OLLILife

A community of learners over 50

September 2024 | Vol 4, No.11

An Exciting Time at USF!

I hope you're as excited as I am for the start of our fall term of classes!

As the summer winds down, I've had the pleasure of attending several events and member activities that have kept our OLLI community vibrant and engaged. It's an exciting time at USF and in our broader community, with plenty happening that I'm thrilled to share with you.

Mark your calendars for Friday, Oct. 18, when the university will host its annual homecoming parade. I would love for OLLI to be a part of this spirited tradition. If you're interested in helping us represent, please reach out to me; your enthusiasm and support would be greatly appreciated.

A very special welcome to our new and returning faculty, members, and donors; your involvement is the heartbeat of our organization. I can’t wait to see you all at the Open House in a couple of weeks! 

On a personal note, I want to extend my deepest thanks to all of you who have offered kind words, hugs, and well wishes as I adjust to life with my oldest son away at college. Your warmth has meant the world to me.

Let's work together to make this term one for the record books!

Pictured above are OLLI Director Veronica Maxwell (left) with Technology Coordinator Jeanne Dyer

Circle Gatherings:

Sept. 6 - Circle Nine

Sept. 12 - Open Circles

Sept. 27 - Circle Four

Oct. 4 - Circle Seven

Oct. 24 - Circle Three

Oct. 25 - Circle Six

Oct. 31 - Circle One

Nov. 1 - Circle Two

Nov. 2 - Circle Five

See article below for details

Sept. 9 - RSVP deadline to register for OLLI Fall Open House

Sept. 12 - OLLI Fall Open House

Sept. 25 - Newcomer gathering on Zoom

Sept. 27 - Volunteer Information Session

Oct. 18 - USF Annual Homecoming Parade

Please note: there are several changes and corrections to the printed Fall 2024 Preview. View the online catalog for updated information.

The Fall Open House Is Almost Here!

A new Open House is coming up, and you and your friends are heartily invited to attend.

Mark your calendar for the OLLI Fall Open House on Thursday, Sept. 12, at TPepin's Hospitality Centre, 4121 N. 50th St. in Tampa. The program will run 10-11:30 a.m. 

Questions - And Some Answers - About AI

It can be difficult to see clearly through all the hype and noise

surrounding artificial intelligence. How close to human-level AI are we actually? What does human-level AI mean for creativity, law, education, and other values we hold dear? AI expert Dr. John Licato will provide an accessible overview of the current answers to these questions.

John Licato, Ph.D., is an associate professor of computer science and engineering at USF and an expert in AI. He is the founder and director of the Advancing Machine and Human Reasoning Lab, and the owner/founder of Actualization.AI, a new technology startup company.

The RSVP deadline is Sept. 9. For information and to register, visit

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/8hjrz7h or call 813-974-5848.

Two Enjoyable OLLI Day Trips Offered

Day trips are led by the indomitable, inimitable Don Clark. Local tours are free unless otherwise noted but require advance registration. They are open to OLLI-USF members and their guests. Pre-registration is required via our website, or by calling our registrar at 813-974-5848. You will receive an email confirmation and a reminder of the trip along with arrangements and contact information.

Registration for day trips and fall classes are now open.

Fall 2024 day trips:

Raymond James Stadium Tour

Wed., Sept. 18

10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Tour the home of Super Bowl champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We will access public and private areas, including some the public rarely gets to see. Wear walking shoes.

Enter off Himes Avenue at the guard station and ask for directions for free parking. The group will meet at the sign "Tour Starts Here" at 9:45 a.m. The tour will last about an hour to an hour and a half. The cost of the tour is $15 - cash only.

University of Tampa & Henry Plant Museum Tour

Tues., Dec. 10

10-11 a.m.

Experience the opulence of turn-of-the-century America and the vision of American transportation pioneer Henry B. Plant. Visit the former Tampa Bay Hotel (a National Historic Landmark), now home to the University of Tampa and the Henry B Plant Museum. Only $12 payable at the door.

Good Advice For Retirement Planning

This comprehensive seminar helps you see the big picture, examining the many aspects of personal finance and how they can work together to create an integrated retirement plan. Entertaining and informative, filled with real-life examples, this workshop will provide you the tools to take the next step towards a secure retirement. A detailed textbook is provided. No specific financial products are discussed or sold. 

Palm Harbor Parks & Recreation - 1500 16th St., in Palm Harbor

Tues., Sept. 17 and 24, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 21 and 28, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Price Discount: $59 (second household member may join for free) 

Comments from former students include:

• "Course was well paced and never boring." 
• "Helped bring out ideas we did not think about."
• "Informative with the right amount of humor and anecdotal experience."
• "I should have taken this course ten years ago!"

Register online by clicking here or call Charise at 813-974-5848.

Two very popular activities of the Food Glorious Food SIG are its two cooking clubs. Read on to learn more about them.

The ABC Cooking Club

The idea for the ABC cooking club grew out of a conversation I had many, many years ago with a friend. But everyone was working, busy with families, and no one had time. It wasn't until I retired and joined OLLI and the Food Glorious Food SIG that it became possible.

Lots of Foodies in FGF, right? But foodies who still like to cook are another matter! I brought up the subject of a cooking club a couple of times, with some lukewarm interest from a few folks. Then Covid hit, and everything came to a halt.

As we began to resume our lives, I brought the subject up again at a Lunch Bunch meeting at Armature Works: Starting with the letter "A," let's each cook something that begins with that letter and each month work our way progressively through the alphabet. Two members thought it might be interesting and that we should talk about it some more.

Longing to start, I took a chance on the "if you build it, they will come" theory and set up our first meeting, "A," in my home, with four members bringing asparagus soup, almandine trout, French apple tart, Asian eggplant, baked artichoke hearts, and affogato). It was quite a feast!

ABC members research recipes for the appropriate letter of the month. Some letters are especially challenging. When we don’t have something in our repertoire, we’ve found these websites helpful: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/recipes-a-z/f/p/2 and https://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/a-z, often trying something new or making something for the first time. It’s fun following the alphabet, as we all enjoy planning and anticipating upcoming letters.

Our meetings are an opportunity for us foodies to talk about food - what was made, how it was made, where ingredients came from, new foods and new places to shop, challenges and successes, and much more. In September, ABC will be cooking “P." I can hardly believe we have gotten this far!

Thanks to word of mouth and articles in the FGF newsletter, ABC membership has grown. We meet in members' homes, rotating among ourselves, and we have found that we are limited by the number of people any home can comfortably host. So when ABC membership grew to 10, we started a waiting list. After a few months, this list became the second cooking club, Cooks on the Loose. This month, a combined meeting with both ABC Cooking Club and Cooks on the Loose is being planned. 

If you are a FGF foodie who still likes to cook and are interested in joining a cooking club, let Dale know at begoniababe@yahoo.com.

Cooks On The Loose

Cooks On The Loose is made up of people who love food but also like to cook and present their food to others.

We meet at one member’s house each month. The first luncheon was held the second week of March of this year with 10 of us first timers. We now have 11 people, with a total tapped at 12.

Dale Sena from the ABC group led this first luncheon to help get us started. We met each other and presented our dishes around the kitchen table of our host Denise Tiller. Recipes were available for the dishes. After savoring our food, Dale helped us choose a permanent date and time (the second Wednesday of the month), and Waynette Brown was selected as our leader. From there we were able to agree on concrete ways to approach our future luncheons.

Here are the different monthly themes to-date we have utilized:

• Any cold dish
• Favorite childhood food. (No one brought a vegetable dish.)
• Asian specialties. (Specialty cookbooks helped develop our favorites.)
• Colorful, refreshing and delicious salads. (No two were alike.)

For September, Dale suggested the ABC and Cooks On The Loose groups meet together. After much discussion about a theme, it was decided that each person would make whatever they wanted, but a category would be assigned: appetizer, main dish, salad, or dessert. This means that there will be five dishes in each category. After all, who would want to see 20 desserts? Me probably!

Now, we are looking forward to meeting the other group and asking what they have been making!



…Dale Sena - ABC Cooking Club

…Waynette Brown - Cooks On the Loose

Heading South

One day after Tropical Storm Debby finally left Tampa, 14 members of the Food, Glorious Food! SIG met at District South Kitchen & Craft restaurant on Aug. 6 for some good food and interesting conversation.

The outing also brought welcome relief from two days of sheltering from the storm.

Recharging Their Batteries at Ford’s Garage

Nineteen OLLI members and guests from the Conviviality and Celebrations group enjoyed delicious food and friendly, attentive service at their monthly luncheon meeting at Ford’s Garage on Sheldon Road in Tampa on Aug. 23.  

Birthday celebrants were treated to the traditional sundae presented with horns, noise, and a birthday song by staff members.

Conviviality and Celebrations meets once a month to celebrate and recognize birthdays and other special occasions. Time, date and location for the September meeting will be announced soon.

All are welcome to join in the fun. Email Kat Hanscom for details and further information.  

-- Photo by Natasha

California Here We Come!

June 16-23, 2025

Is California one of your dream vacations? Come tour with Collette's Discover California Dreamin,' a tour of some of California’s dream vacation spots with an optional three-day San Francisco post-tour extension. 

We have reserved 12 seats priced at $3,999 (a $50 discount), which includes round-trip air from Tampa International Airport. The price is guaranteed with early booking and deposit by Dec. 12. But hurry – there are only seven seats left.

Your gorgeous tour starts in Monterey. Travel the scenic 17-mile highway to Carmel. Continue onto Modesto and Yosemite National Park with breathtaking vistas, then to Sacramento. Travel over the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Lake Tahoe where you'll board a yacht-style vessel for a narrated cruise of Lake Tahoe.

From there, you will visit Napa Valley, including a vineyard tour and wine tasting. Your tour will end in San Francisco. 

Read more about this trip on OLLI's website. 

Look for Mark, our Collette representative, at the OLLI Open House on Sept. 12 to answer your questions about this trip.

Helping Stock The Shelves For Summer

The Feed-a-Bull food pantry will remain open during the summer months to provide supplemental assistance to USF students experiencing food insecurity. 

The Circles are Popping Up All Over

Newcomers: Join the Newcomer Gathering on Zoom at 2 p.m. on Sept, 25. Come learn all about OLLI and meet other newcomers. Bring your questions. Notice and Zoom details will be sent in advance to members who joined since mid-May.

Circles:  Circles are popping up all over OLLI territory. Be sure to watch for personal Evite invitations to your circle gathering this fall.  

Open Circle: If you live in the far corners of OLLI (Sun City, Tarpon Springs, Lakeland, St. Petersburg) consider attending the OLLI OPEN Circle lunch at the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City on Thursday, Sept. 12 at noon.

The luncheon will be right after the Open House and only 2.5 miles away. You must RSVP for this event by Sept. 6 as our space is limited.

Circles need POINT persons to handle event logistics. Let me know if you can assist.

See you at the Open House.

Pictured are OLLI members at the Circle Six Gathering at the Stonewater Grill in Land O' Lakes on Aug. 23.

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SAVE THE DATE!

Circle Gatherings September, October and November

September

Fri., Sept. 6

Circle Nine: Goody Goody, 1601 Swann Ave., Hyde Park, at noon

RSVP by Sept. 3, Pam Tyler, 575-779-1382

Thurs., Sept. 12

OPEN Circle: The Columbia, 2117 E. 7th Ave., Ybor City, at noon

RSVP by Sept. 6, Pam Tyler, 575-779-1382

Fri., Sept. 27

Circle Four: Liang Bistro, 17515 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, at noon

RSVP by Sept. 6, Pam Tyler, 575-779-1382

October

Fri., Oct. 4

Circle Seven: Shrimp Boat, 1020 Bloomingdale Ave., Brandon, at noon

RSVP by Sept. 20, Evite

Thurs., Oct. 24

Circle Three: Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, 2902 W. Bearss Ave., at 11 a.m. RSVP by Oct. 20, email Penny Noriega

Fri., Oct. 25

Circle Six: The Living Room, 2001 Piazza Ave., Wiregrass Mall, at noon RSVP by Oct. 18, Evite

Thur., Oct. 31

Circle One: Black Rock Grill, 11702 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, at noon

RSVP by Oct. 18, Evite

November

Fri., Nov. 1

Circle Two: Yummy House, 302 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, at noon

RSVP by Oct. 28, Evite

Sat., Nov. 2

Circle Five: Chicken Salad Chick, 2790 E. Fowler Ave, at noon

RSVP by Oct. 28, Evite

-- Pam Tyler, Membership Committee Chair

Volunteering With OLLI Lets You Follow Your Passion!

Attend a free, no-obligation volunteer information session to learn more about how your knowledge, skills or experience can help OLLI!

The next session will be held Fri., Sept. 27, at 1 p.m. Click here to register.

Have a question? Ask Us Anything about volunteering by emailing the Ask Team.

-- Diane Russell

The Volunteer Recognition Awards honor volunteers who have made significant contributions to the mission and values of OLLI-USF. In April, the awards were presented to four individuals and one team. Over the past few months, OLLILife has been introducing those winners to our readers. Here is the last, but certainly not least, profile of a 2024 award winner.

Meet the OLLI Outdoors SIG Leadership Team

2024 Exemplary Teamwork Award Winner

Hiking, Biking, Kayaking, And So Much More!

The OLLI Outdoors Shared Interest Group isn’t just for hikers anymore. It’s also for bike riders, kayakers, dog lovers, and anyone interested in exploring the nature of nature.

From August through May, there can be four to six activities going on every month, both in person and on line, keeping its 250 members mighty busy.

All this activity takes a lot of time and energy to coordinate and keep track of. It requires a team of people to share the responsibilities. That group is the OLLI Outdoors SIG Leadership Team, a group of six members who have helped build OLLI Outdoors into our organization’s largest SIG.

In April, the Outdoors SIG Leadership Team was awarded the 2024 Exemplary Teamwork Award. In presenting the award, Awards Committee member Kathy Palmer said, “The Outdoors SIG’s mission is to promote the physical, cultural, and social well-being of OLLI members. Most of all, the Outdoors SIG believes in having fun.”

Keeping It Going

The Outdoors SIG began about a dozen years ago. Under the leadership of Gail Parsons, the SIG held very popular once-a-month hikes in parks and nature preserves around the Tampa Bay area. Then came the Covid pandemic in 2020, forcing OLLI to cancel classes and meetings.

“A few of us in the Outdoor SIG wanted to continue. So we decided to ask the membership what they wanted,” says Diane White, who co-leads the SIG with Donna McGrew. “We put out a survey to the members, and it came back overwhelmingly in favor of continuing. They wanted hiking in small groups, with social distancing and other safety protocols. They were also interested in online programs, which at the time was very new.”

Since then, Outdoor SIG activities have grown to include not only monthly hikes but also nature walks, bike rides, kayaking, and overnight excursions. The group has collaborated with Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation to promote the annual Hiking Spree and has participated in the county’s Fire Fest with a table filled with OLLI and nature-related information.

It has also partnered with the Tampa Bay History and Photography museums on nature-related events and with USF on library, art, and other themes. The group frequently holds joint meetings with other SIGs, among them outdoor picnics with Food, Glorious Food!, Poetry in the Park with the Poetry SIG and an upcoming outing to an apiary with two other SIGs. And then there are the once-a-month meetings on Zoom, which usually include speakers on a wide range of nature-related topics.

Behind all this activity are Leadership Team members Diane White, Donna McGrew, Judy Hanna, Anne Haywood, Delia Palermo, and Nancy Wisgerhof.

The Leaders – Diane White and Donna McGrew

Diane sees herself as an “orchestra leader” who coordinates and keeps track of the varied SIG activities, and as the group’s “cheerleader.” Along with Donna, she has overseen the growth in membership as well as its activities.

“That’s the thing about SIGs – they evolve,” Diane says. “People wanted a biking group. Judy Hanna came to me with the idea. I said, ‘Sure, put it out there and see who shows up.’ There was a lot of interest, and a subgroup was formed. Same with the kayak group and the dog-walking events. If someone is interested in starting something, I say, ‘put it on the calendar and just make it happen.’”

Other team members credit the SIG’s success to Diane’s leadership. Says Judy Hanna, “Diane White facilitates this SIG with vision, openness, and a collaborative approach. I continue to work hard because Diane is empowering.”

Co-leader Donna McGrew calls Diane “the driving force” behind the Outdoors SIG. But in a more low-key way, Donna, too, is an important reason Outdoors is so successful.

Donna is in charge of the Outdoors Facebook page and sends reminders to SIG members who need to renew their OLLI membership. She also works with Diane on developing ideas for activities, setting up programs, and leading hikes.

“It takes a group to get this done. She’s a great support,” Diane says.

On The Road With Judy Hanna

The Bike Group began as a single biking event coordinated by Judy Hanna and Larry Weatherby. It has since grown to a group of 35 members who ride together once or twice a month and then meet for conversation at a coffee shop or restaurant.

Judy is the group’s coordinator. Here’s how Judy describes her role: “Members usually volunteer to lead a ride, then decide the location and date and choose the place to socialize. I describe the ride on Meetup (before the event). Following the ride, I pen a writeup for the newsletters and Facebook. Larry Weatherby takes a picture before each ride, and then he posts the ride report and picture on Facebook. We have an annual holiday party with the paddlers that is hosted by Boyd Ballard.  We all work together to make it happen. I just encourage the group and keep us on track.”

Another of Judy’s roles is planning programs for Outdoors' monthly Zoom meetings. “Zoom meeting planning begins in the summer when Diane, Donna and I put together a list of potential speakers recommended by members or ones we have found in our various other activities. Then the three of us divvy up the list, contact the speaker, make a calendar, get the description and CV, communicate periodically, host during the presentation, and thank them afterwards,” Judy says.

“I also coordinate a bonus hike each season,” Judy says. Bonus hikes are really just something I want to do related to outdoors and arrange an event with friends: St Pete murals, an artist at the Tampa Bay History Center, a visit to an apiary - simple.”

On The Water With Anne Haywood

Anne coordinates Outdoors’ Paddling Group. Similar to the bikers, the group began with Outdoors members meeting for a kayak trip.

“Charlie Delp used to set us up at the USF property to kayak the Lettuce Lake area of the Hillsborough River. Several years ago, he and I co-planned a Lettuce Lake paddle, and I began scheduling some paddles after that. Karen Wright took that role for a year, and I’m loosely scheduling some paddles again this year,” Anne says.

“The task involves identifying appropriate waterways to paddle on by kayak or canoe and a leader to guide the trip,” she says. “Since not everyone has a boat of their own, we have to utilize those sites that have affordable rental equipment. We have to be cognizant of weather conditions; some sites won’t allow folks out on the water if the wind is too high, for instance.

“I got involved because I enjoy the sport and wanted to do more of it. I enjoy SIGs because they encourage all members to be engaged in the planning and completion of events and programs.”

Delia Palermo Keeps Track Of Membership

Delia is all about membership for OLLI Outdoors. She sends out the welcome letters and other information to new members and answers their questions about the group and its activities. She also maintains the membership roster, adding new members’ names and contact information and removing those who haven’t renewed their membership or no longer wish to be Outdoors members.

An acknowledged “bookworm” who rarely went outdoors, Delia joined the Outdoors SIG shortly after retirement in order to do something entirely different. She has made so many new friends and learned so much about nature and about herself since her first hike with the group. Now she wants to help other people have the same experience.

“I took a hiking class with Gail Parsons (thank you, Mary Ettinger) and joined her newly formed hiking group. And here I have been for many years, still enjoying the adventures in the outdoors,” Delia says.

“On hikes, I catch up with old friends and meet new ones, and still I am outdoors observing and learning about nature. So if this acknowledged bookworm could leave the library and find joy outside, I could encourage others to try it as well,” she says.

Getting The News From Nancy Wisgerhof 

For many years, Nancy kept Outdoors members informed every month on past activities and upcoming events in a newsletter filled with colorful pictures and lively writing.

Nancy retired from her role a few months ago, and Outdoors has yet to find someone to fill her shoes.

“Nancy Wisgerhof was an integral part of the team,” Judy says. “Nancy assembled the information describing the events and photographs each month, then designed a beautiful newsletter for us all to enjoy. These made you wish you had attended any event you missed or spurred you on to attend in the future.”

Adding to those sentiments, Donna says, “Nancy Wisgerhof's wizardry with creating and publishing the newsletter kept us informed and entertained.” 

Says Delia, “Nancy wove a serene and beautiful web out of the pieces we gave her of our hiking, biking and kayaking experiences. She had a gift for arranging the pictures and the text to be warm memories for those who had been there and subtle invitations for those who hadn’t. I ask every new member if he or she would like to edit the newsletter now that Nancy has stepped down. I send the last newsletter along so they can see what the previous editor did. No one has asked to be the new Nancy."

Responding to those comments, Nancy says, “I loved creating something that gave people joy and just wish I had time for it now. Being the newsletter editor gave me an inside look at the amazing leadership team this SIG enjoys. They are certainly the biggest reason the OLLI Outdoors SIG has grown so quickly.”

If you're interested in joining OLLI Outdoors, or want more information, you can email the Leadership Team at ollioutdoors@gmail.com.

-- Sandy Buckley

SIGnificant EVENTS FOR SEPTEMBER 2024

Nancy Baily-Williamson, SIG Liaison

PEOPLE NEWS

Remembering Fred Gerlach

We are sorry to report that Frederick Gerlach passed away on July 30 in Tampa.

Fred was a marvelous teacher for OLLI who was an expert on the Middle East – its economy, politics and culture. He was a Roll of Honor instructor whose first class was in the fall of 2018 on The Middle East: Islam, Oil and Politics.

Fred offered that course several times along with Understanding Saudi Arabia. His classes were well attended and highly respected.

Fred's wife, Ana, is a musician who has taught classes on Cuban music for OLLI.

Fred was born in 1938 in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. He graduated from UW-Madison and got his Ph.D. at Columbia University, in New York. He became a foreign service officer until he retired from the U.S. State Department. He was a knowledgeable and fun individual who made you want to be around him. Their love for music is what made Ana and Fred’s paths cross in the Milwaukee Choristers, a community choir in Milwaukee.

He is preceded in death by his father, Arthur; his mother, Margaret; his older sister, Mary; and his only brother, Lloyd. He is survived by his sister Barbara, his wife, Ana, and numerous nephews and nieces.

A memorial service will be planned for a later date. 

Farewell to Richard Isinghood

Richard J. Isinghood, of Auburndale, FL., passed away on August 11 in Tampa.

Richard was a former chair of the OLLI Advisory Board and an active fundraiser who secured a series of large gifts from Midflorida Credit Union for OLLI. He was an OLLI instructor and was instrumental in starting a Shared Interest Group.

Richard was born on March 27, 1940, in Wellsburg, West Virginia, to Robert and Josephine Isinghood. Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Josephine Isinghood; brother David (Butch) Isinghood; sisters Clara Ann (Nan) Visnic and JoAnn Knowles; brother Robert Lee Isinghood; brothers-in-law Steve Visnic and Russell Knowles; and sister-in-law Polly Isinghood.

He is survived by his sister, Mary (Ralph) Wheaton; his former wife, Gervious Isinghood, along with their children, Sara (John) Jensen, Wendy Worth (Gerald Sager), and Lisa (Randy) Gilbert; and his travel and dance companion, Jean Hope. He also leaves behind six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

In Memory of Jack Plimmer

Jack Plimmer passed away peacefully on August 11 at the age of 96 in Tampa, surrounded by family and friends.

Jack was an active member of OLLI for many years. He was an instructor and was the chair of the Strategic Planning Committee in 2012. He was part of an OLLI writing group and published in the OLLI 20th Anniversary volume: Reflections.

Jack was a founding member of the Live Poets Group in 2014. He and his late wife, Roma, regularly added their comments and thoughts to the group discussions at Jimmie B. Keel library. Jack will be dearly missed by members of the poetry group.

Originally from Yorkshire, England, Jack at one point lived and worked in Jamaica for several years.

Jack and Roma lived on Davis Island from 1997 to 2015 before moving to Westchase.

Jack had two sons, Christopher and the late Nicholas Plimmer.

Fond Memories of Jae Polcyn

Jae Polcyn of Temple Terrace passed away on August 5.

Jae was proficient in playing several instruments and with all types of music. She was very active in OLLI’s Mountain Dulcimer SIG.

She was also active in her church where she shared her musical talents.

Jae was born on January 25, 1940, and is survived by her two daughters.

Farewell To Stanley Ashe

Stanley Ashe, 91 passed away on August 27 at the age of 91.

Stan joined OLLI in October 2015. He was a beloved member of the Great Books and poetry groups and took numerous classes on literature, philosophy, science, memoir writing, and more. 

He was a big family man, avid reader, Yankees fan and card player. He had an affinity for philosophy and was intellectually curious.

Stan was preceded in death by his first wife, Rita Anne. He is survived by his loving wife of over 25 years, Louise Mells; three sons, Steven Ashe, Nevin Ashe and Robert Ashe; stepson, Mitch Mells; sister, Francine Feinstein; two grandchildren, Chelsea Ashe and Madison Ashe; and three great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

A funeral service will take place Tuesday, Sept. 3, at 10 a.m., at Congregation Beth Am with interment immediately following at Gan Shalom Cemetery.

Carolyn Clark is our Goodwill Ambassador, sending notes of support, congratulations and comfort on our behalf. If you or another OLLI member have a significant personal event, please let Carolyn know.

Send Us Your News

OLLILife wants to share topics of interest that pertain to OLLI-USF and other OLLIs in the country.

Send your article to ollinewsusf@gmail.com to reach your editors Sandy Buckley, Pat Dodge, Veronica Maxwell, and Kathy Palmer. If possible, please send a picture along with the article as pictures help tell the story.