SENIORS
SENIORS
Seniors: What are you thankful for? BY KYLIE WERNER
in 1985 he had worked in the tennis business — running junior programs and serving as a club pro. He, too, stopped playing for a while, focusing on his career as a chemical engineer at Hexcel Corporation. Lapane joined the club at Sun Lakes in his mid-60s, meeting Ehrbright and many others. The result was tennis taking over as his top priority. He has been ranked as one of the top players in the Southwest in every age group in which he has competed. Last year, he was named Southwest Player of the Year by the U.S. Tennis Association. He plays weekly at venues from Scottsdale to Tucson in addition to national tournaments. “I like the competitiveness, and I’ve enjoyed meeting the people,” Lapane shared. Asked if the sport has helped keep him young, the one-word answer was: “Absolutely!” “If you asked me 50 years ago if all this would have happened, I would have said you’re crazy,” Lapane said. “It has helped my health. It is the reason to get up every morning. Tennis is for a lifetime.”
Lapane agreed with that assessment. “Dale and I had some really good seasons together. We meshed well. Dale had a huge serve, and I was a good volleyer and quick.” Beyond the sport While Ehrbright loves the game of tennis, it is but one of many passions, he said. He’s a licensed pilot and ham radio operator. Add skiing — both snow and water — horseback riding, metalwork and music (he built a table in his study that includes a pullout keyboard for playing and recording). And don’t forget dancing and playing bridge. He even started the remote-control sailing club at Province and was instrumental in getting its first pickleball teams into league play. He has coached a number of tennis players through the years. He emphasized no matter your skills, if you stay back at the baseline in doubles, “you are going to lose,” and while many enjoy hitting the ball hard, the key is to simply “get the ball over the net one more time than your opponent.”
Dale and I had some really good seasons together. We meshed well. Dale had a huge serve, and I was a good
volleyer and quick.” LEO LAPANE, DOUBLES PARTNER
CHARLENE WARD Community: Homestead Years a Maricopan: 1 “I am very thankful to have my children and my grandchildren for the holidays.”
RUTH WALLACE Community: Senita 3 Years a Maricopan: 8 “I am thankful for my health and all my children. I have four children and huge thing of grandkids and great-grandkids.”
SHIRLEY LUTHER Community: North Homestead Years a Maricopan: 1 “I am thankful for the senior center and the sociability. And they bring jelly donuts.”
DEBORAH JAY Community: Desert Passage “I am the leader of Creative Sisterhood and that’s what I’m grateful for. I’m also thankful for my neighbor, Josie.” JOSIE LUNA Community: Desert Passage “I am very thankful because this community is very nice, very friendly and very peaceful, and I like that.”
Peak player Lapane remains a top player and tennis ambassador for Pinal County and beyond. He said that’s hard to believe based on his first year of tournament play in his early 30s when he competed a full season without winning a set. For 15 years prior to coming to Arizona
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ALTA COIT Community : Glennwilde Years a Maricopan: 5 “I’m thankful for my wonderful family, everybody is healthy and all my grandchildren.”
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RALPH BROCK Community: Rancho Mirage Years a Maricopan: 1 “I am thankful for Jesus Christ and good health and wealth with my wife, Bonnie. We love the community and the church that we go to.
WILLLIAM “BILL” LUTHER Community: Homestead North Years a Maricopan: 1 “I am thankful for the police department and I’m thankful for the community because the senior center has been a great location to, just like the statement says, ‘meet and greet.’ So, we’ve made a lot of new friends here — we have much more socializing here than we did in Idaho.”
Covered Patio
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Bath
Laundry
2,105 sq ft 4 beds • 3 baths 2-bay garage
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Great Room 13'-8” x 16' 9"
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Bedroom Next Gen 12' 2" x 12' 3"
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LINDA AUSTIN Community: Province “The people in this community are just so giving and so gracious, and that’s what I’m thankful for.” JOAN NIEMAN Community: Acacia Crossings “I am thankful for family, friends and community.”
Kitchen
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Bedroom 2 10'-1” x 10'-7”
Anderson Farms 36555 W Maddaloni Ave. Maricopa, AZ 85138
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MIRIAM SMITH-BURKS Community: Glennwilde Years a Maricopan: 6 “I’m thankful for my daughter. I was living in California, and I got sick, and my daughter came and got me to live with her.”
Bedroom 3 10'-1” x 11'-1”
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InMaricopa.com | November 2024
November 2024 | InMaricopa.com
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