Zelma is 88 years of age, and has lived in Missouri all her life. She has two married daughters, five grandchildren (three girls and two boys), and five great-grandchildren (two boys and three girls). She says, "I'm happy to have my family near, and I really enjoy them - although I can see the wisdom in young people having the babies." Zelma was married 50-1/2 years, and has been a widow almost 12 years.

A retired elementary teacher, Zelma taught in country schools. She now goes to the local elementary school two days each week and assists the teacher. Last year she worked with the kindergarten teacher, and this year helped in the first grade. She also belongs to several clubs and is involved in church work. "Just the usual things you do when you have to make a life of your own." She belongs to two literary clubs, and a couple of women's clubs that were originally Extension clubs. She is currently president of the county organization for Homemaker's Clubs of her county. She is also active in politics -- she is a Democrat. She was a county coordinator for Gov. Carnahan when he was campaigning for office.

Zelma has done, in her words, "quite a bit of traveling." She has been to Texas, to the East, and to Alaska -- among other places. She is a Sunday School teacher, and is active in women's work at the Baptist Church in her town. "I feel that I'm helping a little bit, and it keeps me occupied." She started volunteering in school when her great-grandson was a kindergartner. The class was quite large and there was no help. However, she has continued to help at the school for the past six years. She adds, "I suppose if I'm well and she needs me, I'll probably help again next year. I feel that I'm helping a little bit, and it keeps me occupied." When complimented for the help she gives, Zelma replied, "Well, we need more people to help out. If they did that, they wouldn't have so much time to be sick." Zelma started her volunteering at the school simply because of the need. The teacher had never before had a helper, and they just got along well.

When asked what makes her 'feel bad' about what she does, Zelma responded, "Nothing -- except, of course, that there is never enough time to do all the things I want to do." She also does some chair caning on the side. "I don't work fast, but if people are willing to let me take my own time, I can get it done." She also loves to quilt. An avid reader, Zelma also enjoys reading the Bible, and is currently on her eighth time of reading it from beginning to end. She has had both eyes operated on for cataracts, and can now see fine.

Zelma is a cancer survivor. She had a mastectomy two years ago. Her cancer was found in a routine mammogram, and she highly recommends them to all women.

When asked what means the most to her, Zelma responded emphatically, "Oh, my family! I'm very close to my family." The oldest of five children, her four younger siblings were brothers. She helped raise them, and when she married she assumed she would have boys of her own. She didn't; she had girls. But she is very happy with her daughters and is still quite close to her three surviving brothers. "My church and my family mean the most to me." Other important things to Zelma include her "good neighbors and friends." Because many of her neighbors are also retired teachers, they have a lot in common. She has lots of close friends.

What advice would she give to others for successfully aging? " Just keep busy. Do something that you like to do and don't be thinking about your health problems. Keep busy." She has often told others who have lost their spouses this. "You just have to keep busy, and don't let it get you down. These things just happen, and there is nothing else you can do, except just take it with a good will and do the best you can. And don't be fretting about how old you are. I think that's a stupid thing to worry about. I'm 88 years old, and I have good health. I just keep well and keep busy, and I do all right." When asked why she thought others might refer to her as one who has successfully aged, Zelma replied, "I don't know. They think I have a secret that they'd like to have, I guess. But I just keep busy and try to look on the bright side of things. You can't always be being 'mullygrubby' -- just try to keep a bright outlook. That's it."

Asked if she did anything in middle age to prepare herself in any way for old age, she chuckled as she replied, "Well, nooo. I can't say that I prepared. You just do what you have to do. It just comes up to you and what you do with it depends on you. I will say I should probably learn to say 'no' a little bit more, but maybe someday I'll do that. You take care of your finances, and you have to try to plan for unexpected things. For instance, my garbage disposer gave out last week. I hadn't planned on that, but you just have to take care of those things. I've put siding and a new roof on my house, and a new furnace, and I hadn't planned on having to do that either, these things just come along and you just do what you have to do."

How would Zelma cope with a major problem? "I imagine I'd probably talk with a minister and see what light he could shed on the subject. I don't know. I'd just see what I could do, I guess. I don't anticipate any special problems, but one never knows. I suppose if I were to break a leg or something and had to go to a nursing home, that would certainly be a major change. But again, I think you'd just do what you had to do. You know that when you can't take care of yourself, you probably will have to go to a nursing home, even though nobody wants to think about having to go. I love my daughters dearly, but I don't want to live with either one of them. I don't want to interrupt their life styles. When I can't take care of myself, I'll probably have to go into some other kind of life style. I'm hoping I'll be one of the fortunate ones and not have to do that, but who knows?"

Zelma is a member of the Retired Teachers' Association, the American Legion Auxiliary, The D.A.R., and Eastern Star. She is still active in all but the Legion Auxiliary, even though she still belongs and contributes to it. When she taught school, Zelma's daughters attended whatever school she taught. That was part of the arrangement. It was, in her opinion, kind of hard to teach her own children, but felt it was the best choice for them. She does not agree with the home schooling concept of today, though. She feels the children need social interactions with others, and also the increased activities available to those in public schools. Over the years, most of her friends have been work- and church-related, but, "I think that is because those were the people with whom I had the most mutual interests."Zelma is 88 years of age, and has lived in Missouri all her life. She has two married daughters, five grandchildren (three girls and two boys), and five great-grandchildren (two boys and three girls). She says, "I'm happy to have my family near, and I really enjoy them - although I can see the wisdom in young people having the babies." Zelma was married 50-1/2 years, and has been a widow almost 12 years.

A retired elementary teacher, Zelma taught in country schools. She now goes to the local elementary school two days each week and assists the teacher. Last year she worked with the kindergarten teacher, and this year helped in the first grade. She also belongs to several clubs and is involved in church work. "Just the usual things you do when you have to make a life of your own." She belongs to two literary clubs, and a couple of women's clubs that were originally Extension clubs. She is currently president of the county organization for Homemaker's Clubs of her county. She is also active in politics -- she is a Democrat. She was a county coordinator for Gov. Carnahan when he was campaigning for office.

Zelma has done, in her words, "quite a bit of traveling." She has been to Texas, to the East, and to Alaska -- among other places. She is a Sunday School teacher, and is active in women's work at the Baptist Church in her town. "I feel that I'm helping a little bit, and it keeps me occupied." She started volunteering in school when her great-grandson was a kindergartner. The class was quite large and there was no help. However, she has continued to help at the school for the past six years. She adds, "I suppose if I'm well and she needs me, I'll probably help again next year. I feel that I'm helping a little bit, and it keeps me occupied." When complimented for the help she gives, Zelma replied, "Well, we need more people to help out. If they did that, they wouldn't have so much time to be sick." Zelma started her volunteering at the school simply because of the need. The teacher had never before had a helper, and they just got along well.

When asked what makes her 'feel bad' about what she does, Zelma responded, "Nothing -- except, of course, that there is never enough time to do all the things I want to do." She also does some chair caning on the side. "I don't work fast, but if people are willing to let me take my own time, I can get it done." She also loves to quilt. An avid reader, Zelma also enjoys reading the Bible, and is currently on her eighth time of reading it from beginning to end. She has had both eyes operated on for cataracts, and can now see fine.

Zelma is a cancer survivor. She had a mastectomy two years ago. Her cancer was found in a routine mammogram, and she highly recommends them to all women.

When asked what means the most to her, Zelma responded emphatically, "Oh, my family! I'm very close to my family." The oldest of five children, her four younger siblings were brothers. She helped raise them, and when she married she assumed she would have boys of her own. She didn't; she had girls. But she is very happy with her daughters and is still quite close to her three surviving brothers. "My church and my family mean the most to me." Other important things to Zelma include her "good neighbors and friends." Because many of her neighbors are also retired teachers, they have a lot in common. She has lots of close friends.

What advice would she give to others for successfully aging? " Just keep busy. Do something that you like to do and don't be thinking about your health problems. Keep busy." She has often told others who have lost their spouses this. "You just have to keep busy, and don't let it get you down. These things just happen, and there is nothing else you can do, except just take it with a good will and do the best you can. And don't be fretting about how old you are. I think that's a stupid thing to worry about. I'm 88 years old, and I have good health. I just keep well and keep busy, and I do all right." When asked why she thought others might refer to her as one who has successfully aged, Zelma replied, "I don't know. They think I have a secret that they'd like to have, I guess. But I just keep busy and try to look on the bright side of things. You can't always be being 'mullygrubby' -- just try to keep a bright outlook. That's it."

Asked if she did anything in middle age to prepare herself in any way for old age, she chuckled as she replied, "Well, nooo. I can't say that I prepared. You just do what you have to do. It just comes up to you and what you do with it depends on you. I will say I should probably learn to say 'no' a little bit more, but maybe someday I'll do that. You take care of your finances, and you have to try to plan for unexpected things. For instance, my garbage disposer gave out last week. I hadn't planned on that, but you just have to take care of those things. I've put siding and a new roof on my house, and a new furnace, and I hadn't planned on having to do that either, these things just come along and you just do what you have to do."

How would Zelma cope with a major problem? "I imagine I'd probably talk with a minister and see what light he could shed on the subject. I don't know. I'd just see what I could do, I guess. I don't anticipate any special problems, but one never knows. I suppose if I were to break a leg or something and had to go to a nursing home, that would certainly be a major change. But again, I think you'd just do what you had to do. You know that when you can't take care of yourself, you probably will have to go to a nursing home, even though nobody wants to think about having to go. I love my daughters dearly, but I don't want to live with either one of them. I don't want to interrupt their life styles. When I can't take care of myself, I'll probably have to go into some other kind of life style. I'm hoping I'll be one of the fortunate ones and not have to do that, but who knows?"

Zelma is a member of the Retired Teachers' Association, the American Legion Auxiliary, The D.A.R., and Eastern Star. She is still active in all but the Legion Auxiliary, even though she still belongs and contributes to it. When she taught school, Zelma's daughters attended whatever school she taught. That was part of the arrangement. It was, in her opinion, kind of hard to teach her own children, but felt it was the best choice for them. She does not agree with the home schooling concept of today, though. She feels the children need social interactions with others, and also the increased activities available to those in public schools. Over the years, most of her friends have been work- and church-related, but, "I think that is because those were the people with whom I had the most mutual interests."