Her nest is far from empty

By JEAN HAYES, Times Staff Writer
Published November 18, 2007

How long have you lived in Hernando County, and where do you live? Where did you live previously?

We moved to Hernando County in January 1983. Our home is on a small acre just west of Central High School, west of Brooksville. Before moving to Florida, we lived in Carpentersville, Ill., where we raised our family.

Who are the members of your family?

My husband, Mel, and I have been married for 56 years and are empty-nesters now. We have five children: Steve lives in South Carolina; Renee lives in Hudson; Bonnie lives in Elgin, Ill; Mel Jr. lives in Zephyrhills, and our son Guy passed away in 1988 and lays to rest in Spring Hill Memorial Gardens. We have 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Tell us about your career.

My first and most important job was being a mom to five children. In Illinois, I was active in Little League, Cub Scouts den mother and secretary, Boys Scouts, PTA (secretary), schoolroom mother, Brownies, Girl Scouts, baton twirling, football and band boosters.

When Mel left for Korea, I started working in the office at Western Electric. Later, I spent several years as a waitress at a renowned resort with a full-service French restaurant. Before moving to Florida, I went into banking. After the move, I became a Realtor in Hernando County and was a member of the band boosters at Springstead High School. Before retiring, I worked at Kmart.

What kinds of activities are you involved in now?

I am currently serving my second term as president of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Korean War Veterans Association, Nature Coast Chapter 174, and serve as the publicity chairwoman for both the post and auxiliary. I also belong to the VFW Post 10209 Ladies Auxiliary and serve as the publicity chairwoman for both the post and auxiliary there, too.

Helping veterans is important to me. Through these two organizations, we gather funds to help those in need. I spend four days each year distributing the rose of Sharon flower for donations, all of which are used to fund our works of charity. Some of the funds help Chocachatti Elementary School put on its annual patriotic play. We donate to Christian Contractors, Hernando-Pasco Hospice, Lea's Prayer and Postage, Humane Society of the Nature Coast and the Salvation Army. We purchase turkeys for the needy at Thanksgiving, help the Wounded Warrior program and purchase gift certificates and medals for Central High School's ROTC program.

Tell me more about your publicity work.

Publicity is pretty easy. I take pictures at our events and outings and collect all the pertinent information and report it to the newspaper. Our KWVA post and auxiliary are staunch supporters of Chocachatti Elementary School's patriotic play. The school instills a great degree of patriotism in the students.

I am also very happy each time we visit the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans' Nursing Home in Land O'Lakes to entertain our veterans with fun horse races. We bring refreshments (bananas and sugar-free cookies) for them, too. And I'm not sure who has more fun, them or us. It is a very rewarding experience.

Do you have any special hobbies?

I am happiest when I'm watching the birds. My yard is covered with birdhouses, bird feeders and birdbaths. I view them from our gazebo. My bluebirds nest three times a season if I clean their nests as soon as their broods depart. Early each morning before the other birds come to feed, the cardinals visit with me. I'm aware of the changing seasons by following their schedules.

What are your favorite things to do in Hernando County?

I love swimming in our pool and going to Bayport and Pine Island to wade in the gulf, enjoying the gentle breezes and awesome sunsets. My husband and I enjoy attending Mass at Our Lady of Fatima Traditional Catholic Church, where they still say Mass in Latin.

What do you think would make Hernando County a better place to live?

I am content with the amenities our county has to offer, except we need a good bookstore. Books are the greatest tools of learning. Computers have a place, but if the electric goes off, you have nothing. Books open doors to information, enjoyment and knowledge. Having to drive out of Hernando County to purchase them is just one drawback.

Tell us something about yourself that most people don't know.

I am terribly eccentric. I don't own a computer, cell phone or bank card. I have a clothes dryer but hang all of my clothes on the clothesline in our back yard all year long. We eat out very seldom. We do have a microwave, but only to prepare for the day when I'll be too frail to cook.

I grew up without electricity or running water. We had to carry our water from our neighbors' place and we used an outhouse. But I had exceptional parents who taught us important outlooks to live by.

Hernando Neighbors is an occasional feature of the Hernando Times. Do you know someone who would make a good profile? We'd like to hear from you. Contact Jean Hayes, community news coordinator, at jhayes@sptimes.com or 848-1438.

[Last modified November 17, 2007, 19:54:39]