theirjoints prevented them from doing their favoritesport or activity and more than 50 percent ofthem just accepted that as part of the agingprocess. This leaves a lot of people askingquestions like, “What can I do?”

The Joint Juice(R) joint health assessment(www.jointjuice.com/joint-health.jsp) is one ofthe first interactive Web-based tools that allowsindividuals to easily evaluate their joint healthand take proactive steps to improve it. Individ-uals are now able to log onto jointjuice.com foran illustrative assessment that determines thecondition of their joints based on a series of 15questions regarding Body Mass Index (BMI),diet, exercise, lifestyle, and joint health history.

Renowned orthopaedic surgeon and founderof Joint Juice, Inc., a leading joint health nutri-tion company, Kevin R. Stone, M.D., createdthe joint health assessment as a means to edu-cate individuals about key factors that impactjoint health and to provide expert insight thatcan empower individuals to improve theirjoints — such as weight loss, regular exerciseor taking crucial vitamins and minerals, in-cluding glucosamine and chrondroitin.

The Joint Juice(R) joint health assessmentnot only features joint health tips from Dr.Stone but also includes fitness tips fromcelebrity ultramarathoner and long-time userof Joint Juice(R) products Dean Karnazes. Withthese simple tips, people can take control ofjoint health and continue doing the activitiesthey love to do throughout their life.

When suffering from joint health-related is-sues, it’s imperative to see a physician for aroutine check-up at least once a year. Requestan examination of your joints — from head totoe — and ask for tips on protecting your jointsfrom daily stress.

Dealing with jointhealth can allowfor more activity

Retirement Redefined 2012

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