SENIORS
— Pipes on Parade: The Massed Pipes & Drums — would reach the starting line. “It was scary, a bit overwhelming,” Oldfield shared. “Especially that morning — this was it. All the work leading up to this. After spending three-quarters of the year getting ready, it was great. The bagpipes are loud, but you could still hear the roar of the crowd.” While the route was every bit as long as expected, he said he was grateful the drummers did a drum salute and cadence between each set of tunes. Near the end of the parade, Oldfield’s left toe caught the rim of a manhole cover. Fortunately, he was able to catch himself and get back in step. Overall, “It was an experience I’ll probably never have again. At age 16 or 17, it probably would have been a different type of experience.” Crushing reality Terry and Bonnie returned home from what Oldfield terms an “ecstatic high.” Only five days later, that high turned into the lowest of lows. On one of their frequent visits to Starbucks — “we liked to sit, dream and talk” — Terry said his wife’s hand dropped from his and he knew something was seriously wrong. On Jan. 8, Bonnie was diagnosed with brain cancer. She died less than two weeks later. “Most of the things I did in my life I did to impress my wife,” Oldfield revealed as he fought back tears. “Many Navy marriages don’t last; ours only grew stronger. Bonnie was always extremely proud and extremely supportive.” Gilleran remembers the patience Bonnie always displayed when the bagpipers would practice at the Oldfield home and the love she had for sewing. As for his friend Terry, “He is such a great guy. He did it — and that is just great.” Endurance is part of Terry’s DNA. The 5.5- mile parade route came closer to 8 miles when adding in the distance to the start line. In his late 50s, he traveled even further, running the Chicago Marathon — taking a short break in the middle to play the bagpipes, of course — and still finishing in a time that qualified him for the prestigious Boston Marathon. The Rose Bowl band immediately began receiving offers for future performances. While Oldfield will likely pass on a Colorado event later this year, he’s looking forward to participating in an annual Navy parade in Hawai’i in December 2025. After all, he did wait nearly 60 years to see his Tournament of Roses Parade dream fulfilled. What’s one more?
December brought more practice and fine tuning. The day he awaited for more than six decades years was imminent. Coming up roses Terry and Bonnie drove to Pasadena Dec. 28. There were 113 pipers, drummers and dancers in the group. They came from Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Australia and all over the U.S. The youngest was age 11. Oldfield was the oldest at 76. “I was very nervous,” he said about the experience. “I got to the ballroom, set up my pipes and had another piper check my drones for tuning. One of the pipers started playing set A and all the other pipers joined in as they tuned up. It was amazing how we all came together as one band.” The next few days included practice sessions, a BandFest performance where all the musical groups in the parade played and a New Year’s Eve show at Disneyland. The last two days of 2023 were rainy in Southern California but not enough to stop the shows. The sun was shining on Monday, Jan. 1. But not at the 4 a.m. bus call or 5:30 a.m. arrival. It would be another two hours before the group Donned in full regalia, Terry Oldfield delights Hidden Valley residents with the harmonious croon of his bagpipes at Raceway Bar & Grill on Papago Road March 17 (above). The performance raises money for the American Legion Post 133 in Maricopa (left).
GET $10 OFF ANY PURCHASE OF $50 OR MORE! $10 OFF $50
Must present coupon at time of purchase. Not valid with any other offer. Not vlid on Wing Tuesday. Valid only at Maricopa location. Does not include alcohol, tax, or gratuity. Expires 5/31/24.
playing those bagpipes.” He also completed a “pretend march” for 5.5 miles on a bike path in Minnesota. Back home in August, he enlisted the help of an instructor in Phoenix to master two of the tunes the band would play in the parade. With the hot weather still scorching on, he spent much of his time marching in circles and playing inside his house. As the temperatures cooled in ensuing months, he moved outside and modified the nearly 4-mile route around his Rancho El Dorado neighborhood to the 5.5 miles he would need in January.
He was among 67 of about 300 applicants accepted. While elated, Oldfield admitted reality soon set in. The Rose Bowl Parade, at 5.5 miles in length, was easily more than twice as long as any previous marching effort. And while he was comfortable playing for 20 minutes, this required the stamina to perform for closer to two hours. A preplanned vacation in July didn’t stop Oldfield from beginning his preparations. Practicing during a stop at an RV campground in Texas, he recalled being told to “please stop
TAKEOUT ORDERS ONLINE for all your favorites @ NativeGrillAndWings.com
21164 N. John Wayne Parkway, Maricopa Hours: 11am - 11pm Sunday thru Thursday; 11am – 12pm Friday-Saturday 520-568-6077 NativeGrillAndWings.com
Also find coupons at InMaricopa.com/ Coupons
InMaricopa.com | May 2024
60
May 2024 | InMaricopa.com
61
Powered by FlippingBook