September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

24
“CONVOY” The big 10-4 turns 40 CHUCK ROBERTS CNN’s first anchor revisits Omaha September/October 2015 DONNA MALONE 60 Years at the Pink Poodle

description

September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

Transcript of September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

Page 1: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

ldquoCONVOYrdquo The big 10-4 turns 40

CHUCK ROBERTS CNNrsquos fi rst anchor revisits Omaha

SeptemberOctober 2015

DONNAMALONE 60 Years at the Pink Poodle

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S2 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

Until next issue

GwenGwen LemkeContributing Editor 60PLUS In Omaha

FAMILIAR FACESnames we know and love

T HIS ISSUE HAS SEVERAL stories about accomplished deserving award-winning men all age 60-plus who have interesting stories to tell many who you know by

first and last name if not face Chuck Roberts who reported for CNN for 28 years tells us his story of going to Atlanta from his previous jobmdashright here in Omaha Chip Davis of Mannheim Steamroller fame tells us the improbable story of how an advertising campaign helped launch his music career one that is soon to be featured in a PBS retrospective

But our cover story is about a woman Donna the first-name-basis friend to many is a hard-working 70-plus woman who spends her days as a legal secretary in west Omaha By night she slings prime rib at the Pink Poodle Restaurant just across the river in Crescent Iowamdashas she has for the past 60 years She shows no interest in slowing down and is a tribute to all women

We admire you Donna

60PLUS FROM THE EDITOR

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S3

FEATURE Chuck Roberts

From Corn Reports to CNN S4

HOBBIESMark Erikson

Life in Four-Part Harmonys S8

HISTORY ldquoConvoyrdquo 40 years Later

Thatrsquos a Big 10-4 Good Buddy S10

COVER FEATURE Still Taking orders

60 Years of Waiting Tables at the Pink Poodle S14

HEALTH Is Testosterone Replacement

Right for You S18

HISTORY You Know Yoursquove Lived In Omaha A Long Time

If You Remember S20

THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES What Happened to My Lincoln Logs

Thinking Outside the Box S22

CONTENTS volume 3 bull issue 4

CHUCK ROBERTSfrom corn reports

to CNN

S4 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan | photography provided by CNN

60PLUS FEATURE

C HUCK ROBERTS BLEW INTO Omaha the same day as the May 6 1975 tor-nado that spread death and destruc-

tion Covering the infamous storm was the newsmanrsquos introduction to his new job as a KMTV reporteranchor

ldquoWe were wall to wall on that story for a couple of weeks working 12 hours a dayrdquo he recalls

Viewers may remember Roberts anchoring Today Show cut-ins and noon news Later he was promoted to weeknight news co-anchor-ing with Jeff Jordan

KMTV news director Mark Gautier who hired him had a good eye for talent Gautier also hired Tom Brokaw who went on to a national stage with NBC News Roberts also ended up with a much wider audience after seven years in Omaha

It started when Ted Turner took a liking to Roberts The media mogul was launching the countryrsquos first 24-hour cable news station CNN2 which was renamed CNN Headline News one year later

Turner sent scouts across the country to find talent to anchor his news They found Roberts in Omaha ldquoThey told me lsquoTed fan-cies yoursquordquo Roberts explains ldquoand that I was a finalist They said lsquoCanrsquot offer you a contract Canrsquot pay what yoursquore making nowrsquordquo says Roberts of his soon-to-be pay cut

He packed up a U-Haul and drove 1000 miles to Atlanta and a new life

Roberts became the first anchor on the first 24-hour national news network and his was the first face seen on camera when the station went live The paint was still wet on the CNN set when the cameras rolled

ldquoWe were told our job was threefold look plausible stay sober and read the lines yoursquore given Those were our marching ordersrdquo

Roberts anchored four-hour weekday news-casts on CNN Headline News He also was CNNrsquos election anchor ldquoI would drive to the Birmingham (Alabama) library and isolate myself and prep for election night Election night 2000 was the most memorable Went on the air at 6 pm and off air at 7 amrdquo the following morning

In 2010 Roberts left CNN and an inter-national television audience of 160 million viewers After 28 years he was the longest-serving anchor among all the CNN networks He then spent three years carrying out media training sessions in eight provinces in China for his alma mater the Missouri School of Journalism

ldquoWe so-called experts were sent to teach media training to start up provincial-level news operationsrdquo says Roberts ldquoIt was a slow process Everything had to be translatedrdquo

The newsmanrsquos enthusiasm for a broadcast career began near a Nebraska farm his family owned ldquoThere was a radio station in the base-ment of a hotel in Falls City I was fascinated by that as a 9-year-oldrdquo

Roberts has high praise for the quality of broadcast news in this city ldquoOmaha is so much better than its market size and a great place to start a career I learned my craft in Omahardquo

Because of his many acheivements Roberts was inducted into the Omaha Press Club Journalists of Excellence Hall of Fame in June

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S5

S6 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

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S8 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by bev a carlson | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HOBBIES

MARK ERIKSON

life in four-part harmony

Barbershop harmonizing and a cappella singing in general have enjoyed resurgence in popularity in recent years thanks to movies like Pitch Perfect and Jimmy Fallonrsquos ldquoRagtime Galsrdquo skits

ldquoIt really has made a differencerdquo says Erikson ldquoItrsquos bringing barbershop to the forefront of a new generation introducing a music style that can fit them too They donrsquot have to stop singing after high school They can keep singing their whole livesrdquo

The youngest member of Pathfinder Chorus is 13 the oldest 85 with all ages in between represented Professions range from student to dairy farmer to military veteran There are even a couple of pilots on stage One flies B-52s the other flies commercial jets All have one thing in common a love for music harmony and fellowship

Erikson discovered his passion for bar-bershop singing while he was in the mili-tary almost by accident He was stationed at Norfolk Navy Base An elderly lady who sat near him in church kept urging him to join the choir So he did Later he downloaded a four-part menrsquos arrangement of ldquoThe Irish Blessingrdquo encouraged friends to sing with him and never looked back That was 11 years ago

At 63 Erikson now serves as district presi-dent He really wants to leave the chorusmdashand his communitymdashbetter than he found it He also umpires baseball And many of the

Pathfinder concerts are fundraisers In 2014 they donated over $10000 to the Salvation Army and Goodfellows charities

ldquoMark has been crucial to the success of the grouprdquo says retiring music director Pete ldquoPDrdquo Stibor ldquoMark has the passionrdquo

The passion and the practice pay offmdashand not just at competition On a sunny Saturday this summer the Pathfinders per-formed at Burke High School Despite beauti-ful weather the auditorium was full of fans and groupies eager to spend the next 90 minutes enjoying perfect harmony It was delivered with only voices as instruments exploring great pop tunes ballads and the Beatles complete with choreographymdasheven ldquojazz handsrdquo

ldquoI want to do this as long as I canrdquo says Erikson ldquoThen have the good sense to step down when the time is right We give our-selves goose bumps on the risers We look at each other and sayWe just did thatItrsquos such a personal thing Such an emotional thing to be able to share that with your friendsrdquo

D ONrsquoT BOTHER TRYING TO contact Mark Erikson on a Monday night

From now until wellmdashforevermdashhersquos booked

On Monday nights yoursquoll find Erikson and more than 100 other Nebraska men singing their hearts out at a Presbyterian church in Fremont They travel in from all over Erikson drives from Papillion an 80-mile round trip Other members make the trek from South Sioux City Beatrice and Columbus Eriksonrsquos work life may take him to another state but hersquoll fly in just for practice then back He moves mountains to make sure hersquos in his spot on the riser

ldquoJust a solid fact of liferdquo he explains Therersquos always a quorum for rehearsal of

the Pathfinder ChorusldquoEvery Monday at practice we put all of

lifersquos challenges aside Itrsquos like a three-hour break in the week Irsquom with my buddies And wersquore singing really wellrdquo says Erikson ldquoI guess itrsquos kind of a guy thingrdquo

That ldquoguy thingrdquo is an award-winning nationally-recognized barbershop chorus Eriksonrsquos modesty masks the uniqueness of this ensemble Widely diverse both in age and professions the 43-year-old group first quali-fied to perform at the Barbershop Harmony Societyrsquos International Competition in 2010 Theyrsquove continued to qualify and place every year since a rare feat for a group made up of non-music professionals

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S9

S10 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by max sparber | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HISTORY

Chip Davis is celebrating 40-year anniversaries for both ldquoConvoyrdquo and the founding of Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoCONVOYrdquo 40 YEARS LATER

thatrsquos a big 10-4 good buddy

I N THE 1975 TRUCKER song ldquoConvoyrdquo a voice can be heard on a CB radio ldquoWhatrsquos your 20rdquo the voice asks code for

ldquowhatrsquos your locationrdquo The answer comes back ldquoOmahardquo

Of course it did The song itself was from Omaha And while there were a lot of trucker songs in the 1970s few could boast the sort of strange backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo could and none could look to the sort of future the song had

First the backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo was the product of a successful advertising campaign The product was Old Home Bread the adver-tising agency was Omaharsquos Bozell amp Jacobs They conceived of a series of ads featuring a truck driver delivering bread to a diner wait-ress The waitress was named Mavis Davis The truck driver was CW McCall

The campaign proved to be popularmdashso much so that McCall broke off to be an independent character releasing a number of recordings The lyrics and singing voice for McCall belonged to Bill Fries while the songs were written by Chip Davis Fries later became mayor of Ouray Colorado while Davis founded Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoI said one time that I would never live in Nebraska and I would never write country musicrdquo Davis explains ldquoI guess we see how that all worked out My love of music was really in the classical area but my good for-tunemdashand I mean fortunemdashcame by way of writing ldquoConvoyrdquordquo

The song tells the story of a lawbreaking protesting collection of truckers riding cross-country together as a miles-long ribbon of working class antiheroes communicating on CB radios It became a crossover hit spend-ing six weeks in the number one slot on the

country charts and a week as number one on the pop charts

As a result ldquoConvoyrdquo joined the ranks of country songs in the lsquo70s that became films along with ldquoHarper Valley PTArdquo ldquoOde to Billy Joerdquo and ldquoTake This Job and Shove Itrdquo The film version began shooting in 1977 and boasted an impressive collection of talent Country legend Kris Kristofferson was cast in the lead along with Oscar-nominated Ali MacGraw and character actor Burt Young Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine was the vil-lainous county sheriff determined to break up the I-canrsquot-drive-55 convoy

ldquoConvoyrdquo was a pop culture sensation and helped spawn an era when CB radios were all but ubiquitous in every vehicle even your momrsquos station wagon but Davis and Mannheim Steamroller are also celebrating a pair of even more notable milestones

This summer public television stations throughout the US will air Mannheim Steamroller 3040 Live The concert spe-cial marks two anniversaries for the hugely successful act their debut album Fresh Aire was released four decades ago followed ten years later by the release of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas their first holiday album to huge success

lsquoldquoConvoyrsquo and the other 12 hits we hadrdquo Davis explains ldquoultimately funded Mannheim Steamroller and [record label] American Gramaphone Irsquom a lucky guy Going from a semi to a steamroller wasnrsquot all that difficultrdquo

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S11

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Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

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travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

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Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

ldquo

STILL TAKING ORDERS

60 years of waiting tables at the Pink Poodle

S14 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by carol crissey nigrelli | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

Donna Malone

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S15

T HE YEAR 1955Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower

occupy the White House gas costs 22 cents per gallon ldquoThe Ballad of Davy Crockettrdquo hits the top of the record charts and Donna Malone greets the very first customers at the Pink Poodle Steakhouse

Time has a relentless way of relegating things to the past but both the waitress known simply as Donna and the Pink Poodle have outraced the last six decades They have persevered through fire flood five owners and an uncertain economy How With affordable prime rib and in Donnarsquos case a strong work ethic

Excitement came to tiny Crescent Iowa in May 1955 when Jake Brummer a local developer who owned three other restaurants in western Iowa bought an establishment at 633 Old Lincoln Highway called the Black Glove and gave it a new name with a quintes-sential rsquo50s flair The Pink Poodle served up a variety of steaks chicken and seafood pro-viding a quality entertainment venue across the Missouri River from north Omaha and a source of income for a teenage farm girl from just up the road in Honey Creek

ldquoThe Brummers were real good friends with my mom and dad and Irsquod known them foreverrdquo Donna recalls ldquoJake asked me if I wanted to work at the restaurant and I said lsquoSurersquo I was 15rdquo

The new restaurant drew crowds imme-diately Donna started out as a cashier and hostess carefully observing how others did their jobs One night Brummer asked her to fill in as a waitress With her characteristic ldquoI can do thatrdquo attitude Donna found she liked waiting on tablesmdashand the benefits that came with it

ldquoBack then if you got a quarter per person per table it was a heck of a tip a dollar from four peoplerdquo says Donna 75 shaking her head at the thought ldquoOne Saturday night I remember making $32 The other girls just couldnrsquot believe it absolutely unreal Of course a lobster dinner back then was $795 Things have changed But I still make real good moneyrdquo

Itrsquos hard to pinpoint when Donna became as sought-after as the Pink Poodlersquos signature prime rib (introduced to the menu in the

early 1960s) The ease with which she talks to customers vanishes when asked to talk about herself A private humble person by nature Donna will only credit ldquogreat food and a wonderful clientelerdquo for the restaurantrsquos continued success Current owner Doreen McNeil who began as a waitress in 1983 and worked with Donna in the party room shows no such reluctance in focusing the spotlight

ldquoA lot of people come in here because of you Donnardquo McNeil tells her friend ldquoPeople who were children when Donna first waited on them now bring their grandchildren to meet herrdquo

Even first-time customers like Marianne and North Witcher of Omaha find them-selves easily drawn into Donnarsquos orbit ldquoShersquos fabulous as a waitress very knowledgeable and courteousrdquo says North ldquoShe got our orders exactly right knew the specials and their prices by heart We were floored when we learned how long shersquod been thererdquo

Donnarsquos journey to a 60th anniversary hit a roadblock in January 1972 when fire ravaged the Pink Poodle ldquoOne of our regulars spent too much time at the bar late one nightrdquo recounts Donna in her slow deliberate deliv-ery ldquoand a lit cigarette got away from him and fell in a booth It started smoldering By 3 in the morning the place was on firerdquo

In the four-year interim it took to secure the cash to rebuild Donna worked at another

Crescent establishment where she ran into Kenny Malone a trucker she had met years earlier They married in 1974 With no chil-dren of her own to raise Donna continued waitressing at night in addition to her day job as a legal secretary

ldquoIrsquove worked for the same lawyer in west Omaha for the past 45 years and one before him for 10rdquo she says matter-of-factly

Donnarsquos knowledge of Omaha came in handy during the Missourirsquos record flooding in 2011 McNeil decided to keep the res-taurant open despite closures from June to November of the Mormon Bridge leading into Crescent and sections of I-29 McNeil says whenever a customer from Omaha called asking for a way to get to the restaurant ldquoIrsquod just give the phone to Donna Shersquos our resident GPSrdquo

A solid regular customer base that includes Chip Davis of Manheim Steamroller (see page S10 for more on Davis) and KMTV meteorologist Jim Flowers helped keep the restaurant afloat during a tough time one of many Donna has faced Tall and thin with porcelain skin and blue eyes Donna shows no interest in slowing down ldquoNot unless Doreen fires merdquo she says half seriously

ldquoOh Donna Irsquoll never do thatrdquo McNeil quickly responds ldquoI wish I could find 10 more of yourdquo

Donna Malone talks to Pink Poodle owner Doreen McNeil

S16 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

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Mayor Jean Stothert

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JULYAUGUST bull 2014

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Malorie MaddoxOmaha Stories

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NOVEMBERDECEMBER bull 2013

The Road Home

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Among Teens

Nebraskarsquos Premier Wealth Advisors

The Making of NebraskaJohn Jackson

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PhysicalOccupationalandSpeechTherapy Careaftertotaljointreplacement Strokerecovery Strengtheningaftercancertreatment Careaftersurgery Recoveryfromafallorextendedillness

Visit ourwebsite

to find outmore about us

OmahaBVampElkhornBM_Ad - Omaha 60+ Mag_111612_60+ Omaha Magazine Ad - BSV amp BSM 3112014 354 PM Page 1

Trouble Getting Up amp Down the StairsRegain your independence and the rest of your home

Largest showroom in the nationMultiple modelsone sure to fit your needs

Call for special pricing

12739 Q Street4024081990

wwwkohllscom

Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARD

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 2: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

VNA Complete In-home Care

402-342-5566 wwwtheVNAcaresorg

Companion Care

Skilled Home Care

Infusion Therapy

Home HealthTechnology

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2014 best of ad v2 for yearindd 1 1242014 104245 AM

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Retire Your Lawn to the Prorsquos

100 Satisfaction Guarantee10 Discount for All Seniors

We can handle all your spring cleanup fertilizing landscaping and mowing needs

bull Fertilization amp Weed Controlbull Mulch Installationbull Spring Cleanupbull Sprinkler Turn On amp Inspectionbull Landscape Maintenancebull Weekly Mowing

bull Plant CutbackHedge Trimmingbull Aerationbull Power Rakingbull Over-Seedingbull Drill Seedingbull Concrete Edging

plus more

S2 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

Until next issue

GwenGwen LemkeContributing Editor 60PLUS In Omaha

FAMILIAR FACESnames we know and love

T HIS ISSUE HAS SEVERAL stories about accomplished deserving award-winning men all age 60-plus who have interesting stories to tell many who you know by

first and last name if not face Chuck Roberts who reported for CNN for 28 years tells us his story of going to Atlanta from his previous jobmdashright here in Omaha Chip Davis of Mannheim Steamroller fame tells us the improbable story of how an advertising campaign helped launch his music career one that is soon to be featured in a PBS retrospective

But our cover story is about a woman Donna the first-name-basis friend to many is a hard-working 70-plus woman who spends her days as a legal secretary in west Omaha By night she slings prime rib at the Pink Poodle Restaurant just across the river in Crescent Iowamdashas she has for the past 60 years She shows no interest in slowing down and is a tribute to all women

We admire you Donna

60PLUS FROM THE EDITOR

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S3

FEATURE Chuck Roberts

From Corn Reports to CNN S4

HOBBIESMark Erikson

Life in Four-Part Harmonys S8

HISTORY ldquoConvoyrdquo 40 years Later

Thatrsquos a Big 10-4 Good Buddy S10

COVER FEATURE Still Taking orders

60 Years of Waiting Tables at the Pink Poodle S14

HEALTH Is Testosterone Replacement

Right for You S18

HISTORY You Know Yoursquove Lived In Omaha A Long Time

If You Remember S20

THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES What Happened to My Lincoln Logs

Thinking Outside the Box S22

CONTENTS volume 3 bull issue 4

CHUCK ROBERTSfrom corn reports

to CNN

S4 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan | photography provided by CNN

60PLUS FEATURE

C HUCK ROBERTS BLEW INTO Omaha the same day as the May 6 1975 tor-nado that spread death and destruc-

tion Covering the infamous storm was the newsmanrsquos introduction to his new job as a KMTV reporteranchor

ldquoWe were wall to wall on that story for a couple of weeks working 12 hours a dayrdquo he recalls

Viewers may remember Roberts anchoring Today Show cut-ins and noon news Later he was promoted to weeknight news co-anchor-ing with Jeff Jordan

KMTV news director Mark Gautier who hired him had a good eye for talent Gautier also hired Tom Brokaw who went on to a national stage with NBC News Roberts also ended up with a much wider audience after seven years in Omaha

It started when Ted Turner took a liking to Roberts The media mogul was launching the countryrsquos first 24-hour cable news station CNN2 which was renamed CNN Headline News one year later

Turner sent scouts across the country to find talent to anchor his news They found Roberts in Omaha ldquoThey told me lsquoTed fan-cies yoursquordquo Roberts explains ldquoand that I was a finalist They said lsquoCanrsquot offer you a contract Canrsquot pay what yoursquore making nowrsquordquo says Roberts of his soon-to-be pay cut

He packed up a U-Haul and drove 1000 miles to Atlanta and a new life

Roberts became the first anchor on the first 24-hour national news network and his was the first face seen on camera when the station went live The paint was still wet on the CNN set when the cameras rolled

ldquoWe were told our job was threefold look plausible stay sober and read the lines yoursquore given Those were our marching ordersrdquo

Roberts anchored four-hour weekday news-casts on CNN Headline News He also was CNNrsquos election anchor ldquoI would drive to the Birmingham (Alabama) library and isolate myself and prep for election night Election night 2000 was the most memorable Went on the air at 6 pm and off air at 7 amrdquo the following morning

In 2010 Roberts left CNN and an inter-national television audience of 160 million viewers After 28 years he was the longest-serving anchor among all the CNN networks He then spent three years carrying out media training sessions in eight provinces in China for his alma mater the Missouri School of Journalism

ldquoWe so-called experts were sent to teach media training to start up provincial-level news operationsrdquo says Roberts ldquoIt was a slow process Everything had to be translatedrdquo

The newsmanrsquos enthusiasm for a broadcast career began near a Nebraska farm his family owned ldquoThere was a radio station in the base-ment of a hotel in Falls City I was fascinated by that as a 9-year-oldrdquo

Roberts has high praise for the quality of broadcast news in this city ldquoOmaha is so much better than its market size and a great place to start a career I learned my craft in Omahardquo

Because of his many acheivements Roberts was inducted into the Omaha Press Club Journalists of Excellence Hall of Fame in June

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S5

S6 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS FEATURE

A Dial Retirement Community

60PLUS feature

Like talking to a friend whorsquos an expert tooOf course we do basic home care The ldquoabove and beyondrdquo care we provide is what wersquore known for

bull Whether itrsquos Alzheimerrsquos or another condition we will create a care plan designed specifically for your mom or dad and provide him or her with a professionally supervised and trained caregiver of his or her choice

bull Your Care Manager is available to go to the doctor with your parentsand be an advocate for him or her on your behalf

bull Our Proactive Approach to home care means your Care Manager will get to know your parents their lifestyle and their current health and wellness goals

bull Wersquoll provide our services as long as yoursquore satisfied no contract required

Call us today 402-763-9140 bull HomeCareAssistanceOmahacom

Hear what yourneighbors are sayingldquoWe have been so thankfulfor Home Care Assistancethey found caregivers whofit well with Mom helpedher increase her strengthand stamina and generallyimproved her quality oflife She is so happy nowgetting out and visiting herneighbors She has returnedto being ldquoMomrdquo to somedegree Home Care Assistance made all the differencerdquo

mdash Linda Omaha

This certification is an honor a testament to our high standard of care mdash and a reminder that we must always strive to exceed our own expectations to better care for you Our twelve experienced highly-skilled cancer specialists are dedicated to complete cancer treatment and research with over 100 clinical trials available

CHI Health Cancer Center - Bergan (402) 393-3110Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center (402) 354-8124Midwest Cancer Center Papillion (402) 593-3141

Midwest Cancer Center Legacy (402) 334-4773Health Park Plaza-Fremont Health (402) 941-7030

Margaret Block MD

M Salman Haroon MD

Ralph J Hauke MD

Timothy K Huyck MD

Robert M Langdon Jr MD

Kirsten M Leu MD

John M Longo MD

Geetha Palaniappan MD

David A Silverberg MD

Gamini S Soori MD

Yungpo Bernard Su MD

Stefano R Tarantolo MD

Benefit from everything we can offer as the largest independent QOPI-certified cancer practice in Nebraska

Receive the Highest Level of Cancer Care

NEBRASKA CANCER SPECIALISTS IS QOPIreg CERTIFIED

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S7

A Dial Retirement Community

S8 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by bev a carlson | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HOBBIES

MARK ERIKSON

life in four-part harmony

Barbershop harmonizing and a cappella singing in general have enjoyed resurgence in popularity in recent years thanks to movies like Pitch Perfect and Jimmy Fallonrsquos ldquoRagtime Galsrdquo skits

ldquoIt really has made a differencerdquo says Erikson ldquoItrsquos bringing barbershop to the forefront of a new generation introducing a music style that can fit them too They donrsquot have to stop singing after high school They can keep singing their whole livesrdquo

The youngest member of Pathfinder Chorus is 13 the oldest 85 with all ages in between represented Professions range from student to dairy farmer to military veteran There are even a couple of pilots on stage One flies B-52s the other flies commercial jets All have one thing in common a love for music harmony and fellowship

Erikson discovered his passion for bar-bershop singing while he was in the mili-tary almost by accident He was stationed at Norfolk Navy Base An elderly lady who sat near him in church kept urging him to join the choir So he did Later he downloaded a four-part menrsquos arrangement of ldquoThe Irish Blessingrdquo encouraged friends to sing with him and never looked back That was 11 years ago

At 63 Erikson now serves as district presi-dent He really wants to leave the chorusmdashand his communitymdashbetter than he found it He also umpires baseball And many of the

Pathfinder concerts are fundraisers In 2014 they donated over $10000 to the Salvation Army and Goodfellows charities

ldquoMark has been crucial to the success of the grouprdquo says retiring music director Pete ldquoPDrdquo Stibor ldquoMark has the passionrdquo

The passion and the practice pay offmdashand not just at competition On a sunny Saturday this summer the Pathfinders per-formed at Burke High School Despite beauti-ful weather the auditorium was full of fans and groupies eager to spend the next 90 minutes enjoying perfect harmony It was delivered with only voices as instruments exploring great pop tunes ballads and the Beatles complete with choreographymdasheven ldquojazz handsrdquo

ldquoI want to do this as long as I canrdquo says Erikson ldquoThen have the good sense to step down when the time is right We give our-selves goose bumps on the risers We look at each other and sayWe just did thatItrsquos such a personal thing Such an emotional thing to be able to share that with your friendsrdquo

D ONrsquoT BOTHER TRYING TO contact Mark Erikson on a Monday night

From now until wellmdashforevermdashhersquos booked

On Monday nights yoursquoll find Erikson and more than 100 other Nebraska men singing their hearts out at a Presbyterian church in Fremont They travel in from all over Erikson drives from Papillion an 80-mile round trip Other members make the trek from South Sioux City Beatrice and Columbus Eriksonrsquos work life may take him to another state but hersquoll fly in just for practice then back He moves mountains to make sure hersquos in his spot on the riser

ldquoJust a solid fact of liferdquo he explains Therersquos always a quorum for rehearsal of

the Pathfinder ChorusldquoEvery Monday at practice we put all of

lifersquos challenges aside Itrsquos like a three-hour break in the week Irsquom with my buddies And wersquore singing really wellrdquo says Erikson ldquoI guess itrsquos kind of a guy thingrdquo

That ldquoguy thingrdquo is an award-winning nationally-recognized barbershop chorus Eriksonrsquos modesty masks the uniqueness of this ensemble Widely diverse both in age and professions the 43-year-old group first quali-fied to perform at the Barbershop Harmony Societyrsquos International Competition in 2010 Theyrsquove continued to qualify and place every year since a rare feat for a group made up of non-music professionals

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S9

S10 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by max sparber | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HISTORY

Chip Davis is celebrating 40-year anniversaries for both ldquoConvoyrdquo and the founding of Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoCONVOYrdquo 40 YEARS LATER

thatrsquos a big 10-4 good buddy

I N THE 1975 TRUCKER song ldquoConvoyrdquo a voice can be heard on a CB radio ldquoWhatrsquos your 20rdquo the voice asks code for

ldquowhatrsquos your locationrdquo The answer comes back ldquoOmahardquo

Of course it did The song itself was from Omaha And while there were a lot of trucker songs in the 1970s few could boast the sort of strange backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo could and none could look to the sort of future the song had

First the backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo was the product of a successful advertising campaign The product was Old Home Bread the adver-tising agency was Omaharsquos Bozell amp Jacobs They conceived of a series of ads featuring a truck driver delivering bread to a diner wait-ress The waitress was named Mavis Davis The truck driver was CW McCall

The campaign proved to be popularmdashso much so that McCall broke off to be an independent character releasing a number of recordings The lyrics and singing voice for McCall belonged to Bill Fries while the songs were written by Chip Davis Fries later became mayor of Ouray Colorado while Davis founded Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoI said one time that I would never live in Nebraska and I would never write country musicrdquo Davis explains ldquoI guess we see how that all worked out My love of music was really in the classical area but my good for-tunemdashand I mean fortunemdashcame by way of writing ldquoConvoyrdquordquo

The song tells the story of a lawbreaking protesting collection of truckers riding cross-country together as a miles-long ribbon of working class antiheroes communicating on CB radios It became a crossover hit spend-ing six weeks in the number one slot on the

country charts and a week as number one on the pop charts

As a result ldquoConvoyrdquo joined the ranks of country songs in the lsquo70s that became films along with ldquoHarper Valley PTArdquo ldquoOde to Billy Joerdquo and ldquoTake This Job and Shove Itrdquo The film version began shooting in 1977 and boasted an impressive collection of talent Country legend Kris Kristofferson was cast in the lead along with Oscar-nominated Ali MacGraw and character actor Burt Young Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine was the vil-lainous county sheriff determined to break up the I-canrsquot-drive-55 convoy

ldquoConvoyrdquo was a pop culture sensation and helped spawn an era when CB radios were all but ubiquitous in every vehicle even your momrsquos station wagon but Davis and Mannheim Steamroller are also celebrating a pair of even more notable milestones

This summer public television stations throughout the US will air Mannheim Steamroller 3040 Live The concert spe-cial marks two anniversaries for the hugely successful act their debut album Fresh Aire was released four decades ago followed ten years later by the release of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas their first holiday album to huge success

lsquoldquoConvoyrsquo and the other 12 hits we hadrdquo Davis explains ldquoultimately funded Mannheim Steamroller and [record label] American Gramaphone Irsquom a lucky guy Going from a semi to a steamroller wasnrsquot all that difficultrdquo

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S11

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

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Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

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Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

ldquo

STILL TAKING ORDERS

60 years of waiting tables at the Pink Poodle

S14 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by carol crissey nigrelli | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

Donna Malone

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S15

T HE YEAR 1955Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower

occupy the White House gas costs 22 cents per gallon ldquoThe Ballad of Davy Crockettrdquo hits the top of the record charts and Donna Malone greets the very first customers at the Pink Poodle Steakhouse

Time has a relentless way of relegating things to the past but both the waitress known simply as Donna and the Pink Poodle have outraced the last six decades They have persevered through fire flood five owners and an uncertain economy How With affordable prime rib and in Donnarsquos case a strong work ethic

Excitement came to tiny Crescent Iowa in May 1955 when Jake Brummer a local developer who owned three other restaurants in western Iowa bought an establishment at 633 Old Lincoln Highway called the Black Glove and gave it a new name with a quintes-sential rsquo50s flair The Pink Poodle served up a variety of steaks chicken and seafood pro-viding a quality entertainment venue across the Missouri River from north Omaha and a source of income for a teenage farm girl from just up the road in Honey Creek

ldquoThe Brummers were real good friends with my mom and dad and Irsquod known them foreverrdquo Donna recalls ldquoJake asked me if I wanted to work at the restaurant and I said lsquoSurersquo I was 15rdquo

The new restaurant drew crowds imme-diately Donna started out as a cashier and hostess carefully observing how others did their jobs One night Brummer asked her to fill in as a waitress With her characteristic ldquoI can do thatrdquo attitude Donna found she liked waiting on tablesmdashand the benefits that came with it

ldquoBack then if you got a quarter per person per table it was a heck of a tip a dollar from four peoplerdquo says Donna 75 shaking her head at the thought ldquoOne Saturday night I remember making $32 The other girls just couldnrsquot believe it absolutely unreal Of course a lobster dinner back then was $795 Things have changed But I still make real good moneyrdquo

Itrsquos hard to pinpoint when Donna became as sought-after as the Pink Poodlersquos signature prime rib (introduced to the menu in the

early 1960s) The ease with which she talks to customers vanishes when asked to talk about herself A private humble person by nature Donna will only credit ldquogreat food and a wonderful clientelerdquo for the restaurantrsquos continued success Current owner Doreen McNeil who began as a waitress in 1983 and worked with Donna in the party room shows no such reluctance in focusing the spotlight

ldquoA lot of people come in here because of you Donnardquo McNeil tells her friend ldquoPeople who were children when Donna first waited on them now bring their grandchildren to meet herrdquo

Even first-time customers like Marianne and North Witcher of Omaha find them-selves easily drawn into Donnarsquos orbit ldquoShersquos fabulous as a waitress very knowledgeable and courteousrdquo says North ldquoShe got our orders exactly right knew the specials and their prices by heart We were floored when we learned how long shersquod been thererdquo

Donnarsquos journey to a 60th anniversary hit a roadblock in January 1972 when fire ravaged the Pink Poodle ldquoOne of our regulars spent too much time at the bar late one nightrdquo recounts Donna in her slow deliberate deliv-ery ldquoand a lit cigarette got away from him and fell in a booth It started smoldering By 3 in the morning the place was on firerdquo

In the four-year interim it took to secure the cash to rebuild Donna worked at another

Crescent establishment where she ran into Kenny Malone a trucker she had met years earlier They married in 1974 With no chil-dren of her own to raise Donna continued waitressing at night in addition to her day job as a legal secretary

ldquoIrsquove worked for the same lawyer in west Omaha for the past 45 years and one before him for 10rdquo she says matter-of-factly

Donnarsquos knowledge of Omaha came in handy during the Missourirsquos record flooding in 2011 McNeil decided to keep the res-taurant open despite closures from June to November of the Mormon Bridge leading into Crescent and sections of I-29 McNeil says whenever a customer from Omaha called asking for a way to get to the restaurant ldquoIrsquod just give the phone to Donna Shersquos our resident GPSrdquo

A solid regular customer base that includes Chip Davis of Manheim Steamroller (see page S10 for more on Davis) and KMTV meteorologist Jim Flowers helped keep the restaurant afloat during a tough time one of many Donna has faced Tall and thin with porcelain skin and blue eyes Donna shows no interest in slowing down ldquoNot unless Doreen fires merdquo she says half seriously

ldquoOh Donna Irsquoll never do thatrdquo McNeil quickly responds ldquoI wish I could find 10 more of yourdquo

Donna Malone talks to Pink Poodle owner Doreen McNeil

S16 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

omamagcomsave

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Donrsquot miss a single issue of Omaha Magazine

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Mayor Jean Stothert

Jim FlowersWeathers the Storm

Omaharsquos Best Doctorsreg

Omaharsquos 2013 BIG GIVE

Leading in a Manrsquos World

SEPTEMBEROCTOBER bull 2013

$2a$10$BV2a7VBdNEaP8TLqH43gOY8GyBeii959fEMuGFh6fTZktxU5toeU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$VQy5sjVaOIi93aOzrmXNOWOEUlVTxtUp4KLHYoUvJHGImzEGnKqU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$BSUej3mkaYgBL6SHdzkruVCLTOdrTeuMC7tENIJRio4k7r1S522U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8lJaZ1bjql9MsIVt9chbEODEK1V4DMh2sWCqgO3EOkcmLDpuOcv2OU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$bokog0hs0YeIDLS08Mtz1OiPJn75Gm7kUVRGxWiMvmNK96K15omCU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$6PwNCHEGBFnlVxWvtvWyOIUae5YKMbG9AKx4P0QQdYkJFnuQBedGU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$0zda1EWkCNLfq3f8IgljO0gl8u8SQWc9tfTcstxEmJlYbx85kAKU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8HQyCRFmAbwq2RC1u3RBOGPwfqXvS4nK4obI8uQeYNWIAST0cM2U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$UvJ6oFqd71pgpO03WVqRuAqoS2JG9CR1BvNEHKqLySgt2C7hVUWU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$FmIjrLTWACeLTrwoJXJu8b8hgthtLuGDBy0sV8EJZjyFkEni0NyU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$CjZNVV1n0igQ5i4xti7ehyyyTwczBJ4Or3CNfvQsAtx1fHkrPXmU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$uPCaJPhRy7F01s3YTceEkeAtZvK9r2seNkqA5w3PCqdyBr0eWmCOVER TEXT DECODED INSIDE

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JULYAUGUST bull 2014

war amp PeaceChuck Hagel battles for a future free of the quagmires of the past

OmaharsquostopDentiststrade

Best of Omahatrade Campaign 2015

The Loyal Royal Alex Gordon

Malorie MaddoxOmaha Stories

tradetrade

NOVEMBERDECEMBER bull 2013

The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse

Among Teens

Nebraskarsquos Premier Wealth Advisors

The Making of NebraskaJohn Jackson

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S17

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Largest showroom in the nationMultiple modelsone sure to fit your needs

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12739 Q Street4024081990

wwwkohllscom

Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARD

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

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S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

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EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

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Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

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Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

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Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 3: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

Until next issue

GwenGwen LemkeContributing Editor 60PLUS In Omaha

FAMILIAR FACESnames we know and love

T HIS ISSUE HAS SEVERAL stories about accomplished deserving award-winning men all age 60-plus who have interesting stories to tell many who you know by

first and last name if not face Chuck Roberts who reported for CNN for 28 years tells us his story of going to Atlanta from his previous jobmdashright here in Omaha Chip Davis of Mannheim Steamroller fame tells us the improbable story of how an advertising campaign helped launch his music career one that is soon to be featured in a PBS retrospective

But our cover story is about a woman Donna the first-name-basis friend to many is a hard-working 70-plus woman who spends her days as a legal secretary in west Omaha By night she slings prime rib at the Pink Poodle Restaurant just across the river in Crescent Iowamdashas she has for the past 60 years She shows no interest in slowing down and is a tribute to all women

We admire you Donna

60PLUS FROM THE EDITOR

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S3

FEATURE Chuck Roberts

From Corn Reports to CNN S4

HOBBIESMark Erikson

Life in Four-Part Harmonys S8

HISTORY ldquoConvoyrdquo 40 years Later

Thatrsquos a Big 10-4 Good Buddy S10

COVER FEATURE Still Taking orders

60 Years of Waiting Tables at the Pink Poodle S14

HEALTH Is Testosterone Replacement

Right for You S18

HISTORY You Know Yoursquove Lived In Omaha A Long Time

If You Remember S20

THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES What Happened to My Lincoln Logs

Thinking Outside the Box S22

CONTENTS volume 3 bull issue 4

CHUCK ROBERTSfrom corn reports

to CNN

S4 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan | photography provided by CNN

60PLUS FEATURE

C HUCK ROBERTS BLEW INTO Omaha the same day as the May 6 1975 tor-nado that spread death and destruc-

tion Covering the infamous storm was the newsmanrsquos introduction to his new job as a KMTV reporteranchor

ldquoWe were wall to wall on that story for a couple of weeks working 12 hours a dayrdquo he recalls

Viewers may remember Roberts anchoring Today Show cut-ins and noon news Later he was promoted to weeknight news co-anchor-ing with Jeff Jordan

KMTV news director Mark Gautier who hired him had a good eye for talent Gautier also hired Tom Brokaw who went on to a national stage with NBC News Roberts also ended up with a much wider audience after seven years in Omaha

It started when Ted Turner took a liking to Roberts The media mogul was launching the countryrsquos first 24-hour cable news station CNN2 which was renamed CNN Headline News one year later

Turner sent scouts across the country to find talent to anchor his news They found Roberts in Omaha ldquoThey told me lsquoTed fan-cies yoursquordquo Roberts explains ldquoand that I was a finalist They said lsquoCanrsquot offer you a contract Canrsquot pay what yoursquore making nowrsquordquo says Roberts of his soon-to-be pay cut

He packed up a U-Haul and drove 1000 miles to Atlanta and a new life

Roberts became the first anchor on the first 24-hour national news network and his was the first face seen on camera when the station went live The paint was still wet on the CNN set when the cameras rolled

ldquoWe were told our job was threefold look plausible stay sober and read the lines yoursquore given Those were our marching ordersrdquo

Roberts anchored four-hour weekday news-casts on CNN Headline News He also was CNNrsquos election anchor ldquoI would drive to the Birmingham (Alabama) library and isolate myself and prep for election night Election night 2000 was the most memorable Went on the air at 6 pm and off air at 7 amrdquo the following morning

In 2010 Roberts left CNN and an inter-national television audience of 160 million viewers After 28 years he was the longest-serving anchor among all the CNN networks He then spent three years carrying out media training sessions in eight provinces in China for his alma mater the Missouri School of Journalism

ldquoWe so-called experts were sent to teach media training to start up provincial-level news operationsrdquo says Roberts ldquoIt was a slow process Everything had to be translatedrdquo

The newsmanrsquos enthusiasm for a broadcast career began near a Nebraska farm his family owned ldquoThere was a radio station in the base-ment of a hotel in Falls City I was fascinated by that as a 9-year-oldrdquo

Roberts has high praise for the quality of broadcast news in this city ldquoOmaha is so much better than its market size and a great place to start a career I learned my craft in Omahardquo

Because of his many acheivements Roberts was inducted into the Omaha Press Club Journalists of Excellence Hall of Fame in June

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S5

S6 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS FEATURE

A Dial Retirement Community

60PLUS feature

Like talking to a friend whorsquos an expert tooOf course we do basic home care The ldquoabove and beyondrdquo care we provide is what wersquore known for

bull Whether itrsquos Alzheimerrsquos or another condition we will create a care plan designed specifically for your mom or dad and provide him or her with a professionally supervised and trained caregiver of his or her choice

bull Your Care Manager is available to go to the doctor with your parentsand be an advocate for him or her on your behalf

bull Our Proactive Approach to home care means your Care Manager will get to know your parents their lifestyle and their current health and wellness goals

bull Wersquoll provide our services as long as yoursquore satisfied no contract required

Call us today 402-763-9140 bull HomeCareAssistanceOmahacom

Hear what yourneighbors are sayingldquoWe have been so thankfulfor Home Care Assistancethey found caregivers whofit well with Mom helpedher increase her strengthand stamina and generallyimproved her quality oflife She is so happy nowgetting out and visiting herneighbors She has returnedto being ldquoMomrdquo to somedegree Home Care Assistance made all the differencerdquo

mdash Linda Omaha

This certification is an honor a testament to our high standard of care mdash and a reminder that we must always strive to exceed our own expectations to better care for you Our twelve experienced highly-skilled cancer specialists are dedicated to complete cancer treatment and research with over 100 clinical trials available

CHI Health Cancer Center - Bergan (402) 393-3110Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center (402) 354-8124Midwest Cancer Center Papillion (402) 593-3141

Midwest Cancer Center Legacy (402) 334-4773Health Park Plaza-Fremont Health (402) 941-7030

Margaret Block MD

M Salman Haroon MD

Ralph J Hauke MD

Timothy K Huyck MD

Robert M Langdon Jr MD

Kirsten M Leu MD

John M Longo MD

Geetha Palaniappan MD

David A Silverberg MD

Gamini S Soori MD

Yungpo Bernard Su MD

Stefano R Tarantolo MD

Benefit from everything we can offer as the largest independent QOPI-certified cancer practice in Nebraska

Receive the Highest Level of Cancer Care

NEBRASKA CANCER SPECIALISTS IS QOPIreg CERTIFIED

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S7

A Dial Retirement Community

S8 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by bev a carlson | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HOBBIES

MARK ERIKSON

life in four-part harmony

Barbershop harmonizing and a cappella singing in general have enjoyed resurgence in popularity in recent years thanks to movies like Pitch Perfect and Jimmy Fallonrsquos ldquoRagtime Galsrdquo skits

ldquoIt really has made a differencerdquo says Erikson ldquoItrsquos bringing barbershop to the forefront of a new generation introducing a music style that can fit them too They donrsquot have to stop singing after high school They can keep singing their whole livesrdquo

The youngest member of Pathfinder Chorus is 13 the oldest 85 with all ages in between represented Professions range from student to dairy farmer to military veteran There are even a couple of pilots on stage One flies B-52s the other flies commercial jets All have one thing in common a love for music harmony and fellowship

Erikson discovered his passion for bar-bershop singing while he was in the mili-tary almost by accident He was stationed at Norfolk Navy Base An elderly lady who sat near him in church kept urging him to join the choir So he did Later he downloaded a four-part menrsquos arrangement of ldquoThe Irish Blessingrdquo encouraged friends to sing with him and never looked back That was 11 years ago

At 63 Erikson now serves as district presi-dent He really wants to leave the chorusmdashand his communitymdashbetter than he found it He also umpires baseball And many of the

Pathfinder concerts are fundraisers In 2014 they donated over $10000 to the Salvation Army and Goodfellows charities

ldquoMark has been crucial to the success of the grouprdquo says retiring music director Pete ldquoPDrdquo Stibor ldquoMark has the passionrdquo

The passion and the practice pay offmdashand not just at competition On a sunny Saturday this summer the Pathfinders per-formed at Burke High School Despite beauti-ful weather the auditorium was full of fans and groupies eager to spend the next 90 minutes enjoying perfect harmony It was delivered with only voices as instruments exploring great pop tunes ballads and the Beatles complete with choreographymdasheven ldquojazz handsrdquo

ldquoI want to do this as long as I canrdquo says Erikson ldquoThen have the good sense to step down when the time is right We give our-selves goose bumps on the risers We look at each other and sayWe just did thatItrsquos such a personal thing Such an emotional thing to be able to share that with your friendsrdquo

D ONrsquoT BOTHER TRYING TO contact Mark Erikson on a Monday night

From now until wellmdashforevermdashhersquos booked

On Monday nights yoursquoll find Erikson and more than 100 other Nebraska men singing their hearts out at a Presbyterian church in Fremont They travel in from all over Erikson drives from Papillion an 80-mile round trip Other members make the trek from South Sioux City Beatrice and Columbus Eriksonrsquos work life may take him to another state but hersquoll fly in just for practice then back He moves mountains to make sure hersquos in his spot on the riser

ldquoJust a solid fact of liferdquo he explains Therersquos always a quorum for rehearsal of

the Pathfinder ChorusldquoEvery Monday at practice we put all of

lifersquos challenges aside Itrsquos like a three-hour break in the week Irsquom with my buddies And wersquore singing really wellrdquo says Erikson ldquoI guess itrsquos kind of a guy thingrdquo

That ldquoguy thingrdquo is an award-winning nationally-recognized barbershop chorus Eriksonrsquos modesty masks the uniqueness of this ensemble Widely diverse both in age and professions the 43-year-old group first quali-fied to perform at the Barbershop Harmony Societyrsquos International Competition in 2010 Theyrsquove continued to qualify and place every year since a rare feat for a group made up of non-music professionals

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S9

S10 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by max sparber | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HISTORY

Chip Davis is celebrating 40-year anniversaries for both ldquoConvoyrdquo and the founding of Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoCONVOYrdquo 40 YEARS LATER

thatrsquos a big 10-4 good buddy

I N THE 1975 TRUCKER song ldquoConvoyrdquo a voice can be heard on a CB radio ldquoWhatrsquos your 20rdquo the voice asks code for

ldquowhatrsquos your locationrdquo The answer comes back ldquoOmahardquo

Of course it did The song itself was from Omaha And while there were a lot of trucker songs in the 1970s few could boast the sort of strange backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo could and none could look to the sort of future the song had

First the backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo was the product of a successful advertising campaign The product was Old Home Bread the adver-tising agency was Omaharsquos Bozell amp Jacobs They conceived of a series of ads featuring a truck driver delivering bread to a diner wait-ress The waitress was named Mavis Davis The truck driver was CW McCall

The campaign proved to be popularmdashso much so that McCall broke off to be an independent character releasing a number of recordings The lyrics and singing voice for McCall belonged to Bill Fries while the songs were written by Chip Davis Fries later became mayor of Ouray Colorado while Davis founded Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoI said one time that I would never live in Nebraska and I would never write country musicrdquo Davis explains ldquoI guess we see how that all worked out My love of music was really in the classical area but my good for-tunemdashand I mean fortunemdashcame by way of writing ldquoConvoyrdquordquo

The song tells the story of a lawbreaking protesting collection of truckers riding cross-country together as a miles-long ribbon of working class antiheroes communicating on CB radios It became a crossover hit spend-ing six weeks in the number one slot on the

country charts and a week as number one on the pop charts

As a result ldquoConvoyrdquo joined the ranks of country songs in the lsquo70s that became films along with ldquoHarper Valley PTArdquo ldquoOde to Billy Joerdquo and ldquoTake This Job and Shove Itrdquo The film version began shooting in 1977 and boasted an impressive collection of talent Country legend Kris Kristofferson was cast in the lead along with Oscar-nominated Ali MacGraw and character actor Burt Young Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine was the vil-lainous county sheriff determined to break up the I-canrsquot-drive-55 convoy

ldquoConvoyrdquo was a pop culture sensation and helped spawn an era when CB radios were all but ubiquitous in every vehicle even your momrsquos station wagon but Davis and Mannheim Steamroller are also celebrating a pair of even more notable milestones

This summer public television stations throughout the US will air Mannheim Steamroller 3040 Live The concert spe-cial marks two anniversaries for the hugely successful act their debut album Fresh Aire was released four decades ago followed ten years later by the release of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas their first holiday album to huge success

lsquoldquoConvoyrsquo and the other 12 hits we hadrdquo Davis explains ldquoultimately funded Mannheim Steamroller and [record label] American Gramaphone Irsquom a lucky guy Going from a semi to a steamroller wasnrsquot all that difficultrdquo

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S11

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

ldquo

STILL TAKING ORDERS

60 years of waiting tables at the Pink Poodle

S14 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by carol crissey nigrelli | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

Donna Malone

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S15

T HE YEAR 1955Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower

occupy the White House gas costs 22 cents per gallon ldquoThe Ballad of Davy Crockettrdquo hits the top of the record charts and Donna Malone greets the very first customers at the Pink Poodle Steakhouse

Time has a relentless way of relegating things to the past but both the waitress known simply as Donna and the Pink Poodle have outraced the last six decades They have persevered through fire flood five owners and an uncertain economy How With affordable prime rib and in Donnarsquos case a strong work ethic

Excitement came to tiny Crescent Iowa in May 1955 when Jake Brummer a local developer who owned three other restaurants in western Iowa bought an establishment at 633 Old Lincoln Highway called the Black Glove and gave it a new name with a quintes-sential rsquo50s flair The Pink Poodle served up a variety of steaks chicken and seafood pro-viding a quality entertainment venue across the Missouri River from north Omaha and a source of income for a teenage farm girl from just up the road in Honey Creek

ldquoThe Brummers were real good friends with my mom and dad and Irsquod known them foreverrdquo Donna recalls ldquoJake asked me if I wanted to work at the restaurant and I said lsquoSurersquo I was 15rdquo

The new restaurant drew crowds imme-diately Donna started out as a cashier and hostess carefully observing how others did their jobs One night Brummer asked her to fill in as a waitress With her characteristic ldquoI can do thatrdquo attitude Donna found she liked waiting on tablesmdashand the benefits that came with it

ldquoBack then if you got a quarter per person per table it was a heck of a tip a dollar from four peoplerdquo says Donna 75 shaking her head at the thought ldquoOne Saturday night I remember making $32 The other girls just couldnrsquot believe it absolutely unreal Of course a lobster dinner back then was $795 Things have changed But I still make real good moneyrdquo

Itrsquos hard to pinpoint when Donna became as sought-after as the Pink Poodlersquos signature prime rib (introduced to the menu in the

early 1960s) The ease with which she talks to customers vanishes when asked to talk about herself A private humble person by nature Donna will only credit ldquogreat food and a wonderful clientelerdquo for the restaurantrsquos continued success Current owner Doreen McNeil who began as a waitress in 1983 and worked with Donna in the party room shows no such reluctance in focusing the spotlight

ldquoA lot of people come in here because of you Donnardquo McNeil tells her friend ldquoPeople who were children when Donna first waited on them now bring their grandchildren to meet herrdquo

Even first-time customers like Marianne and North Witcher of Omaha find them-selves easily drawn into Donnarsquos orbit ldquoShersquos fabulous as a waitress very knowledgeable and courteousrdquo says North ldquoShe got our orders exactly right knew the specials and their prices by heart We were floored when we learned how long shersquod been thererdquo

Donnarsquos journey to a 60th anniversary hit a roadblock in January 1972 when fire ravaged the Pink Poodle ldquoOne of our regulars spent too much time at the bar late one nightrdquo recounts Donna in her slow deliberate deliv-ery ldquoand a lit cigarette got away from him and fell in a booth It started smoldering By 3 in the morning the place was on firerdquo

In the four-year interim it took to secure the cash to rebuild Donna worked at another

Crescent establishment where she ran into Kenny Malone a trucker she had met years earlier They married in 1974 With no chil-dren of her own to raise Donna continued waitressing at night in addition to her day job as a legal secretary

ldquoIrsquove worked for the same lawyer in west Omaha for the past 45 years and one before him for 10rdquo she says matter-of-factly

Donnarsquos knowledge of Omaha came in handy during the Missourirsquos record flooding in 2011 McNeil decided to keep the res-taurant open despite closures from June to November of the Mormon Bridge leading into Crescent and sections of I-29 McNeil says whenever a customer from Omaha called asking for a way to get to the restaurant ldquoIrsquod just give the phone to Donna Shersquos our resident GPSrdquo

A solid regular customer base that includes Chip Davis of Manheim Steamroller (see page S10 for more on Davis) and KMTV meteorologist Jim Flowers helped keep the restaurant afloat during a tough time one of many Donna has faced Tall and thin with porcelain skin and blue eyes Donna shows no interest in slowing down ldquoNot unless Doreen fires merdquo she says half seriously

ldquoOh Donna Irsquoll never do thatrdquo McNeil quickly responds ldquoI wish I could find 10 more of yourdquo

Donna Malone talks to Pink Poodle owner Doreen McNeil

S16 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

omamagcomsave

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Donrsquot miss a single issue of Omaha Magazine

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Mayor Jean Stothert

Jim FlowersWeathers the Storm

Omaharsquos Best Doctorsreg

Omaharsquos 2013 BIG GIVE

Leading in a Manrsquos World

SEPTEMBEROCTOBER bull 2013

$2a$10$BV2a7VBdNEaP8TLqH43gOY8GyBeii959fEMuGFh6fTZktxU5toeU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$VQy5sjVaOIi93aOzrmXNOWOEUlVTxtUp4KLHYoUvJHGImzEGnKqU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$BSUej3mkaYgBL6SHdzkruVCLTOdrTeuMC7tENIJRio4k7r1S522U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8lJaZ1bjql9MsIVt9chbEODEK1V4DMh2sWCqgO3EOkcmLDpuOcv2OU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$bokog0hs0YeIDLS08Mtz1OiPJn75Gm7kUVRGxWiMvmNK96K15omCU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$6PwNCHEGBFnlVxWvtvWyOIUae5YKMbG9AKx4P0QQdYkJFnuQBedGU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$0zda1EWkCNLfq3f8IgljO0gl8u8SQWc9tfTcstxEmJlYbx85kAKU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8HQyCRFmAbwq2RC1u3RBOGPwfqXvS4nK4obI8uQeYNWIAST0cM2U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$UvJ6oFqd71pgpO03WVqRuAqoS2JG9CR1BvNEHKqLySgt2C7hVUWU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$FmIjrLTWACeLTrwoJXJu8b8hgthtLuGDBy0sV8EJZjyFkEni0NyU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$CjZNVV1n0igQ5i4xti7ehyyyTwczBJ4Or3CNfvQsAtx1fHkrPXmU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$uPCaJPhRy7F01s3YTceEkeAtZvK9r2seNkqA5w3PCqdyBr0eWmCOVER TEXT DECODED INSIDE

trade

JULYAUGUST bull 2014

war amp PeaceChuck Hagel battles for a future free of the quagmires of the past

OmaharsquostopDentiststrade

Best of Omahatrade Campaign 2015

The Loyal Royal Alex Gordon

Malorie MaddoxOmaha Stories

tradetrade

NOVEMBERDECEMBER bull 2013

The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse

Among Teens

Nebraskarsquos Premier Wealth Advisors

The Making of NebraskaJohn Jackson

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S17

WhenExperience Counts

Experience our State-of-the-Art Facilities

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wwwkohllscom

Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARD

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 4: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

CHUCK ROBERTSfrom corn reports

to CNN

S4 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan | photography provided by CNN

60PLUS FEATURE

C HUCK ROBERTS BLEW INTO Omaha the same day as the May 6 1975 tor-nado that spread death and destruc-

tion Covering the infamous storm was the newsmanrsquos introduction to his new job as a KMTV reporteranchor

ldquoWe were wall to wall on that story for a couple of weeks working 12 hours a dayrdquo he recalls

Viewers may remember Roberts anchoring Today Show cut-ins and noon news Later he was promoted to weeknight news co-anchor-ing with Jeff Jordan

KMTV news director Mark Gautier who hired him had a good eye for talent Gautier also hired Tom Brokaw who went on to a national stage with NBC News Roberts also ended up with a much wider audience after seven years in Omaha

It started when Ted Turner took a liking to Roberts The media mogul was launching the countryrsquos first 24-hour cable news station CNN2 which was renamed CNN Headline News one year later

Turner sent scouts across the country to find talent to anchor his news They found Roberts in Omaha ldquoThey told me lsquoTed fan-cies yoursquordquo Roberts explains ldquoand that I was a finalist They said lsquoCanrsquot offer you a contract Canrsquot pay what yoursquore making nowrsquordquo says Roberts of his soon-to-be pay cut

He packed up a U-Haul and drove 1000 miles to Atlanta and a new life

Roberts became the first anchor on the first 24-hour national news network and his was the first face seen on camera when the station went live The paint was still wet on the CNN set when the cameras rolled

ldquoWe were told our job was threefold look plausible stay sober and read the lines yoursquore given Those were our marching ordersrdquo

Roberts anchored four-hour weekday news-casts on CNN Headline News He also was CNNrsquos election anchor ldquoI would drive to the Birmingham (Alabama) library and isolate myself and prep for election night Election night 2000 was the most memorable Went on the air at 6 pm and off air at 7 amrdquo the following morning

In 2010 Roberts left CNN and an inter-national television audience of 160 million viewers After 28 years he was the longest-serving anchor among all the CNN networks He then spent three years carrying out media training sessions in eight provinces in China for his alma mater the Missouri School of Journalism

ldquoWe so-called experts were sent to teach media training to start up provincial-level news operationsrdquo says Roberts ldquoIt was a slow process Everything had to be translatedrdquo

The newsmanrsquos enthusiasm for a broadcast career began near a Nebraska farm his family owned ldquoThere was a radio station in the base-ment of a hotel in Falls City I was fascinated by that as a 9-year-oldrdquo

Roberts has high praise for the quality of broadcast news in this city ldquoOmaha is so much better than its market size and a great place to start a career I learned my craft in Omahardquo

Because of his many acheivements Roberts was inducted into the Omaha Press Club Journalists of Excellence Hall of Fame in June

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S5

S6 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS FEATURE

A Dial Retirement Community

60PLUS feature

Like talking to a friend whorsquos an expert tooOf course we do basic home care The ldquoabove and beyondrdquo care we provide is what wersquore known for

bull Whether itrsquos Alzheimerrsquos or another condition we will create a care plan designed specifically for your mom or dad and provide him or her with a professionally supervised and trained caregiver of his or her choice

bull Your Care Manager is available to go to the doctor with your parentsand be an advocate for him or her on your behalf

bull Our Proactive Approach to home care means your Care Manager will get to know your parents their lifestyle and their current health and wellness goals

bull Wersquoll provide our services as long as yoursquore satisfied no contract required

Call us today 402-763-9140 bull HomeCareAssistanceOmahacom

Hear what yourneighbors are sayingldquoWe have been so thankfulfor Home Care Assistancethey found caregivers whofit well with Mom helpedher increase her strengthand stamina and generallyimproved her quality oflife She is so happy nowgetting out and visiting herneighbors She has returnedto being ldquoMomrdquo to somedegree Home Care Assistance made all the differencerdquo

mdash Linda Omaha

This certification is an honor a testament to our high standard of care mdash and a reminder that we must always strive to exceed our own expectations to better care for you Our twelve experienced highly-skilled cancer specialists are dedicated to complete cancer treatment and research with over 100 clinical trials available

CHI Health Cancer Center - Bergan (402) 393-3110Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center (402) 354-8124Midwest Cancer Center Papillion (402) 593-3141

Midwest Cancer Center Legacy (402) 334-4773Health Park Plaza-Fremont Health (402) 941-7030

Margaret Block MD

M Salman Haroon MD

Ralph J Hauke MD

Timothy K Huyck MD

Robert M Langdon Jr MD

Kirsten M Leu MD

John M Longo MD

Geetha Palaniappan MD

David A Silverberg MD

Gamini S Soori MD

Yungpo Bernard Su MD

Stefano R Tarantolo MD

Benefit from everything we can offer as the largest independent QOPI-certified cancer practice in Nebraska

Receive the Highest Level of Cancer Care

NEBRASKA CANCER SPECIALISTS IS QOPIreg CERTIFIED

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S7

A Dial Retirement Community

S8 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by bev a carlson | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HOBBIES

MARK ERIKSON

life in four-part harmony

Barbershop harmonizing and a cappella singing in general have enjoyed resurgence in popularity in recent years thanks to movies like Pitch Perfect and Jimmy Fallonrsquos ldquoRagtime Galsrdquo skits

ldquoIt really has made a differencerdquo says Erikson ldquoItrsquos bringing barbershop to the forefront of a new generation introducing a music style that can fit them too They donrsquot have to stop singing after high school They can keep singing their whole livesrdquo

The youngest member of Pathfinder Chorus is 13 the oldest 85 with all ages in between represented Professions range from student to dairy farmer to military veteran There are even a couple of pilots on stage One flies B-52s the other flies commercial jets All have one thing in common a love for music harmony and fellowship

Erikson discovered his passion for bar-bershop singing while he was in the mili-tary almost by accident He was stationed at Norfolk Navy Base An elderly lady who sat near him in church kept urging him to join the choir So he did Later he downloaded a four-part menrsquos arrangement of ldquoThe Irish Blessingrdquo encouraged friends to sing with him and never looked back That was 11 years ago

At 63 Erikson now serves as district presi-dent He really wants to leave the chorusmdashand his communitymdashbetter than he found it He also umpires baseball And many of the

Pathfinder concerts are fundraisers In 2014 they donated over $10000 to the Salvation Army and Goodfellows charities

ldquoMark has been crucial to the success of the grouprdquo says retiring music director Pete ldquoPDrdquo Stibor ldquoMark has the passionrdquo

The passion and the practice pay offmdashand not just at competition On a sunny Saturday this summer the Pathfinders per-formed at Burke High School Despite beauti-ful weather the auditorium was full of fans and groupies eager to spend the next 90 minutes enjoying perfect harmony It was delivered with only voices as instruments exploring great pop tunes ballads and the Beatles complete with choreographymdasheven ldquojazz handsrdquo

ldquoI want to do this as long as I canrdquo says Erikson ldquoThen have the good sense to step down when the time is right We give our-selves goose bumps on the risers We look at each other and sayWe just did thatItrsquos such a personal thing Such an emotional thing to be able to share that with your friendsrdquo

D ONrsquoT BOTHER TRYING TO contact Mark Erikson on a Monday night

From now until wellmdashforevermdashhersquos booked

On Monday nights yoursquoll find Erikson and more than 100 other Nebraska men singing their hearts out at a Presbyterian church in Fremont They travel in from all over Erikson drives from Papillion an 80-mile round trip Other members make the trek from South Sioux City Beatrice and Columbus Eriksonrsquos work life may take him to another state but hersquoll fly in just for practice then back He moves mountains to make sure hersquos in his spot on the riser

ldquoJust a solid fact of liferdquo he explains Therersquos always a quorum for rehearsal of

the Pathfinder ChorusldquoEvery Monday at practice we put all of

lifersquos challenges aside Itrsquos like a three-hour break in the week Irsquom with my buddies And wersquore singing really wellrdquo says Erikson ldquoI guess itrsquos kind of a guy thingrdquo

That ldquoguy thingrdquo is an award-winning nationally-recognized barbershop chorus Eriksonrsquos modesty masks the uniqueness of this ensemble Widely diverse both in age and professions the 43-year-old group first quali-fied to perform at the Barbershop Harmony Societyrsquos International Competition in 2010 Theyrsquove continued to qualify and place every year since a rare feat for a group made up of non-music professionals

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S9

S10 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by max sparber | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HISTORY

Chip Davis is celebrating 40-year anniversaries for both ldquoConvoyrdquo and the founding of Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoCONVOYrdquo 40 YEARS LATER

thatrsquos a big 10-4 good buddy

I N THE 1975 TRUCKER song ldquoConvoyrdquo a voice can be heard on a CB radio ldquoWhatrsquos your 20rdquo the voice asks code for

ldquowhatrsquos your locationrdquo The answer comes back ldquoOmahardquo

Of course it did The song itself was from Omaha And while there were a lot of trucker songs in the 1970s few could boast the sort of strange backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo could and none could look to the sort of future the song had

First the backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo was the product of a successful advertising campaign The product was Old Home Bread the adver-tising agency was Omaharsquos Bozell amp Jacobs They conceived of a series of ads featuring a truck driver delivering bread to a diner wait-ress The waitress was named Mavis Davis The truck driver was CW McCall

The campaign proved to be popularmdashso much so that McCall broke off to be an independent character releasing a number of recordings The lyrics and singing voice for McCall belonged to Bill Fries while the songs were written by Chip Davis Fries later became mayor of Ouray Colorado while Davis founded Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoI said one time that I would never live in Nebraska and I would never write country musicrdquo Davis explains ldquoI guess we see how that all worked out My love of music was really in the classical area but my good for-tunemdashand I mean fortunemdashcame by way of writing ldquoConvoyrdquordquo

The song tells the story of a lawbreaking protesting collection of truckers riding cross-country together as a miles-long ribbon of working class antiheroes communicating on CB radios It became a crossover hit spend-ing six weeks in the number one slot on the

country charts and a week as number one on the pop charts

As a result ldquoConvoyrdquo joined the ranks of country songs in the lsquo70s that became films along with ldquoHarper Valley PTArdquo ldquoOde to Billy Joerdquo and ldquoTake This Job and Shove Itrdquo The film version began shooting in 1977 and boasted an impressive collection of talent Country legend Kris Kristofferson was cast in the lead along with Oscar-nominated Ali MacGraw and character actor Burt Young Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine was the vil-lainous county sheriff determined to break up the I-canrsquot-drive-55 convoy

ldquoConvoyrdquo was a pop culture sensation and helped spawn an era when CB radios were all but ubiquitous in every vehicle even your momrsquos station wagon but Davis and Mannheim Steamroller are also celebrating a pair of even more notable milestones

This summer public television stations throughout the US will air Mannheim Steamroller 3040 Live The concert spe-cial marks two anniversaries for the hugely successful act their debut album Fresh Aire was released four decades ago followed ten years later by the release of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas their first holiday album to huge success

lsquoldquoConvoyrsquo and the other 12 hits we hadrdquo Davis explains ldquoultimately funded Mannheim Steamroller and [record label] American Gramaphone Irsquom a lucky guy Going from a semi to a steamroller wasnrsquot all that difficultrdquo

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S11

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

ldquo

STILL TAKING ORDERS

60 years of waiting tables at the Pink Poodle

S14 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by carol crissey nigrelli | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

Donna Malone

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S15

T HE YEAR 1955Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower

occupy the White House gas costs 22 cents per gallon ldquoThe Ballad of Davy Crockettrdquo hits the top of the record charts and Donna Malone greets the very first customers at the Pink Poodle Steakhouse

Time has a relentless way of relegating things to the past but both the waitress known simply as Donna and the Pink Poodle have outraced the last six decades They have persevered through fire flood five owners and an uncertain economy How With affordable prime rib and in Donnarsquos case a strong work ethic

Excitement came to tiny Crescent Iowa in May 1955 when Jake Brummer a local developer who owned three other restaurants in western Iowa bought an establishment at 633 Old Lincoln Highway called the Black Glove and gave it a new name with a quintes-sential rsquo50s flair The Pink Poodle served up a variety of steaks chicken and seafood pro-viding a quality entertainment venue across the Missouri River from north Omaha and a source of income for a teenage farm girl from just up the road in Honey Creek

ldquoThe Brummers were real good friends with my mom and dad and Irsquod known them foreverrdquo Donna recalls ldquoJake asked me if I wanted to work at the restaurant and I said lsquoSurersquo I was 15rdquo

The new restaurant drew crowds imme-diately Donna started out as a cashier and hostess carefully observing how others did their jobs One night Brummer asked her to fill in as a waitress With her characteristic ldquoI can do thatrdquo attitude Donna found she liked waiting on tablesmdashand the benefits that came with it

ldquoBack then if you got a quarter per person per table it was a heck of a tip a dollar from four peoplerdquo says Donna 75 shaking her head at the thought ldquoOne Saturday night I remember making $32 The other girls just couldnrsquot believe it absolutely unreal Of course a lobster dinner back then was $795 Things have changed But I still make real good moneyrdquo

Itrsquos hard to pinpoint when Donna became as sought-after as the Pink Poodlersquos signature prime rib (introduced to the menu in the

early 1960s) The ease with which she talks to customers vanishes when asked to talk about herself A private humble person by nature Donna will only credit ldquogreat food and a wonderful clientelerdquo for the restaurantrsquos continued success Current owner Doreen McNeil who began as a waitress in 1983 and worked with Donna in the party room shows no such reluctance in focusing the spotlight

ldquoA lot of people come in here because of you Donnardquo McNeil tells her friend ldquoPeople who were children when Donna first waited on them now bring their grandchildren to meet herrdquo

Even first-time customers like Marianne and North Witcher of Omaha find them-selves easily drawn into Donnarsquos orbit ldquoShersquos fabulous as a waitress very knowledgeable and courteousrdquo says North ldquoShe got our orders exactly right knew the specials and their prices by heart We were floored when we learned how long shersquod been thererdquo

Donnarsquos journey to a 60th anniversary hit a roadblock in January 1972 when fire ravaged the Pink Poodle ldquoOne of our regulars spent too much time at the bar late one nightrdquo recounts Donna in her slow deliberate deliv-ery ldquoand a lit cigarette got away from him and fell in a booth It started smoldering By 3 in the morning the place was on firerdquo

In the four-year interim it took to secure the cash to rebuild Donna worked at another

Crescent establishment where she ran into Kenny Malone a trucker she had met years earlier They married in 1974 With no chil-dren of her own to raise Donna continued waitressing at night in addition to her day job as a legal secretary

ldquoIrsquove worked for the same lawyer in west Omaha for the past 45 years and one before him for 10rdquo she says matter-of-factly

Donnarsquos knowledge of Omaha came in handy during the Missourirsquos record flooding in 2011 McNeil decided to keep the res-taurant open despite closures from June to November of the Mormon Bridge leading into Crescent and sections of I-29 McNeil says whenever a customer from Omaha called asking for a way to get to the restaurant ldquoIrsquod just give the phone to Donna Shersquos our resident GPSrdquo

A solid regular customer base that includes Chip Davis of Manheim Steamroller (see page S10 for more on Davis) and KMTV meteorologist Jim Flowers helped keep the restaurant afloat during a tough time one of many Donna has faced Tall and thin with porcelain skin and blue eyes Donna shows no interest in slowing down ldquoNot unless Doreen fires merdquo she says half seriously

ldquoOh Donna Irsquoll never do thatrdquo McNeil quickly responds ldquoI wish I could find 10 more of yourdquo

Donna Malone talks to Pink Poodle owner Doreen McNeil

S16 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

omamagcomsave

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Mayor Jean Stothert

Jim FlowersWeathers the Storm

Omaharsquos Best Doctorsreg

Omaharsquos 2013 BIG GIVE

Leading in a Manrsquos World

SEPTEMBEROCTOBER bull 2013

$2a$10$BV2a7VBdNEaP8TLqH43gOY8GyBeii959fEMuGFh6fTZktxU5toeU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$VQy5sjVaOIi93aOzrmXNOWOEUlVTxtUp4KLHYoUvJHGImzEGnKqU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$BSUej3mkaYgBL6SHdzkruVCLTOdrTeuMC7tENIJRio4k7r1S522U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8lJaZ1bjql9MsIVt9chbEODEK1V4DMh2sWCqgO3EOkcmLDpuOcv2OU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$bokog0hs0YeIDLS08Mtz1OiPJn75Gm7kUVRGxWiMvmNK96K15omCU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$6PwNCHEGBFnlVxWvtvWyOIUae5YKMbG9AKx4P0QQdYkJFnuQBedGU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$0zda1EWkCNLfq3f8IgljO0gl8u8SQWc9tfTcstxEmJlYbx85kAKU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8HQyCRFmAbwq2RC1u3RBOGPwfqXvS4nK4obI8uQeYNWIAST0cM2U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$UvJ6oFqd71pgpO03WVqRuAqoS2JG9CR1BvNEHKqLySgt2C7hVUWU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$FmIjrLTWACeLTrwoJXJu8b8hgthtLuGDBy0sV8EJZjyFkEni0NyU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$CjZNVV1n0igQ5i4xti7ehyyyTwczBJ4Or3CNfvQsAtx1fHkrPXmU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$uPCaJPhRy7F01s3YTceEkeAtZvK9r2seNkqA5w3PCqdyBr0eWmCOVER TEXT DECODED INSIDE

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JULYAUGUST bull 2014

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OmaharsquostopDentiststrade

Best of Omahatrade Campaign 2015

The Loyal Royal Alex Gordon

Malorie MaddoxOmaha Stories

tradetrade

NOVEMBERDECEMBER bull 2013

The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse

Among Teens

Nebraskarsquos Premier Wealth Advisors

The Making of NebraskaJohn Jackson

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S17

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12739 Q Street4024081990

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Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARD

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

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or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 5: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

C HUCK ROBERTS BLEW INTO Omaha the same day as the May 6 1975 tor-nado that spread death and destruc-

tion Covering the infamous storm was the newsmanrsquos introduction to his new job as a KMTV reporteranchor

ldquoWe were wall to wall on that story for a couple of weeks working 12 hours a dayrdquo he recalls

Viewers may remember Roberts anchoring Today Show cut-ins and noon news Later he was promoted to weeknight news co-anchor-ing with Jeff Jordan

KMTV news director Mark Gautier who hired him had a good eye for talent Gautier also hired Tom Brokaw who went on to a national stage with NBC News Roberts also ended up with a much wider audience after seven years in Omaha

It started when Ted Turner took a liking to Roberts The media mogul was launching the countryrsquos first 24-hour cable news station CNN2 which was renamed CNN Headline News one year later

Turner sent scouts across the country to find talent to anchor his news They found Roberts in Omaha ldquoThey told me lsquoTed fan-cies yoursquordquo Roberts explains ldquoand that I was a finalist They said lsquoCanrsquot offer you a contract Canrsquot pay what yoursquore making nowrsquordquo says Roberts of his soon-to-be pay cut

He packed up a U-Haul and drove 1000 miles to Atlanta and a new life

Roberts became the first anchor on the first 24-hour national news network and his was the first face seen on camera when the station went live The paint was still wet on the CNN set when the cameras rolled

ldquoWe were told our job was threefold look plausible stay sober and read the lines yoursquore given Those were our marching ordersrdquo

Roberts anchored four-hour weekday news-casts on CNN Headline News He also was CNNrsquos election anchor ldquoI would drive to the Birmingham (Alabama) library and isolate myself and prep for election night Election night 2000 was the most memorable Went on the air at 6 pm and off air at 7 amrdquo the following morning

In 2010 Roberts left CNN and an inter-national television audience of 160 million viewers After 28 years he was the longest-serving anchor among all the CNN networks He then spent three years carrying out media training sessions in eight provinces in China for his alma mater the Missouri School of Journalism

ldquoWe so-called experts were sent to teach media training to start up provincial-level news operationsrdquo says Roberts ldquoIt was a slow process Everything had to be translatedrdquo

The newsmanrsquos enthusiasm for a broadcast career began near a Nebraska farm his family owned ldquoThere was a radio station in the base-ment of a hotel in Falls City I was fascinated by that as a 9-year-oldrdquo

Roberts has high praise for the quality of broadcast news in this city ldquoOmaha is so much better than its market size and a great place to start a career I learned my craft in Omahardquo

Because of his many acheivements Roberts was inducted into the Omaha Press Club Journalists of Excellence Hall of Fame in June

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S5

S6 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS FEATURE

A Dial Retirement Community

60PLUS feature

Like talking to a friend whorsquos an expert tooOf course we do basic home care The ldquoabove and beyondrdquo care we provide is what wersquore known for

bull Whether itrsquos Alzheimerrsquos or another condition we will create a care plan designed specifically for your mom or dad and provide him or her with a professionally supervised and trained caregiver of his or her choice

bull Your Care Manager is available to go to the doctor with your parentsand be an advocate for him or her on your behalf

bull Our Proactive Approach to home care means your Care Manager will get to know your parents their lifestyle and their current health and wellness goals

bull Wersquoll provide our services as long as yoursquore satisfied no contract required

Call us today 402-763-9140 bull HomeCareAssistanceOmahacom

Hear what yourneighbors are sayingldquoWe have been so thankfulfor Home Care Assistancethey found caregivers whofit well with Mom helpedher increase her strengthand stamina and generallyimproved her quality oflife She is so happy nowgetting out and visiting herneighbors She has returnedto being ldquoMomrdquo to somedegree Home Care Assistance made all the differencerdquo

mdash Linda Omaha

This certification is an honor a testament to our high standard of care mdash and a reminder that we must always strive to exceed our own expectations to better care for you Our twelve experienced highly-skilled cancer specialists are dedicated to complete cancer treatment and research with over 100 clinical trials available

CHI Health Cancer Center - Bergan (402) 393-3110Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center (402) 354-8124Midwest Cancer Center Papillion (402) 593-3141

Midwest Cancer Center Legacy (402) 334-4773Health Park Plaza-Fremont Health (402) 941-7030

Margaret Block MD

M Salman Haroon MD

Ralph J Hauke MD

Timothy K Huyck MD

Robert M Langdon Jr MD

Kirsten M Leu MD

John M Longo MD

Geetha Palaniappan MD

David A Silverberg MD

Gamini S Soori MD

Yungpo Bernard Su MD

Stefano R Tarantolo MD

Benefit from everything we can offer as the largest independent QOPI-certified cancer practice in Nebraska

Receive the Highest Level of Cancer Care

NEBRASKA CANCER SPECIALISTS IS QOPIreg CERTIFIED

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S7

A Dial Retirement Community

S8 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by bev a carlson | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HOBBIES

MARK ERIKSON

life in four-part harmony

Barbershop harmonizing and a cappella singing in general have enjoyed resurgence in popularity in recent years thanks to movies like Pitch Perfect and Jimmy Fallonrsquos ldquoRagtime Galsrdquo skits

ldquoIt really has made a differencerdquo says Erikson ldquoItrsquos bringing barbershop to the forefront of a new generation introducing a music style that can fit them too They donrsquot have to stop singing after high school They can keep singing their whole livesrdquo

The youngest member of Pathfinder Chorus is 13 the oldest 85 with all ages in between represented Professions range from student to dairy farmer to military veteran There are even a couple of pilots on stage One flies B-52s the other flies commercial jets All have one thing in common a love for music harmony and fellowship

Erikson discovered his passion for bar-bershop singing while he was in the mili-tary almost by accident He was stationed at Norfolk Navy Base An elderly lady who sat near him in church kept urging him to join the choir So he did Later he downloaded a four-part menrsquos arrangement of ldquoThe Irish Blessingrdquo encouraged friends to sing with him and never looked back That was 11 years ago

At 63 Erikson now serves as district presi-dent He really wants to leave the chorusmdashand his communitymdashbetter than he found it He also umpires baseball And many of the

Pathfinder concerts are fundraisers In 2014 they donated over $10000 to the Salvation Army and Goodfellows charities

ldquoMark has been crucial to the success of the grouprdquo says retiring music director Pete ldquoPDrdquo Stibor ldquoMark has the passionrdquo

The passion and the practice pay offmdashand not just at competition On a sunny Saturday this summer the Pathfinders per-formed at Burke High School Despite beauti-ful weather the auditorium was full of fans and groupies eager to spend the next 90 minutes enjoying perfect harmony It was delivered with only voices as instruments exploring great pop tunes ballads and the Beatles complete with choreographymdasheven ldquojazz handsrdquo

ldquoI want to do this as long as I canrdquo says Erikson ldquoThen have the good sense to step down when the time is right We give our-selves goose bumps on the risers We look at each other and sayWe just did thatItrsquos such a personal thing Such an emotional thing to be able to share that with your friendsrdquo

D ONrsquoT BOTHER TRYING TO contact Mark Erikson on a Monday night

From now until wellmdashforevermdashhersquos booked

On Monday nights yoursquoll find Erikson and more than 100 other Nebraska men singing their hearts out at a Presbyterian church in Fremont They travel in from all over Erikson drives from Papillion an 80-mile round trip Other members make the trek from South Sioux City Beatrice and Columbus Eriksonrsquos work life may take him to another state but hersquoll fly in just for practice then back He moves mountains to make sure hersquos in his spot on the riser

ldquoJust a solid fact of liferdquo he explains Therersquos always a quorum for rehearsal of

the Pathfinder ChorusldquoEvery Monday at practice we put all of

lifersquos challenges aside Itrsquos like a three-hour break in the week Irsquom with my buddies And wersquore singing really wellrdquo says Erikson ldquoI guess itrsquos kind of a guy thingrdquo

That ldquoguy thingrdquo is an award-winning nationally-recognized barbershop chorus Eriksonrsquos modesty masks the uniqueness of this ensemble Widely diverse both in age and professions the 43-year-old group first quali-fied to perform at the Barbershop Harmony Societyrsquos International Competition in 2010 Theyrsquove continued to qualify and place every year since a rare feat for a group made up of non-music professionals

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S9

S10 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by max sparber | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HISTORY

Chip Davis is celebrating 40-year anniversaries for both ldquoConvoyrdquo and the founding of Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoCONVOYrdquo 40 YEARS LATER

thatrsquos a big 10-4 good buddy

I N THE 1975 TRUCKER song ldquoConvoyrdquo a voice can be heard on a CB radio ldquoWhatrsquos your 20rdquo the voice asks code for

ldquowhatrsquos your locationrdquo The answer comes back ldquoOmahardquo

Of course it did The song itself was from Omaha And while there were a lot of trucker songs in the 1970s few could boast the sort of strange backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo could and none could look to the sort of future the song had

First the backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo was the product of a successful advertising campaign The product was Old Home Bread the adver-tising agency was Omaharsquos Bozell amp Jacobs They conceived of a series of ads featuring a truck driver delivering bread to a diner wait-ress The waitress was named Mavis Davis The truck driver was CW McCall

The campaign proved to be popularmdashso much so that McCall broke off to be an independent character releasing a number of recordings The lyrics and singing voice for McCall belonged to Bill Fries while the songs were written by Chip Davis Fries later became mayor of Ouray Colorado while Davis founded Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoI said one time that I would never live in Nebraska and I would never write country musicrdquo Davis explains ldquoI guess we see how that all worked out My love of music was really in the classical area but my good for-tunemdashand I mean fortunemdashcame by way of writing ldquoConvoyrdquordquo

The song tells the story of a lawbreaking protesting collection of truckers riding cross-country together as a miles-long ribbon of working class antiheroes communicating on CB radios It became a crossover hit spend-ing six weeks in the number one slot on the

country charts and a week as number one on the pop charts

As a result ldquoConvoyrdquo joined the ranks of country songs in the lsquo70s that became films along with ldquoHarper Valley PTArdquo ldquoOde to Billy Joerdquo and ldquoTake This Job and Shove Itrdquo The film version began shooting in 1977 and boasted an impressive collection of talent Country legend Kris Kristofferson was cast in the lead along with Oscar-nominated Ali MacGraw and character actor Burt Young Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine was the vil-lainous county sheriff determined to break up the I-canrsquot-drive-55 convoy

ldquoConvoyrdquo was a pop culture sensation and helped spawn an era when CB radios were all but ubiquitous in every vehicle even your momrsquos station wagon but Davis and Mannheim Steamroller are also celebrating a pair of even more notable milestones

This summer public television stations throughout the US will air Mannheim Steamroller 3040 Live The concert spe-cial marks two anniversaries for the hugely successful act their debut album Fresh Aire was released four decades ago followed ten years later by the release of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas their first holiday album to huge success

lsquoldquoConvoyrsquo and the other 12 hits we hadrdquo Davis explains ldquoultimately funded Mannheim Steamroller and [record label] American Gramaphone Irsquom a lucky guy Going from a semi to a steamroller wasnrsquot all that difficultrdquo

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S11

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

ldquo

STILL TAKING ORDERS

60 years of waiting tables at the Pink Poodle

S14 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by carol crissey nigrelli | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

Donna Malone

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S15

T HE YEAR 1955Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower

occupy the White House gas costs 22 cents per gallon ldquoThe Ballad of Davy Crockettrdquo hits the top of the record charts and Donna Malone greets the very first customers at the Pink Poodle Steakhouse

Time has a relentless way of relegating things to the past but both the waitress known simply as Donna and the Pink Poodle have outraced the last six decades They have persevered through fire flood five owners and an uncertain economy How With affordable prime rib and in Donnarsquos case a strong work ethic

Excitement came to tiny Crescent Iowa in May 1955 when Jake Brummer a local developer who owned three other restaurants in western Iowa bought an establishment at 633 Old Lincoln Highway called the Black Glove and gave it a new name with a quintes-sential rsquo50s flair The Pink Poodle served up a variety of steaks chicken and seafood pro-viding a quality entertainment venue across the Missouri River from north Omaha and a source of income for a teenage farm girl from just up the road in Honey Creek

ldquoThe Brummers were real good friends with my mom and dad and Irsquod known them foreverrdquo Donna recalls ldquoJake asked me if I wanted to work at the restaurant and I said lsquoSurersquo I was 15rdquo

The new restaurant drew crowds imme-diately Donna started out as a cashier and hostess carefully observing how others did their jobs One night Brummer asked her to fill in as a waitress With her characteristic ldquoI can do thatrdquo attitude Donna found she liked waiting on tablesmdashand the benefits that came with it

ldquoBack then if you got a quarter per person per table it was a heck of a tip a dollar from four peoplerdquo says Donna 75 shaking her head at the thought ldquoOne Saturday night I remember making $32 The other girls just couldnrsquot believe it absolutely unreal Of course a lobster dinner back then was $795 Things have changed But I still make real good moneyrdquo

Itrsquos hard to pinpoint when Donna became as sought-after as the Pink Poodlersquos signature prime rib (introduced to the menu in the

early 1960s) The ease with which she talks to customers vanishes when asked to talk about herself A private humble person by nature Donna will only credit ldquogreat food and a wonderful clientelerdquo for the restaurantrsquos continued success Current owner Doreen McNeil who began as a waitress in 1983 and worked with Donna in the party room shows no such reluctance in focusing the spotlight

ldquoA lot of people come in here because of you Donnardquo McNeil tells her friend ldquoPeople who were children when Donna first waited on them now bring their grandchildren to meet herrdquo

Even first-time customers like Marianne and North Witcher of Omaha find them-selves easily drawn into Donnarsquos orbit ldquoShersquos fabulous as a waitress very knowledgeable and courteousrdquo says North ldquoShe got our orders exactly right knew the specials and their prices by heart We were floored when we learned how long shersquod been thererdquo

Donnarsquos journey to a 60th anniversary hit a roadblock in January 1972 when fire ravaged the Pink Poodle ldquoOne of our regulars spent too much time at the bar late one nightrdquo recounts Donna in her slow deliberate deliv-ery ldquoand a lit cigarette got away from him and fell in a booth It started smoldering By 3 in the morning the place was on firerdquo

In the four-year interim it took to secure the cash to rebuild Donna worked at another

Crescent establishment where she ran into Kenny Malone a trucker she had met years earlier They married in 1974 With no chil-dren of her own to raise Donna continued waitressing at night in addition to her day job as a legal secretary

ldquoIrsquove worked for the same lawyer in west Omaha for the past 45 years and one before him for 10rdquo she says matter-of-factly

Donnarsquos knowledge of Omaha came in handy during the Missourirsquos record flooding in 2011 McNeil decided to keep the res-taurant open despite closures from June to November of the Mormon Bridge leading into Crescent and sections of I-29 McNeil says whenever a customer from Omaha called asking for a way to get to the restaurant ldquoIrsquod just give the phone to Donna Shersquos our resident GPSrdquo

A solid regular customer base that includes Chip Davis of Manheim Steamroller (see page S10 for more on Davis) and KMTV meteorologist Jim Flowers helped keep the restaurant afloat during a tough time one of many Donna has faced Tall and thin with porcelain skin and blue eyes Donna shows no interest in slowing down ldquoNot unless Doreen fires merdquo she says half seriously

ldquoOh Donna Irsquoll never do thatrdquo McNeil quickly responds ldquoI wish I could find 10 more of yourdquo

Donna Malone talks to Pink Poodle owner Doreen McNeil

S16 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

omamagcomsave

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Donrsquot miss a single issue of Omaha Magazine

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Mayor Jean Stothert

Jim FlowersWeathers the Storm

Omaharsquos Best Doctorsreg

Omaharsquos 2013 BIG GIVE

Leading in a Manrsquos World

SEPTEMBEROCTOBER bull 2013

$2a$10$BV2a7VBdNEaP8TLqH43gOY8GyBeii959fEMuGFh6fTZktxU5toeU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$VQy5sjVaOIi93aOzrmXNOWOEUlVTxtUp4KLHYoUvJHGImzEGnKqU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$BSUej3mkaYgBL6SHdzkruVCLTOdrTeuMC7tENIJRio4k7r1S522U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8lJaZ1bjql9MsIVt9chbEODEK1V4DMh2sWCqgO3EOkcmLDpuOcv2OU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$bokog0hs0YeIDLS08Mtz1OiPJn75Gm7kUVRGxWiMvmNK96K15omCU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$6PwNCHEGBFnlVxWvtvWyOIUae5YKMbG9AKx4P0QQdYkJFnuQBedGU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$0zda1EWkCNLfq3f8IgljO0gl8u8SQWc9tfTcstxEmJlYbx85kAKU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8HQyCRFmAbwq2RC1u3RBOGPwfqXvS4nK4obI8uQeYNWIAST0cM2U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$UvJ6oFqd71pgpO03WVqRuAqoS2JG9CR1BvNEHKqLySgt2C7hVUWU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$FmIjrLTWACeLTrwoJXJu8b8hgthtLuGDBy0sV8EJZjyFkEni0NyU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$CjZNVV1n0igQ5i4xti7ehyyyTwczBJ4Or3CNfvQsAtx1fHkrPXmU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$uPCaJPhRy7F01s3YTceEkeAtZvK9r2seNkqA5w3PCqdyBr0eWmCOVER TEXT DECODED INSIDE

trade

JULYAUGUST bull 2014

war amp PeaceChuck Hagel battles for a future free of the quagmires of the past

OmaharsquostopDentiststrade

Best of Omahatrade Campaign 2015

The Loyal Royal Alex Gordon

Malorie MaddoxOmaha Stories

tradetrade

NOVEMBERDECEMBER bull 2013

The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse

Among Teens

Nebraskarsquos Premier Wealth Advisors

The Making of NebraskaJohn Jackson

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S17

WhenExperience Counts

Experience our State-of-the-Art Facilities

600 Brookestone Meadows PlazaElkhorn NE 68022 | (402) 289-2696wwBrookestoneMeadowscom

QUALITY LIFE | QUALITY CARE | EXCELLENT TEAMS | QUALITY REPUTATION | STEWARDSHIP

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OmahaBVampElkhornBM_Ad - Omaha 60+ Mag_111612_60+ Omaha Magazine Ad - BSV amp BSM 3112014 354 PM Page 1

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Largest showroom in the nationMultiple modelsone sure to fit your needs

Call for special pricing

12739 Q Street4024081990

wwwkohllscom

Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARD

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

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EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

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In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 6: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

S6 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS FEATURE

A Dial Retirement Community

60PLUS feature

Like talking to a friend whorsquos an expert tooOf course we do basic home care The ldquoabove and beyondrdquo care we provide is what wersquore known for

bull Whether itrsquos Alzheimerrsquos or another condition we will create a care plan designed specifically for your mom or dad and provide him or her with a professionally supervised and trained caregiver of his or her choice

bull Your Care Manager is available to go to the doctor with your parentsand be an advocate for him or her on your behalf

bull Our Proactive Approach to home care means your Care Manager will get to know your parents their lifestyle and their current health and wellness goals

bull Wersquoll provide our services as long as yoursquore satisfied no contract required

Call us today 402-763-9140 bull HomeCareAssistanceOmahacom

Hear what yourneighbors are sayingldquoWe have been so thankfulfor Home Care Assistancethey found caregivers whofit well with Mom helpedher increase her strengthand stamina and generallyimproved her quality oflife She is so happy nowgetting out and visiting herneighbors She has returnedto being ldquoMomrdquo to somedegree Home Care Assistance made all the differencerdquo

mdash Linda Omaha

This certification is an honor a testament to our high standard of care mdash and a reminder that we must always strive to exceed our own expectations to better care for you Our twelve experienced highly-skilled cancer specialists are dedicated to complete cancer treatment and research with over 100 clinical trials available

CHI Health Cancer Center - Bergan (402) 393-3110Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center (402) 354-8124Midwest Cancer Center Papillion (402) 593-3141

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Margaret Block MD

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Robert M Langdon Jr MD

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Geetha Palaniappan MD

David A Silverberg MD

Gamini S Soori MD

Yungpo Bernard Su MD

Stefano R Tarantolo MD

Benefit from everything we can offer as the largest independent QOPI-certified cancer practice in Nebraska

Receive the Highest Level of Cancer Care

NEBRASKA CANCER SPECIALISTS IS QOPIreg CERTIFIED

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S7

A Dial Retirement Community

S8 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by bev a carlson | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HOBBIES

MARK ERIKSON

life in four-part harmony

Barbershop harmonizing and a cappella singing in general have enjoyed resurgence in popularity in recent years thanks to movies like Pitch Perfect and Jimmy Fallonrsquos ldquoRagtime Galsrdquo skits

ldquoIt really has made a differencerdquo says Erikson ldquoItrsquos bringing barbershop to the forefront of a new generation introducing a music style that can fit them too They donrsquot have to stop singing after high school They can keep singing their whole livesrdquo

The youngest member of Pathfinder Chorus is 13 the oldest 85 with all ages in between represented Professions range from student to dairy farmer to military veteran There are even a couple of pilots on stage One flies B-52s the other flies commercial jets All have one thing in common a love for music harmony and fellowship

Erikson discovered his passion for bar-bershop singing while he was in the mili-tary almost by accident He was stationed at Norfolk Navy Base An elderly lady who sat near him in church kept urging him to join the choir So he did Later he downloaded a four-part menrsquos arrangement of ldquoThe Irish Blessingrdquo encouraged friends to sing with him and never looked back That was 11 years ago

At 63 Erikson now serves as district presi-dent He really wants to leave the chorusmdashand his communitymdashbetter than he found it He also umpires baseball And many of the

Pathfinder concerts are fundraisers In 2014 they donated over $10000 to the Salvation Army and Goodfellows charities

ldquoMark has been crucial to the success of the grouprdquo says retiring music director Pete ldquoPDrdquo Stibor ldquoMark has the passionrdquo

The passion and the practice pay offmdashand not just at competition On a sunny Saturday this summer the Pathfinders per-formed at Burke High School Despite beauti-ful weather the auditorium was full of fans and groupies eager to spend the next 90 minutes enjoying perfect harmony It was delivered with only voices as instruments exploring great pop tunes ballads and the Beatles complete with choreographymdasheven ldquojazz handsrdquo

ldquoI want to do this as long as I canrdquo says Erikson ldquoThen have the good sense to step down when the time is right We give our-selves goose bumps on the risers We look at each other and sayWe just did thatItrsquos such a personal thing Such an emotional thing to be able to share that with your friendsrdquo

D ONrsquoT BOTHER TRYING TO contact Mark Erikson on a Monday night

From now until wellmdashforevermdashhersquos booked

On Monday nights yoursquoll find Erikson and more than 100 other Nebraska men singing their hearts out at a Presbyterian church in Fremont They travel in from all over Erikson drives from Papillion an 80-mile round trip Other members make the trek from South Sioux City Beatrice and Columbus Eriksonrsquos work life may take him to another state but hersquoll fly in just for practice then back He moves mountains to make sure hersquos in his spot on the riser

ldquoJust a solid fact of liferdquo he explains Therersquos always a quorum for rehearsal of

the Pathfinder ChorusldquoEvery Monday at practice we put all of

lifersquos challenges aside Itrsquos like a three-hour break in the week Irsquom with my buddies And wersquore singing really wellrdquo says Erikson ldquoI guess itrsquos kind of a guy thingrdquo

That ldquoguy thingrdquo is an award-winning nationally-recognized barbershop chorus Eriksonrsquos modesty masks the uniqueness of this ensemble Widely diverse both in age and professions the 43-year-old group first quali-fied to perform at the Barbershop Harmony Societyrsquos International Competition in 2010 Theyrsquove continued to qualify and place every year since a rare feat for a group made up of non-music professionals

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S9

S10 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by max sparber | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HISTORY

Chip Davis is celebrating 40-year anniversaries for both ldquoConvoyrdquo and the founding of Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoCONVOYrdquo 40 YEARS LATER

thatrsquos a big 10-4 good buddy

I N THE 1975 TRUCKER song ldquoConvoyrdquo a voice can be heard on a CB radio ldquoWhatrsquos your 20rdquo the voice asks code for

ldquowhatrsquos your locationrdquo The answer comes back ldquoOmahardquo

Of course it did The song itself was from Omaha And while there were a lot of trucker songs in the 1970s few could boast the sort of strange backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo could and none could look to the sort of future the song had

First the backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo was the product of a successful advertising campaign The product was Old Home Bread the adver-tising agency was Omaharsquos Bozell amp Jacobs They conceived of a series of ads featuring a truck driver delivering bread to a diner wait-ress The waitress was named Mavis Davis The truck driver was CW McCall

The campaign proved to be popularmdashso much so that McCall broke off to be an independent character releasing a number of recordings The lyrics and singing voice for McCall belonged to Bill Fries while the songs were written by Chip Davis Fries later became mayor of Ouray Colorado while Davis founded Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoI said one time that I would never live in Nebraska and I would never write country musicrdquo Davis explains ldquoI guess we see how that all worked out My love of music was really in the classical area but my good for-tunemdashand I mean fortunemdashcame by way of writing ldquoConvoyrdquordquo

The song tells the story of a lawbreaking protesting collection of truckers riding cross-country together as a miles-long ribbon of working class antiheroes communicating on CB radios It became a crossover hit spend-ing six weeks in the number one slot on the

country charts and a week as number one on the pop charts

As a result ldquoConvoyrdquo joined the ranks of country songs in the lsquo70s that became films along with ldquoHarper Valley PTArdquo ldquoOde to Billy Joerdquo and ldquoTake This Job and Shove Itrdquo The film version began shooting in 1977 and boasted an impressive collection of talent Country legend Kris Kristofferson was cast in the lead along with Oscar-nominated Ali MacGraw and character actor Burt Young Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine was the vil-lainous county sheriff determined to break up the I-canrsquot-drive-55 convoy

ldquoConvoyrdquo was a pop culture sensation and helped spawn an era when CB radios were all but ubiquitous in every vehicle even your momrsquos station wagon but Davis and Mannheim Steamroller are also celebrating a pair of even more notable milestones

This summer public television stations throughout the US will air Mannheim Steamroller 3040 Live The concert spe-cial marks two anniversaries for the hugely successful act their debut album Fresh Aire was released four decades ago followed ten years later by the release of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas their first holiday album to huge success

lsquoldquoConvoyrsquo and the other 12 hits we hadrdquo Davis explains ldquoultimately funded Mannheim Steamroller and [record label] American Gramaphone Irsquom a lucky guy Going from a semi to a steamroller wasnrsquot all that difficultrdquo

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S11

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

ldquo

STILL TAKING ORDERS

60 years of waiting tables at the Pink Poodle

S14 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by carol crissey nigrelli | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

Donna Malone

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S15

T HE YEAR 1955Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower

occupy the White House gas costs 22 cents per gallon ldquoThe Ballad of Davy Crockettrdquo hits the top of the record charts and Donna Malone greets the very first customers at the Pink Poodle Steakhouse

Time has a relentless way of relegating things to the past but both the waitress known simply as Donna and the Pink Poodle have outraced the last six decades They have persevered through fire flood five owners and an uncertain economy How With affordable prime rib and in Donnarsquos case a strong work ethic

Excitement came to tiny Crescent Iowa in May 1955 when Jake Brummer a local developer who owned three other restaurants in western Iowa bought an establishment at 633 Old Lincoln Highway called the Black Glove and gave it a new name with a quintes-sential rsquo50s flair The Pink Poodle served up a variety of steaks chicken and seafood pro-viding a quality entertainment venue across the Missouri River from north Omaha and a source of income for a teenage farm girl from just up the road in Honey Creek

ldquoThe Brummers were real good friends with my mom and dad and Irsquod known them foreverrdquo Donna recalls ldquoJake asked me if I wanted to work at the restaurant and I said lsquoSurersquo I was 15rdquo

The new restaurant drew crowds imme-diately Donna started out as a cashier and hostess carefully observing how others did their jobs One night Brummer asked her to fill in as a waitress With her characteristic ldquoI can do thatrdquo attitude Donna found she liked waiting on tablesmdashand the benefits that came with it

ldquoBack then if you got a quarter per person per table it was a heck of a tip a dollar from four peoplerdquo says Donna 75 shaking her head at the thought ldquoOne Saturday night I remember making $32 The other girls just couldnrsquot believe it absolutely unreal Of course a lobster dinner back then was $795 Things have changed But I still make real good moneyrdquo

Itrsquos hard to pinpoint when Donna became as sought-after as the Pink Poodlersquos signature prime rib (introduced to the menu in the

early 1960s) The ease with which she talks to customers vanishes when asked to talk about herself A private humble person by nature Donna will only credit ldquogreat food and a wonderful clientelerdquo for the restaurantrsquos continued success Current owner Doreen McNeil who began as a waitress in 1983 and worked with Donna in the party room shows no such reluctance in focusing the spotlight

ldquoA lot of people come in here because of you Donnardquo McNeil tells her friend ldquoPeople who were children when Donna first waited on them now bring their grandchildren to meet herrdquo

Even first-time customers like Marianne and North Witcher of Omaha find them-selves easily drawn into Donnarsquos orbit ldquoShersquos fabulous as a waitress very knowledgeable and courteousrdquo says North ldquoShe got our orders exactly right knew the specials and their prices by heart We were floored when we learned how long shersquod been thererdquo

Donnarsquos journey to a 60th anniversary hit a roadblock in January 1972 when fire ravaged the Pink Poodle ldquoOne of our regulars spent too much time at the bar late one nightrdquo recounts Donna in her slow deliberate deliv-ery ldquoand a lit cigarette got away from him and fell in a booth It started smoldering By 3 in the morning the place was on firerdquo

In the four-year interim it took to secure the cash to rebuild Donna worked at another

Crescent establishment where she ran into Kenny Malone a trucker she had met years earlier They married in 1974 With no chil-dren of her own to raise Donna continued waitressing at night in addition to her day job as a legal secretary

ldquoIrsquove worked for the same lawyer in west Omaha for the past 45 years and one before him for 10rdquo she says matter-of-factly

Donnarsquos knowledge of Omaha came in handy during the Missourirsquos record flooding in 2011 McNeil decided to keep the res-taurant open despite closures from June to November of the Mormon Bridge leading into Crescent and sections of I-29 McNeil says whenever a customer from Omaha called asking for a way to get to the restaurant ldquoIrsquod just give the phone to Donna Shersquos our resident GPSrdquo

A solid regular customer base that includes Chip Davis of Manheim Steamroller (see page S10 for more on Davis) and KMTV meteorologist Jim Flowers helped keep the restaurant afloat during a tough time one of many Donna has faced Tall and thin with porcelain skin and blue eyes Donna shows no interest in slowing down ldquoNot unless Doreen fires merdquo she says half seriously

ldquoOh Donna Irsquoll never do thatrdquo McNeil quickly responds ldquoI wish I could find 10 more of yourdquo

Donna Malone talks to Pink Poodle owner Doreen McNeil

S16 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

omamagcomsave

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Donrsquot miss a single issue of Omaha Magazine

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Mayor Jean Stothert

Jim FlowersWeathers the Storm

Omaharsquos Best Doctorsreg

Omaharsquos 2013 BIG GIVE

Leading in a Manrsquos World

SEPTEMBEROCTOBER bull 2013

$2a$10$BV2a7VBdNEaP8TLqH43gOY8GyBeii959fEMuGFh6fTZktxU5toeU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$VQy5sjVaOIi93aOzrmXNOWOEUlVTxtUp4KLHYoUvJHGImzEGnKqU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$BSUej3mkaYgBL6SHdzkruVCLTOdrTeuMC7tENIJRio4k7r1S522U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8lJaZ1bjql9MsIVt9chbEODEK1V4DMh2sWCqgO3EOkcmLDpuOcv2OU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$bokog0hs0YeIDLS08Mtz1OiPJn75Gm7kUVRGxWiMvmNK96K15omCU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$6PwNCHEGBFnlVxWvtvWyOIUae5YKMbG9AKx4P0QQdYkJFnuQBedGU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$0zda1EWkCNLfq3f8IgljO0gl8u8SQWc9tfTcstxEmJlYbx85kAKU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8HQyCRFmAbwq2RC1u3RBOGPwfqXvS4nK4obI8uQeYNWIAST0cM2U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$UvJ6oFqd71pgpO03WVqRuAqoS2JG9CR1BvNEHKqLySgt2C7hVUWU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$FmIjrLTWACeLTrwoJXJu8b8hgthtLuGDBy0sV8EJZjyFkEni0NyU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$CjZNVV1n0igQ5i4xti7ehyyyTwczBJ4Or3CNfvQsAtx1fHkrPXmU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$uPCaJPhRy7F01s3YTceEkeAtZvK9r2seNkqA5w3PCqdyBr0eWmCOVER TEXT DECODED INSIDE

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JULYAUGUST bull 2014

war amp PeaceChuck Hagel battles for a future free of the quagmires of the past

OmaharsquostopDentiststrade

Best of Omahatrade Campaign 2015

The Loyal Royal Alex Gordon

Malorie MaddoxOmaha Stories

tradetrade

NOVEMBERDECEMBER bull 2013

The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse

Among Teens

Nebraskarsquos Premier Wealth Advisors

The Making of NebraskaJohn Jackson

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S17

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Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARD

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

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wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 7: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

60PLUS feature

Like talking to a friend whorsquos an expert tooOf course we do basic home care The ldquoabove and beyondrdquo care we provide is what wersquore known for

bull Whether itrsquos Alzheimerrsquos or another condition we will create a care plan designed specifically for your mom or dad and provide him or her with a professionally supervised and trained caregiver of his or her choice

bull Your Care Manager is available to go to the doctor with your parentsand be an advocate for him or her on your behalf

bull Our Proactive Approach to home care means your Care Manager will get to know your parents their lifestyle and their current health and wellness goals

bull Wersquoll provide our services as long as yoursquore satisfied no contract required

Call us today 402-763-9140 bull HomeCareAssistanceOmahacom

Hear what yourneighbors are sayingldquoWe have been so thankfulfor Home Care Assistancethey found caregivers whofit well with Mom helpedher increase her strengthand stamina and generallyimproved her quality oflife She is so happy nowgetting out and visiting herneighbors She has returnedto being ldquoMomrdquo to somedegree Home Care Assistance made all the differencerdquo

mdash Linda Omaha

This certification is an honor a testament to our high standard of care mdash and a reminder that we must always strive to exceed our own expectations to better care for you Our twelve experienced highly-skilled cancer specialists are dedicated to complete cancer treatment and research with over 100 clinical trials available

CHI Health Cancer Center - Bergan (402) 393-3110Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center (402) 354-8124Midwest Cancer Center Papillion (402) 593-3141

Midwest Cancer Center Legacy (402) 334-4773Health Park Plaza-Fremont Health (402) 941-7030

Margaret Block MD

M Salman Haroon MD

Ralph J Hauke MD

Timothy K Huyck MD

Robert M Langdon Jr MD

Kirsten M Leu MD

John M Longo MD

Geetha Palaniappan MD

David A Silverberg MD

Gamini S Soori MD

Yungpo Bernard Su MD

Stefano R Tarantolo MD

Benefit from everything we can offer as the largest independent QOPI-certified cancer practice in Nebraska

Receive the Highest Level of Cancer Care

NEBRASKA CANCER SPECIALISTS IS QOPIreg CERTIFIED

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S7

A Dial Retirement Community

S8 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by bev a carlson | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HOBBIES

MARK ERIKSON

life in four-part harmony

Barbershop harmonizing and a cappella singing in general have enjoyed resurgence in popularity in recent years thanks to movies like Pitch Perfect and Jimmy Fallonrsquos ldquoRagtime Galsrdquo skits

ldquoIt really has made a differencerdquo says Erikson ldquoItrsquos bringing barbershop to the forefront of a new generation introducing a music style that can fit them too They donrsquot have to stop singing after high school They can keep singing their whole livesrdquo

The youngest member of Pathfinder Chorus is 13 the oldest 85 with all ages in between represented Professions range from student to dairy farmer to military veteran There are even a couple of pilots on stage One flies B-52s the other flies commercial jets All have one thing in common a love for music harmony and fellowship

Erikson discovered his passion for bar-bershop singing while he was in the mili-tary almost by accident He was stationed at Norfolk Navy Base An elderly lady who sat near him in church kept urging him to join the choir So he did Later he downloaded a four-part menrsquos arrangement of ldquoThe Irish Blessingrdquo encouraged friends to sing with him and never looked back That was 11 years ago

At 63 Erikson now serves as district presi-dent He really wants to leave the chorusmdashand his communitymdashbetter than he found it He also umpires baseball And many of the

Pathfinder concerts are fundraisers In 2014 they donated over $10000 to the Salvation Army and Goodfellows charities

ldquoMark has been crucial to the success of the grouprdquo says retiring music director Pete ldquoPDrdquo Stibor ldquoMark has the passionrdquo

The passion and the practice pay offmdashand not just at competition On a sunny Saturday this summer the Pathfinders per-formed at Burke High School Despite beauti-ful weather the auditorium was full of fans and groupies eager to spend the next 90 minutes enjoying perfect harmony It was delivered with only voices as instruments exploring great pop tunes ballads and the Beatles complete with choreographymdasheven ldquojazz handsrdquo

ldquoI want to do this as long as I canrdquo says Erikson ldquoThen have the good sense to step down when the time is right We give our-selves goose bumps on the risers We look at each other and sayWe just did thatItrsquos such a personal thing Such an emotional thing to be able to share that with your friendsrdquo

D ONrsquoT BOTHER TRYING TO contact Mark Erikson on a Monday night

From now until wellmdashforevermdashhersquos booked

On Monday nights yoursquoll find Erikson and more than 100 other Nebraska men singing their hearts out at a Presbyterian church in Fremont They travel in from all over Erikson drives from Papillion an 80-mile round trip Other members make the trek from South Sioux City Beatrice and Columbus Eriksonrsquos work life may take him to another state but hersquoll fly in just for practice then back He moves mountains to make sure hersquos in his spot on the riser

ldquoJust a solid fact of liferdquo he explains Therersquos always a quorum for rehearsal of

the Pathfinder ChorusldquoEvery Monday at practice we put all of

lifersquos challenges aside Itrsquos like a three-hour break in the week Irsquom with my buddies And wersquore singing really wellrdquo says Erikson ldquoI guess itrsquos kind of a guy thingrdquo

That ldquoguy thingrdquo is an award-winning nationally-recognized barbershop chorus Eriksonrsquos modesty masks the uniqueness of this ensemble Widely diverse both in age and professions the 43-year-old group first quali-fied to perform at the Barbershop Harmony Societyrsquos International Competition in 2010 Theyrsquove continued to qualify and place every year since a rare feat for a group made up of non-music professionals

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S9

S10 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by max sparber | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HISTORY

Chip Davis is celebrating 40-year anniversaries for both ldquoConvoyrdquo and the founding of Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoCONVOYrdquo 40 YEARS LATER

thatrsquos a big 10-4 good buddy

I N THE 1975 TRUCKER song ldquoConvoyrdquo a voice can be heard on a CB radio ldquoWhatrsquos your 20rdquo the voice asks code for

ldquowhatrsquos your locationrdquo The answer comes back ldquoOmahardquo

Of course it did The song itself was from Omaha And while there were a lot of trucker songs in the 1970s few could boast the sort of strange backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo could and none could look to the sort of future the song had

First the backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo was the product of a successful advertising campaign The product was Old Home Bread the adver-tising agency was Omaharsquos Bozell amp Jacobs They conceived of a series of ads featuring a truck driver delivering bread to a diner wait-ress The waitress was named Mavis Davis The truck driver was CW McCall

The campaign proved to be popularmdashso much so that McCall broke off to be an independent character releasing a number of recordings The lyrics and singing voice for McCall belonged to Bill Fries while the songs were written by Chip Davis Fries later became mayor of Ouray Colorado while Davis founded Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoI said one time that I would never live in Nebraska and I would never write country musicrdquo Davis explains ldquoI guess we see how that all worked out My love of music was really in the classical area but my good for-tunemdashand I mean fortunemdashcame by way of writing ldquoConvoyrdquordquo

The song tells the story of a lawbreaking protesting collection of truckers riding cross-country together as a miles-long ribbon of working class antiheroes communicating on CB radios It became a crossover hit spend-ing six weeks in the number one slot on the

country charts and a week as number one on the pop charts

As a result ldquoConvoyrdquo joined the ranks of country songs in the lsquo70s that became films along with ldquoHarper Valley PTArdquo ldquoOde to Billy Joerdquo and ldquoTake This Job and Shove Itrdquo The film version began shooting in 1977 and boasted an impressive collection of talent Country legend Kris Kristofferson was cast in the lead along with Oscar-nominated Ali MacGraw and character actor Burt Young Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine was the vil-lainous county sheriff determined to break up the I-canrsquot-drive-55 convoy

ldquoConvoyrdquo was a pop culture sensation and helped spawn an era when CB radios were all but ubiquitous in every vehicle even your momrsquos station wagon but Davis and Mannheim Steamroller are also celebrating a pair of even more notable milestones

This summer public television stations throughout the US will air Mannheim Steamroller 3040 Live The concert spe-cial marks two anniversaries for the hugely successful act their debut album Fresh Aire was released four decades ago followed ten years later by the release of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas their first holiday album to huge success

lsquoldquoConvoyrsquo and the other 12 hits we hadrdquo Davis explains ldquoultimately funded Mannheim Steamroller and [record label] American Gramaphone Irsquom a lucky guy Going from a semi to a steamroller wasnrsquot all that difficultrdquo

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S11

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

ldquo

STILL TAKING ORDERS

60 years of waiting tables at the Pink Poodle

S14 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by carol crissey nigrelli | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

Donna Malone

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S15

T HE YEAR 1955Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower

occupy the White House gas costs 22 cents per gallon ldquoThe Ballad of Davy Crockettrdquo hits the top of the record charts and Donna Malone greets the very first customers at the Pink Poodle Steakhouse

Time has a relentless way of relegating things to the past but both the waitress known simply as Donna and the Pink Poodle have outraced the last six decades They have persevered through fire flood five owners and an uncertain economy How With affordable prime rib and in Donnarsquos case a strong work ethic

Excitement came to tiny Crescent Iowa in May 1955 when Jake Brummer a local developer who owned three other restaurants in western Iowa bought an establishment at 633 Old Lincoln Highway called the Black Glove and gave it a new name with a quintes-sential rsquo50s flair The Pink Poodle served up a variety of steaks chicken and seafood pro-viding a quality entertainment venue across the Missouri River from north Omaha and a source of income for a teenage farm girl from just up the road in Honey Creek

ldquoThe Brummers were real good friends with my mom and dad and Irsquod known them foreverrdquo Donna recalls ldquoJake asked me if I wanted to work at the restaurant and I said lsquoSurersquo I was 15rdquo

The new restaurant drew crowds imme-diately Donna started out as a cashier and hostess carefully observing how others did their jobs One night Brummer asked her to fill in as a waitress With her characteristic ldquoI can do thatrdquo attitude Donna found she liked waiting on tablesmdashand the benefits that came with it

ldquoBack then if you got a quarter per person per table it was a heck of a tip a dollar from four peoplerdquo says Donna 75 shaking her head at the thought ldquoOne Saturday night I remember making $32 The other girls just couldnrsquot believe it absolutely unreal Of course a lobster dinner back then was $795 Things have changed But I still make real good moneyrdquo

Itrsquos hard to pinpoint when Donna became as sought-after as the Pink Poodlersquos signature prime rib (introduced to the menu in the

early 1960s) The ease with which she talks to customers vanishes when asked to talk about herself A private humble person by nature Donna will only credit ldquogreat food and a wonderful clientelerdquo for the restaurantrsquos continued success Current owner Doreen McNeil who began as a waitress in 1983 and worked with Donna in the party room shows no such reluctance in focusing the spotlight

ldquoA lot of people come in here because of you Donnardquo McNeil tells her friend ldquoPeople who were children when Donna first waited on them now bring their grandchildren to meet herrdquo

Even first-time customers like Marianne and North Witcher of Omaha find them-selves easily drawn into Donnarsquos orbit ldquoShersquos fabulous as a waitress very knowledgeable and courteousrdquo says North ldquoShe got our orders exactly right knew the specials and their prices by heart We were floored when we learned how long shersquod been thererdquo

Donnarsquos journey to a 60th anniversary hit a roadblock in January 1972 when fire ravaged the Pink Poodle ldquoOne of our regulars spent too much time at the bar late one nightrdquo recounts Donna in her slow deliberate deliv-ery ldquoand a lit cigarette got away from him and fell in a booth It started smoldering By 3 in the morning the place was on firerdquo

In the four-year interim it took to secure the cash to rebuild Donna worked at another

Crescent establishment where she ran into Kenny Malone a trucker she had met years earlier They married in 1974 With no chil-dren of her own to raise Donna continued waitressing at night in addition to her day job as a legal secretary

ldquoIrsquove worked for the same lawyer in west Omaha for the past 45 years and one before him for 10rdquo she says matter-of-factly

Donnarsquos knowledge of Omaha came in handy during the Missourirsquos record flooding in 2011 McNeil decided to keep the res-taurant open despite closures from June to November of the Mormon Bridge leading into Crescent and sections of I-29 McNeil says whenever a customer from Omaha called asking for a way to get to the restaurant ldquoIrsquod just give the phone to Donna Shersquos our resident GPSrdquo

A solid regular customer base that includes Chip Davis of Manheim Steamroller (see page S10 for more on Davis) and KMTV meteorologist Jim Flowers helped keep the restaurant afloat during a tough time one of many Donna has faced Tall and thin with porcelain skin and blue eyes Donna shows no interest in slowing down ldquoNot unless Doreen fires merdquo she says half seriously

ldquoOh Donna Irsquoll never do thatrdquo McNeil quickly responds ldquoI wish I could find 10 more of yourdquo

Donna Malone talks to Pink Poodle owner Doreen McNeil

S16 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

omamagcomsave

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Donrsquot miss a single issue of Omaha Magazine

trade

Mayor Jean Stothert

Jim FlowersWeathers the Storm

Omaharsquos Best Doctorsreg

Omaharsquos 2013 BIG GIVE

Leading in a Manrsquos World

SEPTEMBEROCTOBER bull 2013

$2a$10$BV2a7VBdNEaP8TLqH43gOY8GyBeii959fEMuGFh6fTZktxU5toeU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$VQy5sjVaOIi93aOzrmXNOWOEUlVTxtUp4KLHYoUvJHGImzEGnKqU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$BSUej3mkaYgBL6SHdzkruVCLTOdrTeuMC7tENIJRio4k7r1S522U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8lJaZ1bjql9MsIVt9chbEODEK1V4DMh2sWCqgO3EOkcmLDpuOcv2OU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$bokog0hs0YeIDLS08Mtz1OiPJn75Gm7kUVRGxWiMvmNK96K15omCU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$6PwNCHEGBFnlVxWvtvWyOIUae5YKMbG9AKx4P0QQdYkJFnuQBedGU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$0zda1EWkCNLfq3f8IgljO0gl8u8SQWc9tfTcstxEmJlYbx85kAKU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8HQyCRFmAbwq2RC1u3RBOGPwfqXvS4nK4obI8uQeYNWIAST0cM2U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$UvJ6oFqd71pgpO03WVqRuAqoS2JG9CR1BvNEHKqLySgt2C7hVUWU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$FmIjrLTWACeLTrwoJXJu8b8hgthtLuGDBy0sV8EJZjyFkEni0NyU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$CjZNVV1n0igQ5i4xti7ehyyyTwczBJ4Or3CNfvQsAtx1fHkrPXmU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$uPCaJPhRy7F01s3YTceEkeAtZvK9r2seNkqA5w3PCqdyBr0eWmCOVER TEXT DECODED INSIDE

trade

JULYAUGUST bull 2014

war amp PeaceChuck Hagel battles for a future free of the quagmires of the past

OmaharsquostopDentiststrade

Best of Omahatrade Campaign 2015

The Loyal Royal Alex Gordon

Malorie MaddoxOmaha Stories

tradetrade

NOVEMBERDECEMBER bull 2013

The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse

Among Teens

Nebraskarsquos Premier Wealth Advisors

The Making of NebraskaJohn Jackson

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S17

WhenExperience Counts

Experience our State-of-the-Art Facilities

600 Brookestone Meadows PlazaElkhorn NE 68022 | (402) 289-2696wwBrookestoneMeadowscom

QUALITY LIFE | QUALITY CARE | EXCELLENT TEAMS | QUALITY REPUTATION | STEWARDSHIP

4330 South 144th StreetOmaha NE 68137

(402) 614-4000wwBrookestoneVillagecom

Proud Members of the Vetter Health Services Family

PhysicalOccupationalandSpeechTherapy Careaftertotaljointreplacement Strokerecovery Strengtheningaftercancertreatment Careaftersurgery Recoveryfromafallorextendedillness

Visit ourwebsite

to find outmore about us

OmahaBVampElkhornBM_Ad - Omaha 60+ Mag_111612_60+ Omaha Magazine Ad - BSV amp BSM 3112014 354 PM Page 1

Trouble Getting Up amp Down the StairsRegain your independence and the rest of your home

Largest showroom in the nationMultiple modelsone sure to fit your needs

Call for special pricing

12739 Q Street4024081990

wwwkohllscom

Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARD

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 8: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

S8 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by bev a carlson | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HOBBIES

MARK ERIKSON

life in four-part harmony

Barbershop harmonizing and a cappella singing in general have enjoyed resurgence in popularity in recent years thanks to movies like Pitch Perfect and Jimmy Fallonrsquos ldquoRagtime Galsrdquo skits

ldquoIt really has made a differencerdquo says Erikson ldquoItrsquos bringing barbershop to the forefront of a new generation introducing a music style that can fit them too They donrsquot have to stop singing after high school They can keep singing their whole livesrdquo

The youngest member of Pathfinder Chorus is 13 the oldest 85 with all ages in between represented Professions range from student to dairy farmer to military veteran There are even a couple of pilots on stage One flies B-52s the other flies commercial jets All have one thing in common a love for music harmony and fellowship

Erikson discovered his passion for bar-bershop singing while he was in the mili-tary almost by accident He was stationed at Norfolk Navy Base An elderly lady who sat near him in church kept urging him to join the choir So he did Later he downloaded a four-part menrsquos arrangement of ldquoThe Irish Blessingrdquo encouraged friends to sing with him and never looked back That was 11 years ago

At 63 Erikson now serves as district presi-dent He really wants to leave the chorusmdashand his communitymdashbetter than he found it He also umpires baseball And many of the

Pathfinder concerts are fundraisers In 2014 they donated over $10000 to the Salvation Army and Goodfellows charities

ldquoMark has been crucial to the success of the grouprdquo says retiring music director Pete ldquoPDrdquo Stibor ldquoMark has the passionrdquo

The passion and the practice pay offmdashand not just at competition On a sunny Saturday this summer the Pathfinders per-formed at Burke High School Despite beauti-ful weather the auditorium was full of fans and groupies eager to spend the next 90 minutes enjoying perfect harmony It was delivered with only voices as instruments exploring great pop tunes ballads and the Beatles complete with choreographymdasheven ldquojazz handsrdquo

ldquoI want to do this as long as I canrdquo says Erikson ldquoThen have the good sense to step down when the time is right We give our-selves goose bumps on the risers We look at each other and sayWe just did thatItrsquos such a personal thing Such an emotional thing to be able to share that with your friendsrdquo

D ONrsquoT BOTHER TRYING TO contact Mark Erikson on a Monday night

From now until wellmdashforevermdashhersquos booked

On Monday nights yoursquoll find Erikson and more than 100 other Nebraska men singing their hearts out at a Presbyterian church in Fremont They travel in from all over Erikson drives from Papillion an 80-mile round trip Other members make the trek from South Sioux City Beatrice and Columbus Eriksonrsquos work life may take him to another state but hersquoll fly in just for practice then back He moves mountains to make sure hersquos in his spot on the riser

ldquoJust a solid fact of liferdquo he explains Therersquos always a quorum for rehearsal of

the Pathfinder ChorusldquoEvery Monday at practice we put all of

lifersquos challenges aside Itrsquos like a three-hour break in the week Irsquom with my buddies And wersquore singing really wellrdquo says Erikson ldquoI guess itrsquos kind of a guy thingrdquo

That ldquoguy thingrdquo is an award-winning nationally-recognized barbershop chorus Eriksonrsquos modesty masks the uniqueness of this ensemble Widely diverse both in age and professions the 43-year-old group first quali-fied to perform at the Barbershop Harmony Societyrsquos International Competition in 2010 Theyrsquove continued to qualify and place every year since a rare feat for a group made up of non-music professionals

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S9

S10 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by max sparber | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HISTORY

Chip Davis is celebrating 40-year anniversaries for both ldquoConvoyrdquo and the founding of Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoCONVOYrdquo 40 YEARS LATER

thatrsquos a big 10-4 good buddy

I N THE 1975 TRUCKER song ldquoConvoyrdquo a voice can be heard on a CB radio ldquoWhatrsquos your 20rdquo the voice asks code for

ldquowhatrsquos your locationrdquo The answer comes back ldquoOmahardquo

Of course it did The song itself was from Omaha And while there were a lot of trucker songs in the 1970s few could boast the sort of strange backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo could and none could look to the sort of future the song had

First the backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo was the product of a successful advertising campaign The product was Old Home Bread the adver-tising agency was Omaharsquos Bozell amp Jacobs They conceived of a series of ads featuring a truck driver delivering bread to a diner wait-ress The waitress was named Mavis Davis The truck driver was CW McCall

The campaign proved to be popularmdashso much so that McCall broke off to be an independent character releasing a number of recordings The lyrics and singing voice for McCall belonged to Bill Fries while the songs were written by Chip Davis Fries later became mayor of Ouray Colorado while Davis founded Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoI said one time that I would never live in Nebraska and I would never write country musicrdquo Davis explains ldquoI guess we see how that all worked out My love of music was really in the classical area but my good for-tunemdashand I mean fortunemdashcame by way of writing ldquoConvoyrdquordquo

The song tells the story of a lawbreaking protesting collection of truckers riding cross-country together as a miles-long ribbon of working class antiheroes communicating on CB radios It became a crossover hit spend-ing six weeks in the number one slot on the

country charts and a week as number one on the pop charts

As a result ldquoConvoyrdquo joined the ranks of country songs in the lsquo70s that became films along with ldquoHarper Valley PTArdquo ldquoOde to Billy Joerdquo and ldquoTake This Job and Shove Itrdquo The film version began shooting in 1977 and boasted an impressive collection of talent Country legend Kris Kristofferson was cast in the lead along with Oscar-nominated Ali MacGraw and character actor Burt Young Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine was the vil-lainous county sheriff determined to break up the I-canrsquot-drive-55 convoy

ldquoConvoyrdquo was a pop culture sensation and helped spawn an era when CB radios were all but ubiquitous in every vehicle even your momrsquos station wagon but Davis and Mannheim Steamroller are also celebrating a pair of even more notable milestones

This summer public television stations throughout the US will air Mannheim Steamroller 3040 Live The concert spe-cial marks two anniversaries for the hugely successful act their debut album Fresh Aire was released four decades ago followed ten years later by the release of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas their first holiday album to huge success

lsquoldquoConvoyrsquo and the other 12 hits we hadrdquo Davis explains ldquoultimately funded Mannheim Steamroller and [record label] American Gramaphone Irsquom a lucky guy Going from a semi to a steamroller wasnrsquot all that difficultrdquo

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S11

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

ldquo

STILL TAKING ORDERS

60 years of waiting tables at the Pink Poodle

S14 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by carol crissey nigrelli | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

Donna Malone

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S15

T HE YEAR 1955Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower

occupy the White House gas costs 22 cents per gallon ldquoThe Ballad of Davy Crockettrdquo hits the top of the record charts and Donna Malone greets the very first customers at the Pink Poodle Steakhouse

Time has a relentless way of relegating things to the past but both the waitress known simply as Donna and the Pink Poodle have outraced the last six decades They have persevered through fire flood five owners and an uncertain economy How With affordable prime rib and in Donnarsquos case a strong work ethic

Excitement came to tiny Crescent Iowa in May 1955 when Jake Brummer a local developer who owned three other restaurants in western Iowa bought an establishment at 633 Old Lincoln Highway called the Black Glove and gave it a new name with a quintes-sential rsquo50s flair The Pink Poodle served up a variety of steaks chicken and seafood pro-viding a quality entertainment venue across the Missouri River from north Omaha and a source of income for a teenage farm girl from just up the road in Honey Creek

ldquoThe Brummers were real good friends with my mom and dad and Irsquod known them foreverrdquo Donna recalls ldquoJake asked me if I wanted to work at the restaurant and I said lsquoSurersquo I was 15rdquo

The new restaurant drew crowds imme-diately Donna started out as a cashier and hostess carefully observing how others did their jobs One night Brummer asked her to fill in as a waitress With her characteristic ldquoI can do thatrdquo attitude Donna found she liked waiting on tablesmdashand the benefits that came with it

ldquoBack then if you got a quarter per person per table it was a heck of a tip a dollar from four peoplerdquo says Donna 75 shaking her head at the thought ldquoOne Saturday night I remember making $32 The other girls just couldnrsquot believe it absolutely unreal Of course a lobster dinner back then was $795 Things have changed But I still make real good moneyrdquo

Itrsquos hard to pinpoint when Donna became as sought-after as the Pink Poodlersquos signature prime rib (introduced to the menu in the

early 1960s) The ease with which she talks to customers vanishes when asked to talk about herself A private humble person by nature Donna will only credit ldquogreat food and a wonderful clientelerdquo for the restaurantrsquos continued success Current owner Doreen McNeil who began as a waitress in 1983 and worked with Donna in the party room shows no such reluctance in focusing the spotlight

ldquoA lot of people come in here because of you Donnardquo McNeil tells her friend ldquoPeople who were children when Donna first waited on them now bring their grandchildren to meet herrdquo

Even first-time customers like Marianne and North Witcher of Omaha find them-selves easily drawn into Donnarsquos orbit ldquoShersquos fabulous as a waitress very knowledgeable and courteousrdquo says North ldquoShe got our orders exactly right knew the specials and their prices by heart We were floored when we learned how long shersquod been thererdquo

Donnarsquos journey to a 60th anniversary hit a roadblock in January 1972 when fire ravaged the Pink Poodle ldquoOne of our regulars spent too much time at the bar late one nightrdquo recounts Donna in her slow deliberate deliv-ery ldquoand a lit cigarette got away from him and fell in a booth It started smoldering By 3 in the morning the place was on firerdquo

In the four-year interim it took to secure the cash to rebuild Donna worked at another

Crescent establishment where she ran into Kenny Malone a trucker she had met years earlier They married in 1974 With no chil-dren of her own to raise Donna continued waitressing at night in addition to her day job as a legal secretary

ldquoIrsquove worked for the same lawyer in west Omaha for the past 45 years and one before him for 10rdquo she says matter-of-factly

Donnarsquos knowledge of Omaha came in handy during the Missourirsquos record flooding in 2011 McNeil decided to keep the res-taurant open despite closures from June to November of the Mormon Bridge leading into Crescent and sections of I-29 McNeil says whenever a customer from Omaha called asking for a way to get to the restaurant ldquoIrsquod just give the phone to Donna Shersquos our resident GPSrdquo

A solid regular customer base that includes Chip Davis of Manheim Steamroller (see page S10 for more on Davis) and KMTV meteorologist Jim Flowers helped keep the restaurant afloat during a tough time one of many Donna has faced Tall and thin with porcelain skin and blue eyes Donna shows no interest in slowing down ldquoNot unless Doreen fires merdquo she says half seriously

ldquoOh Donna Irsquoll never do thatrdquo McNeil quickly responds ldquoI wish I could find 10 more of yourdquo

Donna Malone talks to Pink Poodle owner Doreen McNeil

S16 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

omamagcomsave

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Mayor Jean Stothert

Jim FlowersWeathers the Storm

Omaharsquos Best Doctorsreg

Omaharsquos 2013 BIG GIVE

Leading in a Manrsquos World

SEPTEMBEROCTOBER bull 2013

$2a$10$BV2a7VBdNEaP8TLqH43gOY8GyBeii959fEMuGFh6fTZktxU5toeU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$VQy5sjVaOIi93aOzrmXNOWOEUlVTxtUp4KLHYoUvJHGImzEGnKqU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$BSUej3mkaYgBL6SHdzkruVCLTOdrTeuMC7tENIJRio4k7r1S522U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8lJaZ1bjql9MsIVt9chbEODEK1V4DMh2sWCqgO3EOkcmLDpuOcv2OU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$bokog0hs0YeIDLS08Mtz1OiPJn75Gm7kUVRGxWiMvmNK96K15omCU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$6PwNCHEGBFnlVxWvtvWyOIUae5YKMbG9AKx4P0QQdYkJFnuQBedGU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$0zda1EWkCNLfq3f8IgljO0gl8u8SQWc9tfTcstxEmJlYbx85kAKU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8HQyCRFmAbwq2RC1u3RBOGPwfqXvS4nK4obI8uQeYNWIAST0cM2U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$UvJ6oFqd71pgpO03WVqRuAqoS2JG9CR1BvNEHKqLySgt2C7hVUWU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$FmIjrLTWACeLTrwoJXJu8b8hgthtLuGDBy0sV8EJZjyFkEni0NyU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$CjZNVV1n0igQ5i4xti7ehyyyTwczBJ4Or3CNfvQsAtx1fHkrPXmU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$uPCaJPhRy7F01s3YTceEkeAtZvK9r2seNkqA5w3PCqdyBr0eWmCOVER TEXT DECODED INSIDE

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JULYAUGUST bull 2014

war amp PeaceChuck Hagel battles for a future free of the quagmires of the past

OmaharsquostopDentiststrade

Best of Omahatrade Campaign 2015

The Loyal Royal Alex Gordon

Malorie MaddoxOmaha Stories

tradetrade

NOVEMBERDECEMBER bull 2013

The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse

Among Teens

Nebraskarsquos Premier Wealth Advisors

The Making of NebraskaJohn Jackson

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S17

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Experience our State-of-the-Art Facilities

600 Brookestone Meadows PlazaElkhorn NE 68022 | (402) 289-2696wwBrookestoneMeadowscom

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OmahaBVampElkhornBM_Ad - Omaha 60+ Mag_111612_60+ Omaha Magazine Ad - BSV amp BSM 3112014 354 PM Page 1

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Largest showroom in the nationMultiple modelsone sure to fit your needs

Call for special pricing

12739 Q Street4024081990

wwwkohllscom

Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARD

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

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EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

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Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 9: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

MARK ERIKSON

life in four-part harmony

Barbershop harmonizing and a cappella singing in general have enjoyed resurgence in popularity in recent years thanks to movies like Pitch Perfect and Jimmy Fallonrsquos ldquoRagtime Galsrdquo skits

ldquoIt really has made a differencerdquo says Erikson ldquoItrsquos bringing barbershop to the forefront of a new generation introducing a music style that can fit them too They donrsquot have to stop singing after high school They can keep singing their whole livesrdquo

The youngest member of Pathfinder Chorus is 13 the oldest 85 with all ages in between represented Professions range from student to dairy farmer to military veteran There are even a couple of pilots on stage One flies B-52s the other flies commercial jets All have one thing in common a love for music harmony and fellowship

Erikson discovered his passion for bar-bershop singing while he was in the mili-tary almost by accident He was stationed at Norfolk Navy Base An elderly lady who sat near him in church kept urging him to join the choir So he did Later he downloaded a four-part menrsquos arrangement of ldquoThe Irish Blessingrdquo encouraged friends to sing with him and never looked back That was 11 years ago

At 63 Erikson now serves as district presi-dent He really wants to leave the chorusmdashand his communitymdashbetter than he found it He also umpires baseball And many of the

Pathfinder concerts are fundraisers In 2014 they donated over $10000 to the Salvation Army and Goodfellows charities

ldquoMark has been crucial to the success of the grouprdquo says retiring music director Pete ldquoPDrdquo Stibor ldquoMark has the passionrdquo

The passion and the practice pay offmdashand not just at competition On a sunny Saturday this summer the Pathfinders per-formed at Burke High School Despite beauti-ful weather the auditorium was full of fans and groupies eager to spend the next 90 minutes enjoying perfect harmony It was delivered with only voices as instruments exploring great pop tunes ballads and the Beatles complete with choreographymdasheven ldquojazz handsrdquo

ldquoI want to do this as long as I canrdquo says Erikson ldquoThen have the good sense to step down when the time is right We give our-selves goose bumps on the risers We look at each other and sayWe just did thatItrsquos such a personal thing Such an emotional thing to be able to share that with your friendsrdquo

D ONrsquoT BOTHER TRYING TO contact Mark Erikson on a Monday night

From now until wellmdashforevermdashhersquos booked

On Monday nights yoursquoll find Erikson and more than 100 other Nebraska men singing their hearts out at a Presbyterian church in Fremont They travel in from all over Erikson drives from Papillion an 80-mile round trip Other members make the trek from South Sioux City Beatrice and Columbus Eriksonrsquos work life may take him to another state but hersquoll fly in just for practice then back He moves mountains to make sure hersquos in his spot on the riser

ldquoJust a solid fact of liferdquo he explains Therersquos always a quorum for rehearsal of

the Pathfinder ChorusldquoEvery Monday at practice we put all of

lifersquos challenges aside Itrsquos like a three-hour break in the week Irsquom with my buddies And wersquore singing really wellrdquo says Erikson ldquoI guess itrsquos kind of a guy thingrdquo

That ldquoguy thingrdquo is an award-winning nationally-recognized barbershop chorus Eriksonrsquos modesty masks the uniqueness of this ensemble Widely diverse both in age and professions the 43-year-old group first quali-fied to perform at the Barbershop Harmony Societyrsquos International Competition in 2010 Theyrsquove continued to qualify and place every year since a rare feat for a group made up of non-music professionals

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S9

S10 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by max sparber | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HISTORY

Chip Davis is celebrating 40-year anniversaries for both ldquoConvoyrdquo and the founding of Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoCONVOYrdquo 40 YEARS LATER

thatrsquos a big 10-4 good buddy

I N THE 1975 TRUCKER song ldquoConvoyrdquo a voice can be heard on a CB radio ldquoWhatrsquos your 20rdquo the voice asks code for

ldquowhatrsquos your locationrdquo The answer comes back ldquoOmahardquo

Of course it did The song itself was from Omaha And while there were a lot of trucker songs in the 1970s few could boast the sort of strange backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo could and none could look to the sort of future the song had

First the backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo was the product of a successful advertising campaign The product was Old Home Bread the adver-tising agency was Omaharsquos Bozell amp Jacobs They conceived of a series of ads featuring a truck driver delivering bread to a diner wait-ress The waitress was named Mavis Davis The truck driver was CW McCall

The campaign proved to be popularmdashso much so that McCall broke off to be an independent character releasing a number of recordings The lyrics and singing voice for McCall belonged to Bill Fries while the songs were written by Chip Davis Fries later became mayor of Ouray Colorado while Davis founded Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoI said one time that I would never live in Nebraska and I would never write country musicrdquo Davis explains ldquoI guess we see how that all worked out My love of music was really in the classical area but my good for-tunemdashand I mean fortunemdashcame by way of writing ldquoConvoyrdquordquo

The song tells the story of a lawbreaking protesting collection of truckers riding cross-country together as a miles-long ribbon of working class antiheroes communicating on CB radios It became a crossover hit spend-ing six weeks in the number one slot on the

country charts and a week as number one on the pop charts

As a result ldquoConvoyrdquo joined the ranks of country songs in the lsquo70s that became films along with ldquoHarper Valley PTArdquo ldquoOde to Billy Joerdquo and ldquoTake This Job and Shove Itrdquo The film version began shooting in 1977 and boasted an impressive collection of talent Country legend Kris Kristofferson was cast in the lead along with Oscar-nominated Ali MacGraw and character actor Burt Young Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine was the vil-lainous county sheriff determined to break up the I-canrsquot-drive-55 convoy

ldquoConvoyrdquo was a pop culture sensation and helped spawn an era when CB radios were all but ubiquitous in every vehicle even your momrsquos station wagon but Davis and Mannheim Steamroller are also celebrating a pair of even more notable milestones

This summer public television stations throughout the US will air Mannheim Steamroller 3040 Live The concert spe-cial marks two anniversaries for the hugely successful act their debut album Fresh Aire was released four decades ago followed ten years later by the release of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas their first holiday album to huge success

lsquoldquoConvoyrsquo and the other 12 hits we hadrdquo Davis explains ldquoultimately funded Mannheim Steamroller and [record label] American Gramaphone Irsquom a lucky guy Going from a semi to a steamroller wasnrsquot all that difficultrdquo

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S11

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

ldquo

STILL TAKING ORDERS

60 years of waiting tables at the Pink Poodle

S14 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by carol crissey nigrelli | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

Donna Malone

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S15

T HE YEAR 1955Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower

occupy the White House gas costs 22 cents per gallon ldquoThe Ballad of Davy Crockettrdquo hits the top of the record charts and Donna Malone greets the very first customers at the Pink Poodle Steakhouse

Time has a relentless way of relegating things to the past but both the waitress known simply as Donna and the Pink Poodle have outraced the last six decades They have persevered through fire flood five owners and an uncertain economy How With affordable prime rib and in Donnarsquos case a strong work ethic

Excitement came to tiny Crescent Iowa in May 1955 when Jake Brummer a local developer who owned three other restaurants in western Iowa bought an establishment at 633 Old Lincoln Highway called the Black Glove and gave it a new name with a quintes-sential rsquo50s flair The Pink Poodle served up a variety of steaks chicken and seafood pro-viding a quality entertainment venue across the Missouri River from north Omaha and a source of income for a teenage farm girl from just up the road in Honey Creek

ldquoThe Brummers were real good friends with my mom and dad and Irsquod known them foreverrdquo Donna recalls ldquoJake asked me if I wanted to work at the restaurant and I said lsquoSurersquo I was 15rdquo

The new restaurant drew crowds imme-diately Donna started out as a cashier and hostess carefully observing how others did their jobs One night Brummer asked her to fill in as a waitress With her characteristic ldquoI can do thatrdquo attitude Donna found she liked waiting on tablesmdashand the benefits that came with it

ldquoBack then if you got a quarter per person per table it was a heck of a tip a dollar from four peoplerdquo says Donna 75 shaking her head at the thought ldquoOne Saturday night I remember making $32 The other girls just couldnrsquot believe it absolutely unreal Of course a lobster dinner back then was $795 Things have changed But I still make real good moneyrdquo

Itrsquos hard to pinpoint when Donna became as sought-after as the Pink Poodlersquos signature prime rib (introduced to the menu in the

early 1960s) The ease with which she talks to customers vanishes when asked to talk about herself A private humble person by nature Donna will only credit ldquogreat food and a wonderful clientelerdquo for the restaurantrsquos continued success Current owner Doreen McNeil who began as a waitress in 1983 and worked with Donna in the party room shows no such reluctance in focusing the spotlight

ldquoA lot of people come in here because of you Donnardquo McNeil tells her friend ldquoPeople who were children when Donna first waited on them now bring their grandchildren to meet herrdquo

Even first-time customers like Marianne and North Witcher of Omaha find them-selves easily drawn into Donnarsquos orbit ldquoShersquos fabulous as a waitress very knowledgeable and courteousrdquo says North ldquoShe got our orders exactly right knew the specials and their prices by heart We were floored when we learned how long shersquod been thererdquo

Donnarsquos journey to a 60th anniversary hit a roadblock in January 1972 when fire ravaged the Pink Poodle ldquoOne of our regulars spent too much time at the bar late one nightrdquo recounts Donna in her slow deliberate deliv-ery ldquoand a lit cigarette got away from him and fell in a booth It started smoldering By 3 in the morning the place was on firerdquo

In the four-year interim it took to secure the cash to rebuild Donna worked at another

Crescent establishment where she ran into Kenny Malone a trucker she had met years earlier They married in 1974 With no chil-dren of her own to raise Donna continued waitressing at night in addition to her day job as a legal secretary

ldquoIrsquove worked for the same lawyer in west Omaha for the past 45 years and one before him for 10rdquo she says matter-of-factly

Donnarsquos knowledge of Omaha came in handy during the Missourirsquos record flooding in 2011 McNeil decided to keep the res-taurant open despite closures from June to November of the Mormon Bridge leading into Crescent and sections of I-29 McNeil says whenever a customer from Omaha called asking for a way to get to the restaurant ldquoIrsquod just give the phone to Donna Shersquos our resident GPSrdquo

A solid regular customer base that includes Chip Davis of Manheim Steamroller (see page S10 for more on Davis) and KMTV meteorologist Jim Flowers helped keep the restaurant afloat during a tough time one of many Donna has faced Tall and thin with porcelain skin and blue eyes Donna shows no interest in slowing down ldquoNot unless Doreen fires merdquo she says half seriously

ldquoOh Donna Irsquoll never do thatrdquo McNeil quickly responds ldquoI wish I could find 10 more of yourdquo

Donna Malone talks to Pink Poodle owner Doreen McNeil

S16 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

omamagcomsave

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Donrsquot miss a single issue of Omaha Magazine

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Mayor Jean Stothert

Jim FlowersWeathers the Storm

Omaharsquos Best Doctorsreg

Omaharsquos 2013 BIG GIVE

Leading in a Manrsquos World

SEPTEMBEROCTOBER bull 2013

$2a$10$BV2a7VBdNEaP8TLqH43gOY8GyBeii959fEMuGFh6fTZktxU5toeU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$VQy5sjVaOIi93aOzrmXNOWOEUlVTxtUp4KLHYoUvJHGImzEGnKqU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$BSUej3mkaYgBL6SHdzkruVCLTOdrTeuMC7tENIJRio4k7r1S522U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8lJaZ1bjql9MsIVt9chbEODEK1V4DMh2sWCqgO3EOkcmLDpuOcv2OU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$bokog0hs0YeIDLS08Mtz1OiPJn75Gm7kUVRGxWiMvmNK96K15omCU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$6PwNCHEGBFnlVxWvtvWyOIUae5YKMbG9AKx4P0QQdYkJFnuQBedGU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$0zda1EWkCNLfq3f8IgljO0gl8u8SQWc9tfTcstxEmJlYbx85kAKU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8HQyCRFmAbwq2RC1u3RBOGPwfqXvS4nK4obI8uQeYNWIAST0cM2U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$UvJ6oFqd71pgpO03WVqRuAqoS2JG9CR1BvNEHKqLySgt2C7hVUWU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$FmIjrLTWACeLTrwoJXJu8b8hgthtLuGDBy0sV8EJZjyFkEni0NyU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$CjZNVV1n0igQ5i4xti7ehyyyTwczBJ4Or3CNfvQsAtx1fHkrPXmU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$uPCaJPhRy7F01s3YTceEkeAtZvK9r2seNkqA5w3PCqdyBr0eWmCOVER TEXT DECODED INSIDE

trade

JULYAUGUST bull 2014

war amp PeaceChuck Hagel battles for a future free of the quagmires of the past

OmaharsquostopDentiststrade

Best of Omahatrade Campaign 2015

The Loyal Royal Alex Gordon

Malorie MaddoxOmaha Stories

tradetrade

NOVEMBERDECEMBER bull 2013

The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse

Among Teens

Nebraskarsquos Premier Wealth Advisors

The Making of NebraskaJohn Jackson

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S17

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12739 Q Street4024081990

wwwkohllscom

Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARD

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

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EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

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Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

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Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

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Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

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Home Instead Senior Care

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Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

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In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

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530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 10: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

S10 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by max sparber | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS HISTORY

Chip Davis is celebrating 40-year anniversaries for both ldquoConvoyrdquo and the founding of Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoCONVOYrdquo 40 YEARS LATER

thatrsquos a big 10-4 good buddy

I N THE 1975 TRUCKER song ldquoConvoyrdquo a voice can be heard on a CB radio ldquoWhatrsquos your 20rdquo the voice asks code for

ldquowhatrsquos your locationrdquo The answer comes back ldquoOmahardquo

Of course it did The song itself was from Omaha And while there were a lot of trucker songs in the 1970s few could boast the sort of strange backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo could and none could look to the sort of future the song had

First the backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo was the product of a successful advertising campaign The product was Old Home Bread the adver-tising agency was Omaharsquos Bozell amp Jacobs They conceived of a series of ads featuring a truck driver delivering bread to a diner wait-ress The waitress was named Mavis Davis The truck driver was CW McCall

The campaign proved to be popularmdashso much so that McCall broke off to be an independent character releasing a number of recordings The lyrics and singing voice for McCall belonged to Bill Fries while the songs were written by Chip Davis Fries later became mayor of Ouray Colorado while Davis founded Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoI said one time that I would never live in Nebraska and I would never write country musicrdquo Davis explains ldquoI guess we see how that all worked out My love of music was really in the classical area but my good for-tunemdashand I mean fortunemdashcame by way of writing ldquoConvoyrdquordquo

The song tells the story of a lawbreaking protesting collection of truckers riding cross-country together as a miles-long ribbon of working class antiheroes communicating on CB radios It became a crossover hit spend-ing six weeks in the number one slot on the

country charts and a week as number one on the pop charts

As a result ldquoConvoyrdquo joined the ranks of country songs in the lsquo70s that became films along with ldquoHarper Valley PTArdquo ldquoOde to Billy Joerdquo and ldquoTake This Job and Shove Itrdquo The film version began shooting in 1977 and boasted an impressive collection of talent Country legend Kris Kristofferson was cast in the lead along with Oscar-nominated Ali MacGraw and character actor Burt Young Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine was the vil-lainous county sheriff determined to break up the I-canrsquot-drive-55 convoy

ldquoConvoyrdquo was a pop culture sensation and helped spawn an era when CB radios were all but ubiquitous in every vehicle even your momrsquos station wagon but Davis and Mannheim Steamroller are also celebrating a pair of even more notable milestones

This summer public television stations throughout the US will air Mannheim Steamroller 3040 Live The concert spe-cial marks two anniversaries for the hugely successful act their debut album Fresh Aire was released four decades ago followed ten years later by the release of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas their first holiday album to huge success

lsquoldquoConvoyrsquo and the other 12 hits we hadrdquo Davis explains ldquoultimately funded Mannheim Steamroller and [record label] American Gramaphone Irsquom a lucky guy Going from a semi to a steamroller wasnrsquot all that difficultrdquo

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S11

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

ldquo

STILL TAKING ORDERS

60 years of waiting tables at the Pink Poodle

S14 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by carol crissey nigrelli | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

Donna Malone

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S15

T HE YEAR 1955Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower

occupy the White House gas costs 22 cents per gallon ldquoThe Ballad of Davy Crockettrdquo hits the top of the record charts and Donna Malone greets the very first customers at the Pink Poodle Steakhouse

Time has a relentless way of relegating things to the past but both the waitress known simply as Donna and the Pink Poodle have outraced the last six decades They have persevered through fire flood five owners and an uncertain economy How With affordable prime rib and in Donnarsquos case a strong work ethic

Excitement came to tiny Crescent Iowa in May 1955 when Jake Brummer a local developer who owned three other restaurants in western Iowa bought an establishment at 633 Old Lincoln Highway called the Black Glove and gave it a new name with a quintes-sential rsquo50s flair The Pink Poodle served up a variety of steaks chicken and seafood pro-viding a quality entertainment venue across the Missouri River from north Omaha and a source of income for a teenage farm girl from just up the road in Honey Creek

ldquoThe Brummers were real good friends with my mom and dad and Irsquod known them foreverrdquo Donna recalls ldquoJake asked me if I wanted to work at the restaurant and I said lsquoSurersquo I was 15rdquo

The new restaurant drew crowds imme-diately Donna started out as a cashier and hostess carefully observing how others did their jobs One night Brummer asked her to fill in as a waitress With her characteristic ldquoI can do thatrdquo attitude Donna found she liked waiting on tablesmdashand the benefits that came with it

ldquoBack then if you got a quarter per person per table it was a heck of a tip a dollar from four peoplerdquo says Donna 75 shaking her head at the thought ldquoOne Saturday night I remember making $32 The other girls just couldnrsquot believe it absolutely unreal Of course a lobster dinner back then was $795 Things have changed But I still make real good moneyrdquo

Itrsquos hard to pinpoint when Donna became as sought-after as the Pink Poodlersquos signature prime rib (introduced to the menu in the

early 1960s) The ease with which she talks to customers vanishes when asked to talk about herself A private humble person by nature Donna will only credit ldquogreat food and a wonderful clientelerdquo for the restaurantrsquos continued success Current owner Doreen McNeil who began as a waitress in 1983 and worked with Donna in the party room shows no such reluctance in focusing the spotlight

ldquoA lot of people come in here because of you Donnardquo McNeil tells her friend ldquoPeople who were children when Donna first waited on them now bring their grandchildren to meet herrdquo

Even first-time customers like Marianne and North Witcher of Omaha find them-selves easily drawn into Donnarsquos orbit ldquoShersquos fabulous as a waitress very knowledgeable and courteousrdquo says North ldquoShe got our orders exactly right knew the specials and their prices by heart We were floored when we learned how long shersquod been thererdquo

Donnarsquos journey to a 60th anniversary hit a roadblock in January 1972 when fire ravaged the Pink Poodle ldquoOne of our regulars spent too much time at the bar late one nightrdquo recounts Donna in her slow deliberate deliv-ery ldquoand a lit cigarette got away from him and fell in a booth It started smoldering By 3 in the morning the place was on firerdquo

In the four-year interim it took to secure the cash to rebuild Donna worked at another

Crescent establishment where she ran into Kenny Malone a trucker she had met years earlier They married in 1974 With no chil-dren of her own to raise Donna continued waitressing at night in addition to her day job as a legal secretary

ldquoIrsquove worked for the same lawyer in west Omaha for the past 45 years and one before him for 10rdquo she says matter-of-factly

Donnarsquos knowledge of Omaha came in handy during the Missourirsquos record flooding in 2011 McNeil decided to keep the res-taurant open despite closures from June to November of the Mormon Bridge leading into Crescent and sections of I-29 McNeil says whenever a customer from Omaha called asking for a way to get to the restaurant ldquoIrsquod just give the phone to Donna Shersquos our resident GPSrdquo

A solid regular customer base that includes Chip Davis of Manheim Steamroller (see page S10 for more on Davis) and KMTV meteorologist Jim Flowers helped keep the restaurant afloat during a tough time one of many Donna has faced Tall and thin with porcelain skin and blue eyes Donna shows no interest in slowing down ldquoNot unless Doreen fires merdquo she says half seriously

ldquoOh Donna Irsquoll never do thatrdquo McNeil quickly responds ldquoI wish I could find 10 more of yourdquo

Donna Malone talks to Pink Poodle owner Doreen McNeil

S16 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

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Mayor Jean Stothert

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Omaharsquos 2013 BIG GIVE

Leading in a Manrsquos World

SEPTEMBEROCTOBER bull 2013

$2a$10$BV2a7VBdNEaP8TLqH43gOY8GyBeii959fEMuGFh6fTZktxU5toeU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$VQy5sjVaOIi93aOzrmXNOWOEUlVTxtUp4KLHYoUvJHGImzEGnKqU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$BSUej3mkaYgBL6SHdzkruVCLTOdrTeuMC7tENIJRio4k7r1S522U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8lJaZ1bjql9MsIVt9chbEODEK1V4DMh2sWCqgO3EOkcmLDpuOcv2OU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$bokog0hs0YeIDLS08Mtz1OiPJn75Gm7kUVRGxWiMvmNK96K15omCU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$6PwNCHEGBFnlVxWvtvWyOIUae5YKMbG9AKx4P0QQdYkJFnuQBedGU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$0zda1EWkCNLfq3f8IgljO0gl8u8SQWc9tfTcstxEmJlYbx85kAKU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8HQyCRFmAbwq2RC1u3RBOGPwfqXvS4nK4obI8uQeYNWIAST0cM2U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$UvJ6oFqd71pgpO03WVqRuAqoS2JG9CR1BvNEHKqLySgt2C7hVUWU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$FmIjrLTWACeLTrwoJXJu8b8hgthtLuGDBy0sV8EJZjyFkEni0NyU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$CjZNVV1n0igQ5i4xti7ehyyyTwczBJ4Or3CNfvQsAtx1fHkrPXmU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$uPCaJPhRy7F01s3YTceEkeAtZvK9r2seNkqA5w3PCqdyBr0eWmCOVER TEXT DECODED INSIDE

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JULYAUGUST bull 2014

war amp PeaceChuck Hagel battles for a future free of the quagmires of the past

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Best of Omahatrade Campaign 2015

The Loyal Royal Alex Gordon

Malorie MaddoxOmaha Stories

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NOVEMBERDECEMBER bull 2013

The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse

Among Teens

Nebraskarsquos Premier Wealth Advisors

The Making of NebraskaJohn Jackson

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S17

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Experience our State-of-the-Art Facilities

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Call for special pricing

12739 Q Street4024081990

wwwkohllscom

Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARD

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

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Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

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EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

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Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

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Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 11: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

ldquoCONVOYrdquo 40 YEARS LATER

thatrsquos a big 10-4 good buddy

I N THE 1975 TRUCKER song ldquoConvoyrdquo a voice can be heard on a CB radio ldquoWhatrsquos your 20rdquo the voice asks code for

ldquowhatrsquos your locationrdquo The answer comes back ldquoOmahardquo

Of course it did The song itself was from Omaha And while there were a lot of trucker songs in the 1970s few could boast the sort of strange backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo could and none could look to the sort of future the song had

First the backstory ldquoConvoyrdquo was the product of a successful advertising campaign The product was Old Home Bread the adver-tising agency was Omaharsquos Bozell amp Jacobs They conceived of a series of ads featuring a truck driver delivering bread to a diner wait-ress The waitress was named Mavis Davis The truck driver was CW McCall

The campaign proved to be popularmdashso much so that McCall broke off to be an independent character releasing a number of recordings The lyrics and singing voice for McCall belonged to Bill Fries while the songs were written by Chip Davis Fries later became mayor of Ouray Colorado while Davis founded Mannheim Steamroller

ldquoI said one time that I would never live in Nebraska and I would never write country musicrdquo Davis explains ldquoI guess we see how that all worked out My love of music was really in the classical area but my good for-tunemdashand I mean fortunemdashcame by way of writing ldquoConvoyrdquordquo

The song tells the story of a lawbreaking protesting collection of truckers riding cross-country together as a miles-long ribbon of working class antiheroes communicating on CB radios It became a crossover hit spend-ing six weeks in the number one slot on the

country charts and a week as number one on the pop charts

As a result ldquoConvoyrdquo joined the ranks of country songs in the lsquo70s that became films along with ldquoHarper Valley PTArdquo ldquoOde to Billy Joerdquo and ldquoTake This Job and Shove Itrdquo The film version began shooting in 1977 and boasted an impressive collection of talent Country legend Kris Kristofferson was cast in the lead along with Oscar-nominated Ali MacGraw and character actor Burt Young Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine was the vil-lainous county sheriff determined to break up the I-canrsquot-drive-55 convoy

ldquoConvoyrdquo was a pop culture sensation and helped spawn an era when CB radios were all but ubiquitous in every vehicle even your momrsquos station wagon but Davis and Mannheim Steamroller are also celebrating a pair of even more notable milestones

This summer public television stations throughout the US will air Mannheim Steamroller 3040 Live The concert spe-cial marks two anniversaries for the hugely successful act their debut album Fresh Aire was released four decades ago followed ten years later by the release of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas their first holiday album to huge success

lsquoldquoConvoyrsquo and the other 12 hits we hadrdquo Davis explains ldquoultimately funded Mannheim Steamroller and [record label] American Gramaphone Irsquom a lucky guy Going from a semi to a steamroller wasnrsquot all that difficultrdquo

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S11

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

ldquo

STILL TAKING ORDERS

60 years of waiting tables at the Pink Poodle

S14 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by carol crissey nigrelli | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

Donna Malone

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S15

T HE YEAR 1955Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower

occupy the White House gas costs 22 cents per gallon ldquoThe Ballad of Davy Crockettrdquo hits the top of the record charts and Donna Malone greets the very first customers at the Pink Poodle Steakhouse

Time has a relentless way of relegating things to the past but both the waitress known simply as Donna and the Pink Poodle have outraced the last six decades They have persevered through fire flood five owners and an uncertain economy How With affordable prime rib and in Donnarsquos case a strong work ethic

Excitement came to tiny Crescent Iowa in May 1955 when Jake Brummer a local developer who owned three other restaurants in western Iowa bought an establishment at 633 Old Lincoln Highway called the Black Glove and gave it a new name with a quintes-sential rsquo50s flair The Pink Poodle served up a variety of steaks chicken and seafood pro-viding a quality entertainment venue across the Missouri River from north Omaha and a source of income for a teenage farm girl from just up the road in Honey Creek

ldquoThe Brummers were real good friends with my mom and dad and Irsquod known them foreverrdquo Donna recalls ldquoJake asked me if I wanted to work at the restaurant and I said lsquoSurersquo I was 15rdquo

The new restaurant drew crowds imme-diately Donna started out as a cashier and hostess carefully observing how others did their jobs One night Brummer asked her to fill in as a waitress With her characteristic ldquoI can do thatrdquo attitude Donna found she liked waiting on tablesmdashand the benefits that came with it

ldquoBack then if you got a quarter per person per table it was a heck of a tip a dollar from four peoplerdquo says Donna 75 shaking her head at the thought ldquoOne Saturday night I remember making $32 The other girls just couldnrsquot believe it absolutely unreal Of course a lobster dinner back then was $795 Things have changed But I still make real good moneyrdquo

Itrsquos hard to pinpoint when Donna became as sought-after as the Pink Poodlersquos signature prime rib (introduced to the menu in the

early 1960s) The ease with which she talks to customers vanishes when asked to talk about herself A private humble person by nature Donna will only credit ldquogreat food and a wonderful clientelerdquo for the restaurantrsquos continued success Current owner Doreen McNeil who began as a waitress in 1983 and worked with Donna in the party room shows no such reluctance in focusing the spotlight

ldquoA lot of people come in here because of you Donnardquo McNeil tells her friend ldquoPeople who were children when Donna first waited on them now bring their grandchildren to meet herrdquo

Even first-time customers like Marianne and North Witcher of Omaha find them-selves easily drawn into Donnarsquos orbit ldquoShersquos fabulous as a waitress very knowledgeable and courteousrdquo says North ldquoShe got our orders exactly right knew the specials and their prices by heart We were floored when we learned how long shersquod been thererdquo

Donnarsquos journey to a 60th anniversary hit a roadblock in January 1972 when fire ravaged the Pink Poodle ldquoOne of our regulars spent too much time at the bar late one nightrdquo recounts Donna in her slow deliberate deliv-ery ldquoand a lit cigarette got away from him and fell in a booth It started smoldering By 3 in the morning the place was on firerdquo

In the four-year interim it took to secure the cash to rebuild Donna worked at another

Crescent establishment where she ran into Kenny Malone a trucker she had met years earlier They married in 1974 With no chil-dren of her own to raise Donna continued waitressing at night in addition to her day job as a legal secretary

ldquoIrsquove worked for the same lawyer in west Omaha for the past 45 years and one before him for 10rdquo she says matter-of-factly

Donnarsquos knowledge of Omaha came in handy during the Missourirsquos record flooding in 2011 McNeil decided to keep the res-taurant open despite closures from June to November of the Mormon Bridge leading into Crescent and sections of I-29 McNeil says whenever a customer from Omaha called asking for a way to get to the restaurant ldquoIrsquod just give the phone to Donna Shersquos our resident GPSrdquo

A solid regular customer base that includes Chip Davis of Manheim Steamroller (see page S10 for more on Davis) and KMTV meteorologist Jim Flowers helped keep the restaurant afloat during a tough time one of many Donna has faced Tall and thin with porcelain skin and blue eyes Donna shows no interest in slowing down ldquoNot unless Doreen fires merdquo she says half seriously

ldquoOh Donna Irsquoll never do thatrdquo McNeil quickly responds ldquoI wish I could find 10 more of yourdquo

Donna Malone talks to Pink Poodle owner Doreen McNeil

S16 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

omamagcomsave

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Donrsquot miss a single issue of Omaha Magazine

trade

Mayor Jean Stothert

Jim FlowersWeathers the Storm

Omaharsquos Best Doctorsreg

Omaharsquos 2013 BIG GIVE

Leading in a Manrsquos World

SEPTEMBEROCTOBER bull 2013

$2a$10$BV2a7VBdNEaP8TLqH43gOY8GyBeii959fEMuGFh6fTZktxU5toeU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$VQy5sjVaOIi93aOzrmXNOWOEUlVTxtUp4KLHYoUvJHGImzEGnKqU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$BSUej3mkaYgBL6SHdzkruVCLTOdrTeuMC7tENIJRio4k7r1S522U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8lJaZ1bjql9MsIVt9chbEODEK1V4DMh2sWCqgO3EOkcmLDpuOcv2OU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$bokog0hs0YeIDLS08Mtz1OiPJn75Gm7kUVRGxWiMvmNK96K15omCU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$6PwNCHEGBFnlVxWvtvWyOIUae5YKMbG9AKx4P0QQdYkJFnuQBedGU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$0zda1EWkCNLfq3f8IgljO0gl8u8SQWc9tfTcstxEmJlYbx85kAKU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8HQyCRFmAbwq2RC1u3RBOGPwfqXvS4nK4obI8uQeYNWIAST0cM2U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$UvJ6oFqd71pgpO03WVqRuAqoS2JG9CR1BvNEHKqLySgt2C7hVUWU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$FmIjrLTWACeLTrwoJXJu8b8hgthtLuGDBy0sV8EJZjyFkEni0NyU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$CjZNVV1n0igQ5i4xti7ehyyyTwczBJ4Or3CNfvQsAtx1fHkrPXmU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$uPCaJPhRy7F01s3YTceEkeAtZvK9r2seNkqA5w3PCqdyBr0eWmCOVER TEXT DECODED INSIDE

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JULYAUGUST bull 2014

war amp PeaceChuck Hagel battles for a future free of the quagmires of the past

OmaharsquostopDentiststrade

Best of Omahatrade Campaign 2015

The Loyal Royal Alex Gordon

Malorie MaddoxOmaha Stories

tradetrade

NOVEMBERDECEMBER bull 2013

The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse

Among Teens

Nebraskarsquos Premier Wealth Advisors

The Making of NebraskaJohn Jackson

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S17

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Experience our State-of-the-Art Facilities

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Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARD

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

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Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

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Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 12: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

with Travel and Transport

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

For over 68 years Travel and Transport has made vacation dreams a reality In total our knowledgeable and seasoned travel specialists have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have sailed on over 50 cruises We provide our clients with the most advantageous pricing upgrades with leading hotels resorts spas cruise lines tour companies rail lines airlines and ground operators And through our partnership with Virtuoso we are able to offer exclusive amenities experiences and privileged access not available to the general public

Hotel Contessa Grand Cayman

Close To HomeSan Antonio TXTake the short journey to San Antonio for a wealth of activities to delight people of any age or interest Learn about iconic American figures at historic sites like the Alamo For something a bit more adventurous glide over the city in a hot air balloon If itrsquos just a relaxing stroll you seek saunter along the San Antonio River Walk where yoursquoll pass countless upscale shops attractions and restaurants When it comes time to rest your head enjoy luxurious accommodations right on the River Walk like the beautifully classic Hotel Contessa or the Mokara Hotel amp Spa And to experience a bit of the countryside make your way to the Eilan Hotel Resort amp Spa nestled into the picturesque Texas Hill Country

Our RecommendationsMokara Hotel amp SpaHotel ContessaEilan Hotel Resort amp Spa

Food amp Wine AdventureCayman Cookout Grand CaymanA foodiersquos dream come true this informative experience brings you face-to-face with some of the worldrsquos most renowned chefs Meet No Reservationsrsquo Anthony Bourdain Top Chefrsquos Tom Colicchio and head of the Cayman Cookout Eacuteric Ripert host of Avec Eric Spend the weekend celebrating all aspects of the epicurean from tastings and demonstrations to meals tours and mixology lessons There is a reason the Cayman Islands are crowned the culinary capital of the Caribbean Add this adventure to your itinerary and find out for yourself

Our Recommendations17-day Sand Sea and Stars Cruise on board Oceania Cruises Regatta7-night Ritz Carlton AirHotel Package with Pleasant Holidays5-night Marriott Grand Cayman AirHotel Package with Delta Vacations

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

ldquo

STILL TAKING ORDERS

60 years of waiting tables at the Pink Poodle

S14 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by carol crissey nigrelli | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

Donna Malone

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S15

T HE YEAR 1955Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower

occupy the White House gas costs 22 cents per gallon ldquoThe Ballad of Davy Crockettrdquo hits the top of the record charts and Donna Malone greets the very first customers at the Pink Poodle Steakhouse

Time has a relentless way of relegating things to the past but both the waitress known simply as Donna and the Pink Poodle have outraced the last six decades They have persevered through fire flood five owners and an uncertain economy How With affordable prime rib and in Donnarsquos case a strong work ethic

Excitement came to tiny Crescent Iowa in May 1955 when Jake Brummer a local developer who owned three other restaurants in western Iowa bought an establishment at 633 Old Lincoln Highway called the Black Glove and gave it a new name with a quintes-sential rsquo50s flair The Pink Poodle served up a variety of steaks chicken and seafood pro-viding a quality entertainment venue across the Missouri River from north Omaha and a source of income for a teenage farm girl from just up the road in Honey Creek

ldquoThe Brummers were real good friends with my mom and dad and Irsquod known them foreverrdquo Donna recalls ldquoJake asked me if I wanted to work at the restaurant and I said lsquoSurersquo I was 15rdquo

The new restaurant drew crowds imme-diately Donna started out as a cashier and hostess carefully observing how others did their jobs One night Brummer asked her to fill in as a waitress With her characteristic ldquoI can do thatrdquo attitude Donna found she liked waiting on tablesmdashand the benefits that came with it

ldquoBack then if you got a quarter per person per table it was a heck of a tip a dollar from four peoplerdquo says Donna 75 shaking her head at the thought ldquoOne Saturday night I remember making $32 The other girls just couldnrsquot believe it absolutely unreal Of course a lobster dinner back then was $795 Things have changed But I still make real good moneyrdquo

Itrsquos hard to pinpoint when Donna became as sought-after as the Pink Poodlersquos signature prime rib (introduced to the menu in the

early 1960s) The ease with which she talks to customers vanishes when asked to talk about herself A private humble person by nature Donna will only credit ldquogreat food and a wonderful clientelerdquo for the restaurantrsquos continued success Current owner Doreen McNeil who began as a waitress in 1983 and worked with Donna in the party room shows no such reluctance in focusing the spotlight

ldquoA lot of people come in here because of you Donnardquo McNeil tells her friend ldquoPeople who were children when Donna first waited on them now bring their grandchildren to meet herrdquo

Even first-time customers like Marianne and North Witcher of Omaha find them-selves easily drawn into Donnarsquos orbit ldquoShersquos fabulous as a waitress very knowledgeable and courteousrdquo says North ldquoShe got our orders exactly right knew the specials and their prices by heart We were floored when we learned how long shersquod been thererdquo

Donnarsquos journey to a 60th anniversary hit a roadblock in January 1972 when fire ravaged the Pink Poodle ldquoOne of our regulars spent too much time at the bar late one nightrdquo recounts Donna in her slow deliberate deliv-ery ldquoand a lit cigarette got away from him and fell in a booth It started smoldering By 3 in the morning the place was on firerdquo

In the four-year interim it took to secure the cash to rebuild Donna worked at another

Crescent establishment where she ran into Kenny Malone a trucker she had met years earlier They married in 1974 With no chil-dren of her own to raise Donna continued waitressing at night in addition to her day job as a legal secretary

ldquoIrsquove worked for the same lawyer in west Omaha for the past 45 years and one before him for 10rdquo she says matter-of-factly

Donnarsquos knowledge of Omaha came in handy during the Missourirsquos record flooding in 2011 McNeil decided to keep the res-taurant open despite closures from June to November of the Mormon Bridge leading into Crescent and sections of I-29 McNeil says whenever a customer from Omaha called asking for a way to get to the restaurant ldquoIrsquod just give the phone to Donna Shersquos our resident GPSrdquo

A solid regular customer base that includes Chip Davis of Manheim Steamroller (see page S10 for more on Davis) and KMTV meteorologist Jim Flowers helped keep the restaurant afloat during a tough time one of many Donna has faced Tall and thin with porcelain skin and blue eyes Donna shows no interest in slowing down ldquoNot unless Doreen fires merdquo she says half seriously

ldquoOh Donna Irsquoll never do thatrdquo McNeil quickly responds ldquoI wish I could find 10 more of yourdquo

Donna Malone talks to Pink Poodle owner Doreen McNeil

S16 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

omamagcomsave

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Donrsquot miss a single issue of Omaha Magazine

trade

Mayor Jean Stothert

Jim FlowersWeathers the Storm

Omaharsquos Best Doctorsreg

Omaharsquos 2013 BIG GIVE

Leading in a Manrsquos World

SEPTEMBEROCTOBER bull 2013

$2a$10$BV2a7VBdNEaP8TLqH43gOY8GyBeii959fEMuGFh6fTZktxU5toeU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$VQy5sjVaOIi93aOzrmXNOWOEUlVTxtUp4KLHYoUvJHGImzEGnKqU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$BSUej3mkaYgBL6SHdzkruVCLTOdrTeuMC7tENIJRio4k7r1S522U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8lJaZ1bjql9MsIVt9chbEODEK1V4DMh2sWCqgO3EOkcmLDpuOcv2OU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$bokog0hs0YeIDLS08Mtz1OiPJn75Gm7kUVRGxWiMvmNK96K15omCU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$6PwNCHEGBFnlVxWvtvWyOIUae5YKMbG9AKx4P0QQdYkJFnuQBedGU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$0zda1EWkCNLfq3f8IgljO0gl8u8SQWc9tfTcstxEmJlYbx85kAKU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8HQyCRFmAbwq2RC1u3RBOGPwfqXvS4nK4obI8uQeYNWIAST0cM2U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$UvJ6oFqd71pgpO03WVqRuAqoS2JG9CR1BvNEHKqLySgt2C7hVUWU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$FmIjrLTWACeLTrwoJXJu8b8hgthtLuGDBy0sV8EJZjyFkEni0NyU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$CjZNVV1n0igQ5i4xti7ehyyyTwczBJ4Or3CNfvQsAtx1fHkrPXmU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$uPCaJPhRy7F01s3YTceEkeAtZvK9r2seNkqA5w3PCqdyBr0eWmCOVER TEXT DECODED INSIDE

trade

JULYAUGUST bull 2014

war amp PeaceChuck Hagel battles for a future free of the quagmires of the past

OmaharsquostopDentiststrade

Best of Omahatrade Campaign 2015

The Loyal Royal Alex Gordon

Malorie MaddoxOmaha Stories

tradetrade

NOVEMBERDECEMBER bull 2013

The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse

Among Teens

Nebraskarsquos Premier Wealth Advisors

The Making of NebraskaJohn Jackson

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S17

WhenExperience Counts

Experience our State-of-the-Art Facilities

600 Brookestone Meadows PlazaElkhorn NE 68022 | (402) 289-2696wwBrookestoneMeadowscom

QUALITY LIFE | QUALITY CARE | EXCELLENT TEAMS | QUALITY REPUTATION | STEWARDSHIP

4330 South 144th StreetOmaha NE 68137

(402) 614-4000wwBrookestoneVillagecom

Proud Members of the Vetter Health Services Family

PhysicalOccupationalandSpeechTherapy Careaftertotaljointreplacement Strokerecovery Strengtheningaftercancertreatment Careaftersurgery Recoveryfromafallorextendedillness

Visit ourwebsite

to find outmore about us

OmahaBVampElkhornBM_Ad - Omaha 60+ Mag_111612_60+ Omaha Magazine Ad - BSV amp BSM 3112014 354 PM Page 1

Trouble Getting Up amp Down the StairsRegain your independence and the rest of your home

Largest showroom in the nationMultiple modelsone sure to fit your needs

Call for special pricing

12739 Q Street4024081990

wwwkohllscom

Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARD

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 13: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

travelandtransportcom Located at 72nd amp Mercy | 4023994555 CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS

Call today to book your getaway4023994555omahavacationstravelandtransportcom

Ultimate ExperienceHolland America Line and On Stage AlaskaFor a truly unique and exhilarating experience venture to Alaska ndash the Northern jewel of the United States With glaciers fjords mountains rivers and vast expanses of untouched woodlands Alaskalsquos natural wonder and beauty are sure to amaze any traveler With Holland America experience Alaska by land sea or both View Glacier Bay from a luxury cruise liner explore Denali National Park with an experienced tour guide or sail through Tracy Arm to spot a whale in the wild Visit Alaska for an experience you will cherish for the rest of your life To find out more about all the different opportunities to explore Alaska please join Holland America and Travel and Transport for a complimentary informative presentation on Thursday November 5th at 700 pm For more information on the event or to RSVP please call or email us at (402) 399-4555 or omahavacationstravelandtransportcom Attend this exciting event and be entered into a drawing for two round trip airline tickets

Our Recommendations7ndash14 Day Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier11ndash14 Day Denali Land and Sea Journeys10ndash20 Day Yukon + Denali Land and Sea Journeys

Alaska

ldquo

STILL TAKING ORDERS

60 years of waiting tables at the Pink Poodle

S14 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by carol crissey nigrelli | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

Donna Malone

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S15

T HE YEAR 1955Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower

occupy the White House gas costs 22 cents per gallon ldquoThe Ballad of Davy Crockettrdquo hits the top of the record charts and Donna Malone greets the very first customers at the Pink Poodle Steakhouse

Time has a relentless way of relegating things to the past but both the waitress known simply as Donna and the Pink Poodle have outraced the last six decades They have persevered through fire flood five owners and an uncertain economy How With affordable prime rib and in Donnarsquos case a strong work ethic

Excitement came to tiny Crescent Iowa in May 1955 when Jake Brummer a local developer who owned three other restaurants in western Iowa bought an establishment at 633 Old Lincoln Highway called the Black Glove and gave it a new name with a quintes-sential rsquo50s flair The Pink Poodle served up a variety of steaks chicken and seafood pro-viding a quality entertainment venue across the Missouri River from north Omaha and a source of income for a teenage farm girl from just up the road in Honey Creek

ldquoThe Brummers were real good friends with my mom and dad and Irsquod known them foreverrdquo Donna recalls ldquoJake asked me if I wanted to work at the restaurant and I said lsquoSurersquo I was 15rdquo

The new restaurant drew crowds imme-diately Donna started out as a cashier and hostess carefully observing how others did their jobs One night Brummer asked her to fill in as a waitress With her characteristic ldquoI can do thatrdquo attitude Donna found she liked waiting on tablesmdashand the benefits that came with it

ldquoBack then if you got a quarter per person per table it was a heck of a tip a dollar from four peoplerdquo says Donna 75 shaking her head at the thought ldquoOne Saturday night I remember making $32 The other girls just couldnrsquot believe it absolutely unreal Of course a lobster dinner back then was $795 Things have changed But I still make real good moneyrdquo

Itrsquos hard to pinpoint when Donna became as sought-after as the Pink Poodlersquos signature prime rib (introduced to the menu in the

early 1960s) The ease with which she talks to customers vanishes when asked to talk about herself A private humble person by nature Donna will only credit ldquogreat food and a wonderful clientelerdquo for the restaurantrsquos continued success Current owner Doreen McNeil who began as a waitress in 1983 and worked with Donna in the party room shows no such reluctance in focusing the spotlight

ldquoA lot of people come in here because of you Donnardquo McNeil tells her friend ldquoPeople who were children when Donna first waited on them now bring their grandchildren to meet herrdquo

Even first-time customers like Marianne and North Witcher of Omaha find them-selves easily drawn into Donnarsquos orbit ldquoShersquos fabulous as a waitress very knowledgeable and courteousrdquo says North ldquoShe got our orders exactly right knew the specials and their prices by heart We were floored when we learned how long shersquod been thererdquo

Donnarsquos journey to a 60th anniversary hit a roadblock in January 1972 when fire ravaged the Pink Poodle ldquoOne of our regulars spent too much time at the bar late one nightrdquo recounts Donna in her slow deliberate deliv-ery ldquoand a lit cigarette got away from him and fell in a booth It started smoldering By 3 in the morning the place was on firerdquo

In the four-year interim it took to secure the cash to rebuild Donna worked at another

Crescent establishment where she ran into Kenny Malone a trucker she had met years earlier They married in 1974 With no chil-dren of her own to raise Donna continued waitressing at night in addition to her day job as a legal secretary

ldquoIrsquove worked for the same lawyer in west Omaha for the past 45 years and one before him for 10rdquo she says matter-of-factly

Donnarsquos knowledge of Omaha came in handy during the Missourirsquos record flooding in 2011 McNeil decided to keep the res-taurant open despite closures from June to November of the Mormon Bridge leading into Crescent and sections of I-29 McNeil says whenever a customer from Omaha called asking for a way to get to the restaurant ldquoIrsquod just give the phone to Donna Shersquos our resident GPSrdquo

A solid regular customer base that includes Chip Davis of Manheim Steamroller (see page S10 for more on Davis) and KMTV meteorologist Jim Flowers helped keep the restaurant afloat during a tough time one of many Donna has faced Tall and thin with porcelain skin and blue eyes Donna shows no interest in slowing down ldquoNot unless Doreen fires merdquo she says half seriously

ldquoOh Donna Irsquoll never do thatrdquo McNeil quickly responds ldquoI wish I could find 10 more of yourdquo

Donna Malone talks to Pink Poodle owner Doreen McNeil

S16 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

omamagcomsave

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Donrsquot miss a single issue of Omaha Magazine

trade

Mayor Jean Stothert

Jim FlowersWeathers the Storm

Omaharsquos Best Doctorsreg

Omaharsquos 2013 BIG GIVE

Leading in a Manrsquos World

SEPTEMBEROCTOBER bull 2013

$2a$10$BV2a7VBdNEaP8TLqH43gOY8GyBeii959fEMuGFh6fTZktxU5toeU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$VQy5sjVaOIi93aOzrmXNOWOEUlVTxtUp4KLHYoUvJHGImzEGnKqU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$BSUej3mkaYgBL6SHdzkruVCLTOdrTeuMC7tENIJRio4k7r1S522U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8lJaZ1bjql9MsIVt9chbEODEK1V4DMh2sWCqgO3EOkcmLDpuOcv2OU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$bokog0hs0YeIDLS08Mtz1OiPJn75Gm7kUVRGxWiMvmNK96K15omCU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$6PwNCHEGBFnlVxWvtvWyOIUae5YKMbG9AKx4P0QQdYkJFnuQBedGU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$0zda1EWkCNLfq3f8IgljO0gl8u8SQWc9tfTcstxEmJlYbx85kAKU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8HQyCRFmAbwq2RC1u3RBOGPwfqXvS4nK4obI8uQeYNWIAST0cM2U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$UvJ6oFqd71pgpO03WVqRuAqoS2JG9CR1BvNEHKqLySgt2C7hVUWU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$FmIjrLTWACeLTrwoJXJu8b8hgthtLuGDBy0sV8EJZjyFkEni0NyU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$CjZNVV1n0igQ5i4xti7ehyyyTwczBJ4Or3CNfvQsAtx1fHkrPXmU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$uPCaJPhRy7F01s3YTceEkeAtZvK9r2seNkqA5w3PCqdyBr0eWmCOVER TEXT DECODED INSIDE

trade

JULYAUGUST bull 2014

war amp PeaceChuck Hagel battles for a future free of the quagmires of the past

OmaharsquostopDentiststrade

Best of Omahatrade Campaign 2015

The Loyal Royal Alex Gordon

Malorie MaddoxOmaha Stories

tradetrade

NOVEMBERDECEMBER bull 2013

The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse

Among Teens

Nebraskarsquos Premier Wealth Advisors

The Making of NebraskaJohn Jackson

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S17

WhenExperience Counts

Experience our State-of-the-Art Facilities

600 Brookestone Meadows PlazaElkhorn NE 68022 | (402) 289-2696wwBrookestoneMeadowscom

QUALITY LIFE | QUALITY CARE | EXCELLENT TEAMS | QUALITY REPUTATION | STEWARDSHIP

4330 South 144th StreetOmaha NE 68137

(402) 614-4000wwBrookestoneVillagecom

Proud Members of the Vetter Health Services Family

PhysicalOccupationalandSpeechTherapy Careaftertotaljointreplacement Strokerecovery Strengtheningaftercancertreatment Careaftersurgery Recoveryfromafallorextendedillness

Visit ourwebsite

to find outmore about us

OmahaBVampElkhornBM_Ad - Omaha 60+ Mag_111612_60+ Omaha Magazine Ad - BSV amp BSM 3112014 354 PM Page 1

Trouble Getting Up amp Down the StairsRegain your independence and the rest of your home

Largest showroom in the nationMultiple modelsone sure to fit your needs

Call for special pricing

12739 Q Street4024081990

wwwkohllscom

Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARD

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 14: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

ldquo

STILL TAKING ORDERS

60 years of waiting tables at the Pink Poodle

S14 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by carol crissey nigrelli | photography by bill sitzmann

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

Donna Malone

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S15

T HE YEAR 1955Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower

occupy the White House gas costs 22 cents per gallon ldquoThe Ballad of Davy Crockettrdquo hits the top of the record charts and Donna Malone greets the very first customers at the Pink Poodle Steakhouse

Time has a relentless way of relegating things to the past but both the waitress known simply as Donna and the Pink Poodle have outraced the last six decades They have persevered through fire flood five owners and an uncertain economy How With affordable prime rib and in Donnarsquos case a strong work ethic

Excitement came to tiny Crescent Iowa in May 1955 when Jake Brummer a local developer who owned three other restaurants in western Iowa bought an establishment at 633 Old Lincoln Highway called the Black Glove and gave it a new name with a quintes-sential rsquo50s flair The Pink Poodle served up a variety of steaks chicken and seafood pro-viding a quality entertainment venue across the Missouri River from north Omaha and a source of income for a teenage farm girl from just up the road in Honey Creek

ldquoThe Brummers were real good friends with my mom and dad and Irsquod known them foreverrdquo Donna recalls ldquoJake asked me if I wanted to work at the restaurant and I said lsquoSurersquo I was 15rdquo

The new restaurant drew crowds imme-diately Donna started out as a cashier and hostess carefully observing how others did their jobs One night Brummer asked her to fill in as a waitress With her characteristic ldquoI can do thatrdquo attitude Donna found she liked waiting on tablesmdashand the benefits that came with it

ldquoBack then if you got a quarter per person per table it was a heck of a tip a dollar from four peoplerdquo says Donna 75 shaking her head at the thought ldquoOne Saturday night I remember making $32 The other girls just couldnrsquot believe it absolutely unreal Of course a lobster dinner back then was $795 Things have changed But I still make real good moneyrdquo

Itrsquos hard to pinpoint when Donna became as sought-after as the Pink Poodlersquos signature prime rib (introduced to the menu in the

early 1960s) The ease with which she talks to customers vanishes when asked to talk about herself A private humble person by nature Donna will only credit ldquogreat food and a wonderful clientelerdquo for the restaurantrsquos continued success Current owner Doreen McNeil who began as a waitress in 1983 and worked with Donna in the party room shows no such reluctance in focusing the spotlight

ldquoA lot of people come in here because of you Donnardquo McNeil tells her friend ldquoPeople who were children when Donna first waited on them now bring their grandchildren to meet herrdquo

Even first-time customers like Marianne and North Witcher of Omaha find them-selves easily drawn into Donnarsquos orbit ldquoShersquos fabulous as a waitress very knowledgeable and courteousrdquo says North ldquoShe got our orders exactly right knew the specials and their prices by heart We were floored when we learned how long shersquod been thererdquo

Donnarsquos journey to a 60th anniversary hit a roadblock in January 1972 when fire ravaged the Pink Poodle ldquoOne of our regulars spent too much time at the bar late one nightrdquo recounts Donna in her slow deliberate deliv-ery ldquoand a lit cigarette got away from him and fell in a booth It started smoldering By 3 in the morning the place was on firerdquo

In the four-year interim it took to secure the cash to rebuild Donna worked at another

Crescent establishment where she ran into Kenny Malone a trucker she had met years earlier They married in 1974 With no chil-dren of her own to raise Donna continued waitressing at night in addition to her day job as a legal secretary

ldquoIrsquove worked for the same lawyer in west Omaha for the past 45 years and one before him for 10rdquo she says matter-of-factly

Donnarsquos knowledge of Omaha came in handy during the Missourirsquos record flooding in 2011 McNeil decided to keep the res-taurant open despite closures from June to November of the Mormon Bridge leading into Crescent and sections of I-29 McNeil says whenever a customer from Omaha called asking for a way to get to the restaurant ldquoIrsquod just give the phone to Donna Shersquos our resident GPSrdquo

A solid regular customer base that includes Chip Davis of Manheim Steamroller (see page S10 for more on Davis) and KMTV meteorologist Jim Flowers helped keep the restaurant afloat during a tough time one of many Donna has faced Tall and thin with porcelain skin and blue eyes Donna shows no interest in slowing down ldquoNot unless Doreen fires merdquo she says half seriously

ldquoOh Donna Irsquoll never do thatrdquo McNeil quickly responds ldquoI wish I could find 10 more of yourdquo

Donna Malone talks to Pink Poodle owner Doreen McNeil

S16 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

omamagcomsave

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Donrsquot miss a single issue of Omaha Magazine

trade

Mayor Jean Stothert

Jim FlowersWeathers the Storm

Omaharsquos Best Doctorsreg

Omaharsquos 2013 BIG GIVE

Leading in a Manrsquos World

SEPTEMBEROCTOBER bull 2013

$2a$10$BV2a7VBdNEaP8TLqH43gOY8GyBeii959fEMuGFh6fTZktxU5toeU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$VQy5sjVaOIi93aOzrmXNOWOEUlVTxtUp4KLHYoUvJHGImzEGnKqU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$BSUej3mkaYgBL6SHdzkruVCLTOdrTeuMC7tENIJRio4k7r1S522U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8lJaZ1bjql9MsIVt9chbEODEK1V4DMh2sWCqgO3EOkcmLDpuOcv2OU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$bokog0hs0YeIDLS08Mtz1OiPJn75Gm7kUVRGxWiMvmNK96K15omCU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$6PwNCHEGBFnlVxWvtvWyOIUae5YKMbG9AKx4P0QQdYkJFnuQBedGU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$0zda1EWkCNLfq3f8IgljO0gl8u8SQWc9tfTcstxEmJlYbx85kAKU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8HQyCRFmAbwq2RC1u3RBOGPwfqXvS4nK4obI8uQeYNWIAST0cM2U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$UvJ6oFqd71pgpO03WVqRuAqoS2JG9CR1BvNEHKqLySgt2C7hVUWU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$FmIjrLTWACeLTrwoJXJu8b8hgthtLuGDBy0sV8EJZjyFkEni0NyU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$CjZNVV1n0igQ5i4xti7ehyyyTwczBJ4Or3CNfvQsAtx1fHkrPXmU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$uPCaJPhRy7F01s3YTceEkeAtZvK9r2seNkqA5w3PCqdyBr0eWmCOVER TEXT DECODED INSIDE

trade

JULYAUGUST bull 2014

war amp PeaceChuck Hagel battles for a future free of the quagmires of the past

OmaharsquostopDentiststrade

Best of Omahatrade Campaign 2015

The Loyal Royal Alex Gordon

Malorie MaddoxOmaha Stories

tradetrade

NOVEMBERDECEMBER bull 2013

The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse

Among Teens

Nebraskarsquos Premier Wealth Advisors

The Making of NebraskaJohn Jackson

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S17

WhenExperience Counts

Experience our State-of-the-Art Facilities

600 Brookestone Meadows PlazaElkhorn NE 68022 | (402) 289-2696wwBrookestoneMeadowscom

QUALITY LIFE | QUALITY CARE | EXCELLENT TEAMS | QUALITY REPUTATION | STEWARDSHIP

4330 South 144th StreetOmaha NE 68137

(402) 614-4000wwBrookestoneVillagecom

Proud Members of the Vetter Health Services Family

PhysicalOccupationalandSpeechTherapy Careaftertotaljointreplacement Strokerecovery Strengtheningaftercancertreatment Careaftersurgery Recoveryfromafallorextendedillness

Visit ourwebsite

to find outmore about us

OmahaBVampElkhornBM_Ad - Omaha 60+ Mag_111612_60+ Omaha Magazine Ad - BSV amp BSM 3112014 354 PM Page 1

Trouble Getting Up amp Down the StairsRegain your independence and the rest of your home

Largest showroom in the nationMultiple modelsone sure to fit your needs

Call for special pricing

12739 Q Street4024081990

wwwkohllscom

Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARD

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 15: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

Donna Malone

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S15

T HE YEAR 1955Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower

occupy the White House gas costs 22 cents per gallon ldquoThe Ballad of Davy Crockettrdquo hits the top of the record charts and Donna Malone greets the very first customers at the Pink Poodle Steakhouse

Time has a relentless way of relegating things to the past but both the waitress known simply as Donna and the Pink Poodle have outraced the last six decades They have persevered through fire flood five owners and an uncertain economy How With affordable prime rib and in Donnarsquos case a strong work ethic

Excitement came to tiny Crescent Iowa in May 1955 when Jake Brummer a local developer who owned three other restaurants in western Iowa bought an establishment at 633 Old Lincoln Highway called the Black Glove and gave it a new name with a quintes-sential rsquo50s flair The Pink Poodle served up a variety of steaks chicken and seafood pro-viding a quality entertainment venue across the Missouri River from north Omaha and a source of income for a teenage farm girl from just up the road in Honey Creek

ldquoThe Brummers were real good friends with my mom and dad and Irsquod known them foreverrdquo Donna recalls ldquoJake asked me if I wanted to work at the restaurant and I said lsquoSurersquo I was 15rdquo

The new restaurant drew crowds imme-diately Donna started out as a cashier and hostess carefully observing how others did their jobs One night Brummer asked her to fill in as a waitress With her characteristic ldquoI can do thatrdquo attitude Donna found she liked waiting on tablesmdashand the benefits that came with it

ldquoBack then if you got a quarter per person per table it was a heck of a tip a dollar from four peoplerdquo says Donna 75 shaking her head at the thought ldquoOne Saturday night I remember making $32 The other girls just couldnrsquot believe it absolutely unreal Of course a lobster dinner back then was $795 Things have changed But I still make real good moneyrdquo

Itrsquos hard to pinpoint when Donna became as sought-after as the Pink Poodlersquos signature prime rib (introduced to the menu in the

early 1960s) The ease with which she talks to customers vanishes when asked to talk about herself A private humble person by nature Donna will only credit ldquogreat food and a wonderful clientelerdquo for the restaurantrsquos continued success Current owner Doreen McNeil who began as a waitress in 1983 and worked with Donna in the party room shows no such reluctance in focusing the spotlight

ldquoA lot of people come in here because of you Donnardquo McNeil tells her friend ldquoPeople who were children when Donna first waited on them now bring their grandchildren to meet herrdquo

Even first-time customers like Marianne and North Witcher of Omaha find them-selves easily drawn into Donnarsquos orbit ldquoShersquos fabulous as a waitress very knowledgeable and courteousrdquo says North ldquoShe got our orders exactly right knew the specials and their prices by heart We were floored when we learned how long shersquod been thererdquo

Donnarsquos journey to a 60th anniversary hit a roadblock in January 1972 when fire ravaged the Pink Poodle ldquoOne of our regulars spent too much time at the bar late one nightrdquo recounts Donna in her slow deliberate deliv-ery ldquoand a lit cigarette got away from him and fell in a booth It started smoldering By 3 in the morning the place was on firerdquo

In the four-year interim it took to secure the cash to rebuild Donna worked at another

Crescent establishment where she ran into Kenny Malone a trucker she had met years earlier They married in 1974 With no chil-dren of her own to raise Donna continued waitressing at night in addition to her day job as a legal secretary

ldquoIrsquove worked for the same lawyer in west Omaha for the past 45 years and one before him for 10rdquo she says matter-of-factly

Donnarsquos knowledge of Omaha came in handy during the Missourirsquos record flooding in 2011 McNeil decided to keep the res-taurant open despite closures from June to November of the Mormon Bridge leading into Crescent and sections of I-29 McNeil says whenever a customer from Omaha called asking for a way to get to the restaurant ldquoIrsquod just give the phone to Donna Shersquos our resident GPSrdquo

A solid regular customer base that includes Chip Davis of Manheim Steamroller (see page S10 for more on Davis) and KMTV meteorologist Jim Flowers helped keep the restaurant afloat during a tough time one of many Donna has faced Tall and thin with porcelain skin and blue eyes Donna shows no interest in slowing down ldquoNot unless Doreen fires merdquo she says half seriously

ldquoOh Donna Irsquoll never do thatrdquo McNeil quickly responds ldquoI wish I could find 10 more of yourdquo

Donna Malone talks to Pink Poodle owner Doreen McNeil

S16 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

omamagcomsave

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Donrsquot miss a single issue of Omaha Magazine

trade

Mayor Jean Stothert

Jim FlowersWeathers the Storm

Omaharsquos Best Doctorsreg

Omaharsquos 2013 BIG GIVE

Leading in a Manrsquos World

SEPTEMBEROCTOBER bull 2013

$2a$10$BV2a7VBdNEaP8TLqH43gOY8GyBeii959fEMuGFh6fTZktxU5toeU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$VQy5sjVaOIi93aOzrmXNOWOEUlVTxtUp4KLHYoUvJHGImzEGnKqU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$BSUej3mkaYgBL6SHdzkruVCLTOdrTeuMC7tENIJRio4k7r1S522U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8lJaZ1bjql9MsIVt9chbEODEK1V4DMh2sWCqgO3EOkcmLDpuOcv2OU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$bokog0hs0YeIDLS08Mtz1OiPJn75Gm7kUVRGxWiMvmNK96K15omCU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$6PwNCHEGBFnlVxWvtvWyOIUae5YKMbG9AKx4P0QQdYkJFnuQBedGU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$0zda1EWkCNLfq3f8IgljO0gl8u8SQWc9tfTcstxEmJlYbx85kAKU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8HQyCRFmAbwq2RC1u3RBOGPwfqXvS4nK4obI8uQeYNWIAST0cM2U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$UvJ6oFqd71pgpO03WVqRuAqoS2JG9CR1BvNEHKqLySgt2C7hVUWU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$FmIjrLTWACeLTrwoJXJu8b8hgthtLuGDBy0sV8EJZjyFkEni0NyU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$CjZNVV1n0igQ5i4xti7ehyyyTwczBJ4Or3CNfvQsAtx1fHkrPXmU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$uPCaJPhRy7F01s3YTceEkeAtZvK9r2seNkqA5w3PCqdyBr0eWmCOVER TEXT DECODED INSIDE

trade

JULYAUGUST bull 2014

war amp PeaceChuck Hagel battles for a future free of the quagmires of the past

OmaharsquostopDentiststrade

Best of Omahatrade Campaign 2015

The Loyal Royal Alex Gordon

Malorie MaddoxOmaha Stories

tradetrade

NOVEMBERDECEMBER bull 2013

The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse

Among Teens

Nebraskarsquos Premier Wealth Advisors

The Making of NebraskaJohn Jackson

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S17

WhenExperience Counts

Experience our State-of-the-Art Facilities

600 Brookestone Meadows PlazaElkhorn NE 68022 | (402) 289-2696wwBrookestoneMeadowscom

QUALITY LIFE | QUALITY CARE | EXCELLENT TEAMS | QUALITY REPUTATION | STEWARDSHIP

4330 South 144th StreetOmaha NE 68137

(402) 614-4000wwBrookestoneVillagecom

Proud Members of the Vetter Health Services Family

PhysicalOccupationalandSpeechTherapy Careaftertotaljointreplacement Strokerecovery Strengtheningaftercancertreatment Careaftersurgery Recoveryfromafallorextendedillness

Visit ourwebsite

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OmahaBVampElkhornBM_Ad - Omaha 60+ Mag_111612_60+ Omaha Magazine Ad - BSV amp BSM 3112014 354 PM Page 1

Trouble Getting Up amp Down the StairsRegain your independence and the rest of your home

Largest showroom in the nationMultiple modelsone sure to fit your needs

Call for special pricing

12739 Q Street4024081990

wwwkohllscom

Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARD

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 16: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

T HE YEAR 1955Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower

occupy the White House gas costs 22 cents per gallon ldquoThe Ballad of Davy Crockettrdquo hits the top of the record charts and Donna Malone greets the very first customers at the Pink Poodle Steakhouse

Time has a relentless way of relegating things to the past but both the waitress known simply as Donna and the Pink Poodle have outraced the last six decades They have persevered through fire flood five owners and an uncertain economy How With affordable prime rib and in Donnarsquos case a strong work ethic

Excitement came to tiny Crescent Iowa in May 1955 when Jake Brummer a local developer who owned three other restaurants in western Iowa bought an establishment at 633 Old Lincoln Highway called the Black Glove and gave it a new name with a quintes-sential rsquo50s flair The Pink Poodle served up a variety of steaks chicken and seafood pro-viding a quality entertainment venue across the Missouri River from north Omaha and a source of income for a teenage farm girl from just up the road in Honey Creek

ldquoThe Brummers were real good friends with my mom and dad and Irsquod known them foreverrdquo Donna recalls ldquoJake asked me if I wanted to work at the restaurant and I said lsquoSurersquo I was 15rdquo

The new restaurant drew crowds imme-diately Donna started out as a cashier and hostess carefully observing how others did their jobs One night Brummer asked her to fill in as a waitress With her characteristic ldquoI can do thatrdquo attitude Donna found she liked waiting on tablesmdashand the benefits that came with it

ldquoBack then if you got a quarter per person per table it was a heck of a tip a dollar from four peoplerdquo says Donna 75 shaking her head at the thought ldquoOne Saturday night I remember making $32 The other girls just couldnrsquot believe it absolutely unreal Of course a lobster dinner back then was $795 Things have changed But I still make real good moneyrdquo

Itrsquos hard to pinpoint when Donna became as sought-after as the Pink Poodlersquos signature prime rib (introduced to the menu in the

early 1960s) The ease with which she talks to customers vanishes when asked to talk about herself A private humble person by nature Donna will only credit ldquogreat food and a wonderful clientelerdquo for the restaurantrsquos continued success Current owner Doreen McNeil who began as a waitress in 1983 and worked with Donna in the party room shows no such reluctance in focusing the spotlight

ldquoA lot of people come in here because of you Donnardquo McNeil tells her friend ldquoPeople who were children when Donna first waited on them now bring their grandchildren to meet herrdquo

Even first-time customers like Marianne and North Witcher of Omaha find them-selves easily drawn into Donnarsquos orbit ldquoShersquos fabulous as a waitress very knowledgeable and courteousrdquo says North ldquoShe got our orders exactly right knew the specials and their prices by heart We were floored when we learned how long shersquod been thererdquo

Donnarsquos journey to a 60th anniversary hit a roadblock in January 1972 when fire ravaged the Pink Poodle ldquoOne of our regulars spent too much time at the bar late one nightrdquo recounts Donna in her slow deliberate deliv-ery ldquoand a lit cigarette got away from him and fell in a booth It started smoldering By 3 in the morning the place was on firerdquo

In the four-year interim it took to secure the cash to rebuild Donna worked at another

Crescent establishment where she ran into Kenny Malone a trucker she had met years earlier They married in 1974 With no chil-dren of her own to raise Donna continued waitressing at night in addition to her day job as a legal secretary

ldquoIrsquove worked for the same lawyer in west Omaha for the past 45 years and one before him for 10rdquo she says matter-of-factly

Donnarsquos knowledge of Omaha came in handy during the Missourirsquos record flooding in 2011 McNeil decided to keep the res-taurant open despite closures from June to November of the Mormon Bridge leading into Crescent and sections of I-29 McNeil says whenever a customer from Omaha called asking for a way to get to the restaurant ldquoIrsquod just give the phone to Donna Shersquos our resident GPSrdquo

A solid regular customer base that includes Chip Davis of Manheim Steamroller (see page S10 for more on Davis) and KMTV meteorologist Jim Flowers helped keep the restaurant afloat during a tough time one of many Donna has faced Tall and thin with porcelain skin and blue eyes Donna shows no interest in slowing down ldquoNot unless Doreen fires merdquo she says half seriously

ldquoOh Donna Irsquoll never do thatrdquo McNeil quickly responds ldquoI wish I could find 10 more of yourdquo

Donna Malone talks to Pink Poodle owner Doreen McNeil

S16 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

60PLUS COVER FEATURE

omamagcomsave

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Donrsquot miss a single issue of Omaha Magazine

trade

Mayor Jean Stothert

Jim FlowersWeathers the Storm

Omaharsquos Best Doctorsreg

Omaharsquos 2013 BIG GIVE

Leading in a Manrsquos World

SEPTEMBEROCTOBER bull 2013

$2a$10$BV2a7VBdNEaP8TLqH43gOY8GyBeii959fEMuGFh6fTZktxU5toeU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$VQy5sjVaOIi93aOzrmXNOWOEUlVTxtUp4KLHYoUvJHGImzEGnKqU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$BSUej3mkaYgBL6SHdzkruVCLTOdrTeuMC7tENIJRio4k7r1S522U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8lJaZ1bjql9MsIVt9chbEODEK1V4DMh2sWCqgO3EOkcmLDpuOcv2OU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$bokog0hs0YeIDLS08Mtz1OiPJn75Gm7kUVRGxWiMvmNK96K15omCU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$6PwNCHEGBFnlVxWvtvWyOIUae5YKMbG9AKx4P0QQdYkJFnuQBedGU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$0zda1EWkCNLfq3f8IgljO0gl8u8SQWc9tfTcstxEmJlYbx85kAKU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8HQyCRFmAbwq2RC1u3RBOGPwfqXvS4nK4obI8uQeYNWIAST0cM2U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$UvJ6oFqd71pgpO03WVqRuAqoS2JG9CR1BvNEHKqLySgt2C7hVUWU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$FmIjrLTWACeLTrwoJXJu8b8hgthtLuGDBy0sV8EJZjyFkEni0NyU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$CjZNVV1n0igQ5i4xti7ehyyyTwczBJ4Or3CNfvQsAtx1fHkrPXmU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$uPCaJPhRy7F01s3YTceEkeAtZvK9r2seNkqA5w3PCqdyBr0eWmCOVER TEXT DECODED INSIDE

trade

JULYAUGUST bull 2014

war amp PeaceChuck Hagel battles for a future free of the quagmires of the past

OmaharsquostopDentiststrade

Best of Omahatrade Campaign 2015

The Loyal Royal Alex Gordon

Malorie MaddoxOmaha Stories

tradetrade

NOVEMBERDECEMBER bull 2013

The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse

Among Teens

Nebraskarsquos Premier Wealth Advisors

The Making of NebraskaJohn Jackson

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S17

WhenExperience Counts

Experience our State-of-the-Art Facilities

600 Brookestone Meadows PlazaElkhorn NE 68022 | (402) 289-2696wwBrookestoneMeadowscom

QUALITY LIFE | QUALITY CARE | EXCELLENT TEAMS | QUALITY REPUTATION | STEWARDSHIP

4330 South 144th StreetOmaha NE 68137

(402) 614-4000wwBrookestoneVillagecom

Proud Members of the Vetter Health Services Family

PhysicalOccupationalandSpeechTherapy Careaftertotaljointreplacement Strokerecovery Strengtheningaftercancertreatment Careaftersurgery Recoveryfromafallorextendedillness

Visit ourwebsite

to find outmore about us

OmahaBVampElkhornBM_Ad - Omaha 60+ Mag_111612_60+ Omaha Magazine Ad - BSV amp BSM 3112014 354 PM Page 1

Trouble Getting Up amp Down the StairsRegain your independence and the rest of your home

Largest showroom in the nationMultiple modelsone sure to fit your needs

Call for special pricing

12739 Q Street4024081990

wwwkohllscom

Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARD

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 17: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

omamagcomsave

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Donrsquot miss a single issue of Omaha Magazine

trade

Mayor Jean Stothert

Jim FlowersWeathers the Storm

Omaharsquos Best Doctorsreg

Omaharsquos 2013 BIG GIVE

Leading in a Manrsquos World

SEPTEMBEROCTOBER bull 2013

$2a$10$BV2a7VBdNEaP8TLqH43gOY8GyBeii959fEMuGFh6fTZktxU5toeU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$VQy5sjVaOIi93aOzrmXNOWOEUlVTxtUp4KLHYoUvJHGImzEGnKqU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$BSUej3mkaYgBL6SHdzkruVCLTOdrTeuMC7tENIJRio4k7r1S522U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8lJaZ1bjql9MsIVt9chbEODEK1V4DMh2sWCqgO3EOkcmLDpuOcv2OU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$bokog0hs0YeIDLS08Mtz1OiPJn75Gm7kUVRGxWiMvmNK96K15omCU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$6PwNCHEGBFnlVxWvtvWyOIUae5YKMbG9AKx4P0QQdYkJFnuQBedGU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$0zda1EWkCNLfq3f8IgljO0gl8u8SQWc9tfTcstxEmJlYbx85kAKU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$8HQyCRFmAbwq2RC1u3RBOGPwfqXvS4nK4obI8uQeYNWIAST0cM2U1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$UvJ6oFqd71pgpO03WVqRuAqoS2JG9CR1BvNEHKqLySgt2C7hVUWU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$FmIjrLTWACeLTrwoJXJu8b8hgthtLuGDBy0sV8EJZjyFkEni0NyU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$CjZNVV1n0igQ5i4xti7ehyyyTwczBJ4Or3CNfvQsAtx1fHkrPXmU1BBQ0UgR09FUyBIRVJFTkVXTElORSBHT0VTIEhFUkU=n$2a$10$uPCaJPhRy7F01s3YTceEkeAtZvK9r2seNkqA5w3PCqdyBr0eWmCOVER TEXT DECODED INSIDE

trade

JULYAUGUST bull 2014

war amp PeaceChuck Hagel battles for a future free of the quagmires of the past

OmaharsquostopDentiststrade

Best of Omahatrade Campaign 2015

The Loyal Royal Alex Gordon

Malorie MaddoxOmaha Stories

tradetrade

NOVEMBERDECEMBER bull 2013

The Road Home

Prescription Drug Abuse

Among Teens

Nebraskarsquos Premier Wealth Advisors

The Making of NebraskaJohn Jackson

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S17

WhenExperience Counts

Experience our State-of-the-Art Facilities

600 Brookestone Meadows PlazaElkhorn NE 68022 | (402) 289-2696wwBrookestoneMeadowscom

QUALITY LIFE | QUALITY CARE | EXCELLENT TEAMS | QUALITY REPUTATION | STEWARDSHIP

4330 South 144th StreetOmaha NE 68137

(402) 614-4000wwBrookestoneVillagecom

Proud Members of the Vetter Health Services Family

PhysicalOccupationalandSpeechTherapy Careaftertotaljointreplacement Strokerecovery Strengtheningaftercancertreatment Careaftersurgery Recoveryfromafallorextendedillness

Visit ourwebsite

to find outmore about us

OmahaBVampElkhornBM_Ad - Omaha 60+ Mag_111612_60+ Omaha Magazine Ad - BSV amp BSM 3112014 354 PM Page 1

Trouble Getting Up amp Down the StairsRegain your independence and the rest of your home

Largest showroom in the nationMultiple modelsone sure to fit your needs

Call for special pricing

12739 Q Street4024081990

wwwkohllscom

Recipient of

PLATINUM AWARD

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 18: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

T ODD WEBER WAS TYPICALLY a fairly active man A senior radiation protection technician for Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) by day he often spent his weekends

racing stock cars with his teenage son or building cart racing accessories in his garage Racing stock cars was a life-long hobby and something Weber loved to share with his son

But about a year ago that all began to change Weberrsquos energy started to dwindle and his interest in cart racing waned with it

ldquoI had no energy or driverdquo recalls Weber ldquoI just wasnrsquot enjoying life anymore I knew something was seriously wrong when my son asked me to work on his car with him and I said nordquo

His wife encouraged him to go to a doctor The first doctor put him on an antidepressant But Weber saw no change in his energy or mood Then Weber saw something on the Internet about low testosterone levels His symptoms matched up He made an appointment with Chad LaGrange MD urologist at Nebraska Medicine who tested his testosterone level

ldquoMy level was so low that he said my wife had more testos-terone than merdquo says Weber

Weber received a hormone pellet injection and within a few weeks his energy had returned he had a renewed interest in life and was able to cut out the afternoon nap that had begun to be a part of his daily routine

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40 and beyondrdquo explains LaGrange ldquoAbout 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength fat distribution bone mass sperm productions sex drive and potency Very low testosterone levels can place men at higher risk for osteoporosis obesity diabetes and heart disease

This decline in hormones can result in symptoms such as low motivation decreased stamina and energy depression hot flashes loss of muscle mass and mood swings

Testosterone replacement therapy can be very effective at reducing these risks and improving symptoms However

IS TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT

right for you

S18 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by susan meyers

60PLUS HEALTH

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 19: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

testosterone therapy is not without its side effects and therefore men should be carefully screened by licensed physicians to determine if they are a candidate for therapy says LaGrange In some cases a drop in tes-tosterone may be related to cancer brain-related diseases diabetes obesity and other hormonal abnormalities

ldquoIf not diagnosed and treated properly testosterone injections may cause blood clots stroke heart attack and liver toxicityrdquo says LaGrange ldquoWhile there has been some debate over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy most physicians agree that it is safe when provided for the appropriate reasons and monitored carefullyrdquo

Additionally men with treated or untreated prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy unless they have spoken with their urologist about the risks and benefits

Dr LaGrange also cautions men to beware of over-the-counter testosterone boosters which are not regulated and could cause harmful side effects

ldquoI feel like a new manrdquo says Weber ldquoItrsquos so good to feel better againrdquo

ldquoTestosterone production begins to decline in men each year as they reach age 40

and beyond About 15 percent of men will experience a drop in levels that is clinically

significant particularly those who are obese andor have other chronic illnessesrdquo

-Chad LaGrange MD urologist Nebraska Medicine

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S19

wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom 402-905-2794

Helping Seniors with Topaz EZ

Nebraska Low Vision has the industryrsquos simplest lowest cost desktop video magnifier the Topaz EZ which comes with free delivery free training and lifetime support Magnification from 35X to 60X

a dial retirement community

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 20: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

S20 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by judy horan

60PLUS HISTORY

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 21: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

YOU KNOW YOUrsquoVE LIVED IN OMAHA A

LONG TIME if you remember these moments

Johnny Carson hosting a show on WOW-TV in 1950 called The Squirrelrsquos Nest The Omaha show was the television debut for the Nebraska native who went on to national stardom as a late-night TV host Remember when Carson took a microphone onto the ledge of the county courthouse to interview the pigeons He wanted to give their side of the controversy surrounding pigeonrsquos loiter-ing on the ledges

You followed your nose to South Omaha The neighborhood was mal-odorous because of nearby stockyards Some neighbors referred to it as ldquothe smell of moneyrdquo Nicknamed ldquoThe Magic Cityrdquo in the 1890s South Omaha is an histori-cal and culturally diverse area with eclectic neighbor-hoods like Little Italy and Little Bohemia Each year Cinco De Mayo adds fun and music to the streets

The Omar Baking Company near 43rd and Nicholas streets filled the neighborhood with sniff-worthy aroma by delivering bread door to door You may remember the jingle ldquoIrsquom the Omar man (tap tap tap) Knocking at your door (rappa tap tap) When you taste my bread (mmmm boy) yoursquore gonna want more (rappa tap tap)rdquo The building is now used for offices and events

Perhaps your brush with fame was graduating from Westside High School in 1959 with actor Nick Nolte eventually named People Magazinersquos 1992 Sexiest Man Alive Or living nearby when Jane and Peter Fonda resided with their aunt on Izard Street You may have gone to UNO with Peter or cruised Dodge Street with Jane

You might have tasted the worldrsquos first TV dinner (98 cents each) in the 1950s introduced by Omaha broth-ers Gilbert and W Clarke Swanson The package was designed to look like a TV set at a time when only 20 percent of American homes had a television The TV dinnerrsquos aluminum tray ended up in the Smithsonian Institute in 1986 as an American cultural milestoneThe Swanson name lives on in Omaha on W Clarke Swanson Public Library Swanson Elementary School Creightonrsquos W Clarke Swanson Hall and Durham Museumrsquos Swanson Gallery

The Orpheum a movie theater built in 1927 as a burlesque theater closed in 1971 Maybe you were there in January 17 1975 for the renovated theaterrsquos grand reopening We know you werenrsquot there in 1971 for the last movie shown the theater was empty

The Indian Hills movie theater built in 1961 near 84th and Dodge streets was called ldquothe hat boxrdquo because of its shape Perhaps you were among the people who tried to save the wide-screen Super-Cinerama the-ater building before it was torn down in 2001

The Cooper theater near 15th and Douglas streets a former ldquobastion of bumprdquo (burlesque) when its name was The Moon was a place to see movies until it was demolished in 1975

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

8

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S21

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 22: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

T HE INTERWEBS TELL ME that the aca-demic term Irsquove been searching for is something called ldquostructured block

playrdquo You know LEGOS building blocks and the like

My 5-year-old grandson Easton is particu-larly enthralled with structured block play Such toys in the hands of growing minds have many benefits in childhood development Besides the obvious of honing fine motor skillsmdashthat ability to dope out how this piece fits into that onemdashthere are higher cognitive functions at work here

Children must be able to envision a fin-ished product one that begins with nothing more than a mental blueprint of their own making They are confronted with a hodge-podge of disparate parts and must somehow envision a cohesive whole Along the way they learn about spatial relationships geometry math and problem-solving

But thatrsquos not Eastonrsquos gameHe almost never sets out to build anything

Sure hersquoll occasionally erect a towering sky-scraper of sorts but his structured block play is almost always a lot lesshellipwell structured

He can occupy himself for what seems forever assembling intricate two-dimensional patterns on the floor ones that seemingly serve no purpose other than to fuel his imagi-nation Some look like abstract art Others evoke images reminiscent of those spindly models of molecules seen in science labs The only common denominator appears to be the establishment and repetition of pattern for patternrsquos sake

Further distancing himself from the intended purpose of his toys he eschews the ldquoconnectednessrdquo functionality of the blocks Instead of joining the pieces together he lays them end-to-end

Easton is usually at a loss for words in describing his convoluted creations and I learned long ago to consider his installation art as something dwelling in the realm of the arcane even the trippy

Irsquod give anything to get inside Eastonrsquos head to survey the workings of his brain as he puzzles through these puzzling arrays Just what the heck is going on in that noodle of his as he conceives such fantastical explosions of variegated color

I intended to begin this column reflect-ing on childhood memories of playing for hours on end with a set of Lincoln Logs The problem is that such a statement would be a lie It was impossible to tinker with toys like Lincoln Logs for any period of time without quickly losing interest Maybe thatrsquos because they represented an entirely different form of play one decidedly lacking in possibilities compared to the limitless selection of block toys available today

No young children now have a more unfet-tered mode of play Millennials are the first generation to have had the benefit of such free-association upbringings and theyrsquore the people who are defining a brave new world where imagination is the most prized of skills

Baby Boomers like me had the endgamemdashthe desired finished productmdashhanded to them for all to see right there in the picture of a fort on that box of Lincoln Logs

Easton is learning to think outside the box

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LINCOLN LOGS

thinking outside the box

S22 60PLUS | septemberoctober 2015 | omahamagazinecom

by david williams

60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 23: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

septemberoctober 2015 | 60PLUS S23

DIRECTORY

Elk Ridge Village on the Lake Retirement CommunityElk Ridge Village provides Independent and Assisted Living and Alzheimerrsquos Care and is committed to providing services of the highest quality

19303 Seward Plaza402-312-1198402-216-8835wwwelkridgeseniorlivingcom

Brookestone MeadowsBrookestone VillageSkilled nursing communities provid-ing short-term rehabilitation including physical occupational and speech ther-apy as well as long-term nursing care

wwwBrookestoneVillagecom402-614-4000 bull OmahawwwBrookestoneMeadowscom402-280-2696 bull Elkhorn

Home Care Assistance

Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers the respon-siveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care We embrace a positive balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults

402-763-9140homecareassistanceomahacom

EJ Militti JrFinancial AdvisorThe Militti Group at Morgan Stanley

Wealth and Estate Planning Risk-Management Executive Services Foundations amp Endowments

(402) 399-1513wwwmorganstanleyfacommilittigroup

Saint Jude Hospice

Rooted in Christian Love and Guided by the Holy Spirit our Radical Loving Care brings healing to those when their hope has changed from a cure to comfort

10506 Burt Circle402-609-4818saintjudehospiceorg

Steven D Wegner DDS

Dr Wegner has 35 years of clinical experi-ence and thousands of hours of continuing education He knows how to help seniors and all ages to achieve and keep a healthy smile

11840 Nicholas StSuite 210Omaha NE 68154402-498-0400

Travel and Transport

Travel and Transport is proud to be the 5th largest travel agency in the US servicing clients throughout the country as well as globally

travelandtransportcom 402-399-4500

Nebraska Cancer SpecialistsNebraska Cancer Specialists is dedicated to providing complete cancer treatment for patients medical oncology radiation oncology surgical specialists and diagnostic services

5 Convenient LocationsFor address and phone infovisit our websitenebraskacancercom

Kohllrsquos Pharmacy amp Homecare

8 locations amp free delivery Providing retail amp compounded prescriptions all medical equipment amp supplies

402-408-1990 wwwkohllscom

Home Instead Senior Care

If yoursquore looking for someone to help you or a loved one a few hours a week or need more comprehensive assistance Home Instead Senior Care can help

Metro 4024983444West 4029324555

Nebraska Low Vision

Regain the Joy ofreading and writing today

In Home Demo Call 402-905-2794wwwNebraskaLowVisioncom

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors

Page 24: September/October 2015 60 Plus in Omaha

2015 March of Dimes and Omaha Magazine Nurse of the Year Awards

Every day people throughout Nebraska and Southwest Iowa experience the extraordinary care and compassion of our outstanding nurses

Help celebrate nursing excellence and the achievements in research education quality patient care innovation and leadership of these

outstanding medical professionals We are proud to partner with Omaha Magazine to bring you the 2015 Nurse of the Year Awards

530 PM Thursday November 12 2015Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St Omaha NE 68102

For more information or to purchase tickets go towwwmarchofdimesorgnebraska

or call 402-496-7111

Thank you to ourEvent Sponsors