Issuu

Living RIVERHILL

Spring 2022 Vol. 6, Issue 1

Multi-talented

Area painter, hair stylist brings colorful history to the neighborhood

Local love stories

Riverhill pairs share what sparked their romance

RIVERHILL REAL ESTATE MARKET UPDATE 2021

2021

2020

Average List Price

$469,178

$378,761

23.9% Increase

$396,110

Average Sold Price

$458,619

$361,687

26.8% Increase

$390,750

Average Days on Market

88 Days

99 days

11% Decrease

85 days

Average List-to-Sold

98.25%

95.65%

2.6% Increase

98.84%

CALL YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD PROFESSIONAL Call me for a personalized analysis of your property’s current position in our market.

ANDREA ONEAL REALTOR®

830.285.7001

2020 Quality Service Pinnacle Award 2020 Masters Ruby Award | 2020 Company Top Producer Data taken from Kerrville Board of Realtors Multiple Listing Service Single Family Home transactions in Riverhill 01/01/2020 - 12/31/2020 and 01/01/2021 - 12/31/2021 and Single Family Homes in Kerrville 01/01/2021- 12/31/2021. Information deemed reliable but should be verified. The PENAK Group Realty fully supports the priniciples of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Housing Opportunity Act.

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Riverhill Living 3

Table of Contents

RIVERHILL

Living

KDT Staff Carlina Villalpando

Contributors

Publisher

Nancy Foster Niel Powers

Jillian Smith

Contact Riverhill

Jeanette Eastwood Nash

www.riverhillpoa.com Send story ideas to composing@dailytimes.com

Nicole Crapps

Contact KDT

Managing Editor Assistant Managing Editor Creative Services Manager

Cindy Clark

Advertising Director

Tom Holden

Photographer

6 7

JUST $6.25 PER MONTH

Bill White details how your dues are spent

FEATURED RESIDENT

Artist and hair stylist Shari Vahidi brings Iranian traditions, zest for Hill Country life to the area

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

Residents share stories of how they met and what has kept their romance going strong through the years

Kerrville Funeral KFH Home Gene and Katie Allen, his family and the staff take great pride in being a part of the Kerrville community.

429 Jefferson St., Kerrville www.dailytimes.com 830-896-7000

“Serving each family with dignity, pride and honor since 1967.”

1221 Junction Highway • Kerrville, Texas 78028 830-895-5111 • www.kerrvillefuneralhometx.com TFSC Lic. #2355

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4 Spring 2022

Come Join the Best at Peterson Health Offering competitive salaries, a safe and serene facility, selective benefits, health and wellness programs, tuition assistance, and recognition events, Peterson Health is not only the largest employer in the region but one of the strongest, since 1949. In May of 2021, our efforts to create an exceptional work environment were recognized as we were proudly named one of the nation’s Best Places to Work by Modern Healthcare.

To browse our current openings, visit PetersonHealth.com/Careers. Riverhill Living 5

Is membership worth $6.25/month?

APOR members receive

ALL THIS

APOR serves all homeowners in Riverhill in our efforts to assist in protecting the value of everyone’s homes and maintaining our reputation as a premier Hill Country location. While the bulk of these services benefit the entire community, only 40% are members, carrying the entire financial burden. Put another way, they are subsidizing the remaining 60%.

for their membership fee LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

• Enforcement of covenants, conditions and restrictions • Mandated Liability Insurance • State, county, and city filings

Bill White, With this column, you’ll find an APOR Board President infographic that lists the major services we provide for just $6.25 per month. Dues are our single source of income to cover our costs. Upkeep of our entrances, maintenance of traffic circles on Riverhill Boulevard, mowing of common areas and legally required insurance account for more than 60% of our budget, and all are increasing in cost.

MAINTENANCE & APPEARANCE • Improvement/maintenance of Riverhill entrances • Improvement/maintenance of Riverhill traffic circles • Mowing of 8 common areas

Over the past 18 months, the board has completed a total overhaul of our operations to control and reduce expenses by assuming administrative duties and eliminating costly overhead. We have reached a point where to sustain current and add more beneficial programs we must have the support of those who benefit equally, yet do not contribute. While membership may be voluntary, it is also essential. Until recently, many of our ancillary services were also accessible to non-members. We have modified our systems and policies to enable us to close this loophole. Yet another reason to become an active member. That brings me back to where we started — $6.25 per month, $75 per year. A membership form and easy means of payment are below. For those who are not currently a member of APOR, what’s stopping you? To those who have supported us, our sincere thanks, and we ask you to encourage your neighbors who have not yet joined to do so. On behalf of the board, have a wonderful and safe spring.

COMMUNITY • Yard of the Month • Christmas Lights Contest • National Night Out Sponsorship • New Resident Welcome ILL

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COMMUNICATIONS • Riverhill Living Magazine • APOR Website Enhancements • Email blasts of community note • The popular Pets Lost & Found • Community Alerts & Advisories • Impact Issues (Zoning Changes)

APOR MEMBERSHIP FORM The Association of Property Owners of Riverhill, Inc. P.O. Box 293895, Kerrville, TX 78029-3895 www.riverhillpoa.com Association fiscal year is Oct. 1 through Sept. 30. Please send this form with your $75 check payable to APOR or pay through PayPal with a credit card on the website listed above.

Full Name(s): Property Address:

KCAD ID# (if known)

Full Mailing Address: (if different) Phone, Primary:

Secondary:

Email, Primary:

Secondary:

6 Spring 2022

FEATURED RESIDENT

Colorful

VISION — By Nancy Foster —

Local artist, photographer, hair stylist brightens life in Riverhill

hari Vahidi is an energetic woman with an ever-present smile and an aura of sincerity. She’s an accomplished artist and photographer, an awardwinning hairstylist, a mom, a cat rescuer and an instant friend to all she meets. This incredibly talented lady is also a resident of Riverhill, referred to by her as “My Happy Place.”

Background Shari was born and raised in Tehran, Iran. She and her sister were encouraged at a young age to be creative. Their mother “always had us sketching, whether it was a person or a place. We were enrolled in art classes, and art became my lifelong passion.” She pursued further education at the University of Tehran and earned her degree in art. After

graduation came marriage and children, but her ultimate dream was to move to the States. She knew she would need to work for a living but doubted she could earn enough just by selling art, so she schooled as a hairstylist and earned her license. By 1998, with a goal to make a better life for her children, Shari immigrated to the United States, leaving behind her beloved parents and extended family. After a nine-month stop in California, (“I couldn’t picture this as the ideal fit for my family”), she moved to Kerrville where her uncle lived. “He and his wife opened their home and heart to us and kept us under their wings until we found a house to buy and could stand on our own two feet,” Shari said. Kerrville felt perfect.

Riverhill Living 7

“I felt immediately that this small Texas community was the right fit,” she said. “It was so peaceful here, and my children and I just loved it.” Becoming a hairstylist here meant obtaining official credentials. “I needed five more months of classes before I could practice hairstyling in Texas,” Shari said. Language issues for her youngsters were also a challenge. “My son was 5 and my daughter 11 when we came here,” she said. “They had to take second language classes to catch up, but they excelled in Kerrville schools.” Her son, Navid Vahidi, is now an engineer, and her daughter, Golnaz Vahidi, is a CPA. Shari quickly overcame her own challenges with English. “People were so kind and helpful,” she recalled. “They corrected me and helped me learn. I am so grateful.”

easel and canvas out on weekends, on her day off, and in summer evenings when it stays light longer.

A major sense of accomplishment came in 2004 when she became a U.S. citizen, which also entitled her underage children to become citizens. She loves her new country.

“Nature is so peaceful,” she said. “From a blank canvas, I can create whatever I want, and it is such a good feeling.”

“We have made a good life here,” she said.

Hairstylist Shari rents space at Lucky’s of Texas hair salon from David Jackson, her creative partner as well as owner of the salon. In 2016, she won the Kerrville Daily Times Readers’ Choice Award as the top hairstylist in the county, an honor she proudly cherishes. “I love styling hair because it is another form of art,” she said, “and I love my customers. Since my children are now grown, I feel like my customers are my extended family.” Her customers are loyal and travel from up to an hour away for her services. Shari notes, however, that COVID-19 in 2020 adversely affected business. “We had to close the salon for five weeks in 2020,” she said, “so my income decreased significantly. People were afraid to come in, so they stayed home. A few still do. Many of them stopped coloring their hair and just let it grow.” Fortunately, 2022 is looking better.

Painter/photographer Plein air painting is Shari’s favorite style, and she likes to say, “I’ve painted every cypress tree and old barn from Comfort to Hunt.” She totes her paint,

8 Spring 2022

For the most part, she paints pastels but also uses oils. Although most of her work is done locally, she cites a favorite trip to New Mexico, “I actually painted Georgia O’Keefe’s mountains — right on her property!” Learning her craft never stops. Each Tuesday evening, she travels to a studio in Comfort for Life Drawing Sessions with real models and easy camaraderie with fellow artists. Her work has been seen in numerous establishments around town, including Pint & Plow, Grape Juice and the Kerr Arts & Cultural Center. A series of four of her Kerr County pastels that David — a talented artist/photographer as well as salon owner — transformed to travel poster size hang on the secondfloor walls of Kerrville City Hall. A few paintings are also on display in Ingram at the Hill Country Arts Foundation gift shop, but for the most part, her largest selection is right there at Lucky’s. The walls of the two-room salon form the background for beautiful paintings of Guadalupe River scenes, lakes and streams, dusty trails and colorful wildflowers. It’s a feast for the eyes and no surprise that people often leave the salon with a haircut – and a painting or two. Shari’s creativity also shines through with nature and street photography. She has been a member of the Hill Country Camera Club for eight years and has

won multiple first, second or Best of Show ribbons at Kerr Arts and Cultural Center annual exhibitions.

Cat rescuer Shari was in the right place at the right time four years ago when she stopped for gas at Stripes on Memorial Boulevard. She noticed a couple of feral cats cloistered about a storage shed looking guarded and hungry. She returned later with some food and found several wary feral felines that welcomed her handouts. On subsequent days, more came, and now she has a loyal following of a dozen or more “regulars” that are very well fed. Whenever possible, “A vet technician from Freeman-Fritts helps me trap them. We get them spayed and vaccinated and return them to this location.” When they have kittens, she will make attempts to rescue them. “Recently I snagged two black and white kittens, fostered them, and found them a loving home with a couple from Austin,” she said. “I’ve now found homes for 10, but I thoroughly vet everyone before I allow them to adopt!” Shari self-dubs herself “the Crazy Cat Lady,” noting, “I also have three cats of my own. Baby is a rescued stray; Daisy was dumped and abandoned; and Blue is a Russian Blue ... plus, I currently have two foster kittens!”

Homeland traditions Despite loving her new country, Shari sometimes does miss the land of her birth. She has traveled to Tehran seven times to see her parents and is grateful that once she became a U.S. citizen, she

Shole Zard

Traditional Iranian rice pudding Ingredients:

1 cup rice (any kind, but basmati rice is preferred) 6 cups water 2 cups sugar 2 Tbsp. butter ½ cup rosewater ¼ cup bloomed saffron (see note) ¼ cup sliced almonds (optional) ¼ tsp powdered cardamom For garnish: powdered cinnamon, sliced almonds and pistachios

was able to secure them green cards so they could visit her as well. Here in Kerrville, she loves to preserve some of the old traditions. “I love to cook, and cooking Iranian foods makes me happy.” she said. “We tend to use a lot of saffron, rice and fresh vegetables, and flavorful stews and kebabs are all mainstays. For dessert, our traditional rice pudding (Shole Zard) is sweet and delicious.” Make your own Shole Zard by following Shari’s favorite recipe to the right.

Riverhill Living Shari is enthusiastic about Riverhill. “When I began looking for a house, one of my clients told me I should check out this development. While driving through one day, I spotted an Open House at one of the garden houses overlooking the fairway. I positively loved everything about it.” She bought the house and says it came with a bonus. Her Realtor and his entire family have been her clients now for more than 15 years.

Directions: Let the uncooked rice soak in water for several hours. Then, put it on medium heat and let it cook until the rice gets mushy. Add sugar and keep on medium heat. Add bloomed saffron and butter, and keep it on the heat. Stir frequently so the bottom part won’t burn. You can add cardamom at this step if you desire. At this time, you can add water if the meal is very thick, or you can let the excess water evaporate if it’s too watery. When the thickness is as you desire, add rosewater and keep it on heat for a few more minutes. You can also add sliced soaked almonds at this time. Remove from heat, pour into your serving dish and garnish with cinnamon and nuts. Note: To bloom saffron, sprinkle ¼ teaspoon ground saffron over two ice cubes and let sit at room temperature until the ice is fully melted. Stir thoroughly, then use or store.

Riverhill Living 9

Love

IS IN THE AIR Riverhill residents share their stories of enduring romance — By Niel Powers — “Tell me how you met each other.”

Carol and I were asked this question recently, and it got me to thinking, “I’ll bet there are quite a few good ‘how we met’ stories” in Riverhill. With the spring magazine issue coming up, I put out the call for stories and pictures, and what follows is a compilation of those submissions. Oh, and our story! It involves trying to finally finish a college degree, a cousin and a Willie Nelson concert. Carol’s cousin (Cathy) and I were on parallel tracks in college and had become friends, leaning on each other to get through those final years as adult students. One day she told me she had tickets to a Willie Nelson concert if I wanted to go, and she was inviting her cousin from out of town. Well, that was it. Carol and I met for the first time at that concert almost 40 years ago now. A year later, we stood up during a graduation party (yes, Cathy and I finally graduated) and got married.

10 Spring 2022

But even that was a bit different. We threw a big graduation party with all of our friends and family. At the height of the party, we made an announcement: “We’re getting married. Right now. Here’s the minister. No, really!” I’ve never met Willie in person, but if I did, I’d thank him for the concert that changed my life. Here are a few other great stories. Enjoy.

Tom & Sherrilyn Blasé ~ Married 51 years ~

Once upon a time (1969) in a faraway land (El Paso), two young people were attending the University of Texas at El Paso. Their paths never crossed on campus, as the young lady lived in the dorms and headed back to her dorm after class, while the young man lived at home and headed off to his job at Walgreens. Both students, however, applied for summer jobs at a magical place – Texas Lions Camp for Crippled Children (now named Texas Lions Camp) in Kerrville! The young man had been there the year before and was hired as a Unit Leader, and the young lady was hired as a Unit Counselor. And so, their love story began! By the end of the summer, they knew they had something special. However, the young man was off for the University of Texas in Austin in the fall, and the young lady was continuing her studies at UTEP. Fate intervened – on his way to visit his grandparents in Missouri, his car cratered, and he ended up having to get a new one. However, he needed to get it paid for, so he made the decision to stay in El Paso, where he could live at home and work full time while carrying a full load at UTEP – not to mention seeing his girlfriend regularly! The two became engaged in March and were married in November 1970. They began their now 51+ year journey together – both working hard – he in the insurance field and she as an educator. They raised two wonderful children, a son and a daughter. The son has been married 26 years with two great sons – one a senior at Texas Tech majoring in mechanical engineering and one a senior in high school and accepted to and will attend Texas A&M next year majoring in electrical engineering. The daughter has been married for 21 years with two children – the daughter is a sophomore in high school and the son is a freshman in high school. Those two young people were blessed to be able to retire in 2008 and have made and live a life they love! This life includes travel to all 50 states and 25+ countries on five continents and they are not finished! Their family is truly a very important part of their life and they travel regularly to San Antonio and to Midland to see grandkids

participate in activities and to see other immediate family. It only took 50 years for the couple, Tom and Sherrilyn Blase, to make their way back to the magical place where they met – Kerrville and the Texas Lions Camp. Because of their love for the Texas Lions Camp, Tom joined the Lions Club in El Paso 49 years ago. And immediately was elected as a Director to the Camp. He has served in that capacity several times over the years. Later, Sherrilyn joined the Lions Club, and both are very active in their Clubs. Tom is now on the executive board of the Texas Lions Camp, which is undergoing a huge makeover and will look completely different than it did when they met all those years ago! Tom will be Chairman of the Board at the Camp in 2024, when it will celebrate its 75th anniversary! And Tom and Sherrilyn are truly living their “Happily Ever After”!

Riverhill Living 11

Holly & Rick Perry ~ Married 40 years

Holly and I met in August 1978 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where the women’s Oklahoma State tennis coach asked me to help move this new Tyler junior college recruit into the dorm. I had been at OSU since 1976 and was also playing tennis for the Pokes. I told the coach no several times, as I was dating a young lady, and I knew she would not take kindly to me helping move a beautiful young tennis recruit into the dorm. Well, after several attempts to get me to budge, he informed me that this new recruit’s father had a ranch in Brownwood, Texas, with big bass in the lake and large deer roaming the property. That broke me, and I said I would help with her move. Well, one thing led to

12 Spring 2022

another, and I ended up hitting some tennis balls several times with Holly. I even took my then-girlfriend with me to watch and meet Holly. MISTAKE. I commented after our hit to my girlfriend, “She’s a nice girl, isn’t she?” to which my girlfriend responded, “Well, that better be all she is to you!” Like I said, one thing led to another, and I ended up breaking up with my girlfriend and going out with Holly (she asked me out first), and the rest is history. We were married in 1981 and moved to Kerrville in 1982. I was the tennis pro at Riverhill from 1983-95. Holly and I are blessed to have seven children and 12 grandchildren with No. 13 expected in March.

PRESENTS:

Rhonda Wiley-Jones & Lynn Jones ~ Married 43 years ~

Riding the free bus from my apartment complex to campus each day as a 26-year-old grad student, I got on with mostly undergraduates. One day while standing at the back of the packed bus, I saw a man (not a boy) get on. I rubbernecked to get another look at him, but too many students were in my visual path. He got off long before I could and was nowhere to be seen when I did. Two weeks later, I attended the grad student get-acquainted party at the department chair’s house. I went with a fellow female grad student, and there he was across the room. I elbowed my friend and explained I’d

seen him before. “I’m going to introduce myself.” I hiked across the room and told him that we lived in the same apartment complex because I’d seen him on the bus before. Lynn said, “I’ve only taken the bus once before. Sorry I didn’t recognize you.” I thought, “You only needed to ride once for me to see you.” Weeks later, he showed up at the Conferences and Short Courses unit where I worked and was responsible for a resource library. He looked through and checked out some of the books. He asked me out, and 11 months later, we were married.

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Riverhill Living 13

Lynda & Phil DeMasco ~ Married 54 years ~

If you’ve ever been to Roswell, New Mexico, you know that it isn’t exactly a thriving metropolitan area. But imagine just what a small town it was some 55 years ago! That’s where Lynda and Phil met in a scene that could only take place in that time in a small town. Lynda had come home for the summer from college, and Phil was in Roswell working on the pipeline for his uncle. One night Lynda and a friend were out “trolling around” (her words, not mine), when they stopped at a local hang-out and everyone got in everyone else’s car. Lynda’s friend Tim was playing baseball with Phil that summer, and he told Lynda, “This is my friend Phil. Oh, by the way, Lynda, he’s going out tomorrow with Nancy.” Well, Nancy was Lynda’s nemesis in high school. They continued talking and, at some point, Phil asked Lynda if she would like to go out some time. Lynda was “pinned” to a boy at the University

14 Spring 2022

of Arizona but, just to get back at her nemesis, she said, “Sure, but I can only go out tomorrow night.” So, Phil had to break his date with Nancy. On their date, they went to Jacque’s Lounge (in Roswell!). At the time, Phil was of legal drinking age, but Lynda was not. Phil was drinking bourbon and Coke, but Lynda was ordering Shirley Temples. And she matched him one for one. Phil’s feeling just fine by the end of the date. The next morning, Phil tells Tim, “Oh my gosh, I’ve never been with a girl that can drink as much as Lynda can!” Tim responded, “No, Lynda can’t even drink a beer without going crooked when she walks. What was she drinking?” Phil said, “Something named a Shirley Temple.” Tim had to explain that there was no alcohol in Lynda’s drinks. Meanwhile, Lynda was at home telling her mother, “You know, I think I could marry that guy.” When asked, Lynda couldn’t even tell her mom Phil’s last name – she couldn’t pronounce it! But it must not have mattered. Phil helped Lynda get back to school, they saw each other at Thanksgiving, were engaged at Christmas, and married at Easter.

But that’s hardly the end of the story (with Coach, you knew that would be true). For the wedding, Phil brought his fraternity brothers and Lynda had her sorority sisters, and together they pretty much turned Roswell inside out. On the actual wedding day, Phil and his buddies went to Sierra Blanca in Ruidoso and partied just a bit. At 6:30 p.m., they were still not back. The church was packed, but no Phil. His best man, who had stayed, volunteered to pretend that he was Phil, as most of the people in the church didn’t know Phil anyway. They would go through with the ceremony, but not sign any of the paperwork until Phil was found. Mothers were crying, Lynda was crying, and the whole thing wasn’t looking too good. Lynda agreed to the ruse. At 10 minutes before “go-time,” with Lynda ready to walk down the aisle, Phil and friends appear. Lynda’s father, a straight-arrow, looked at Lynda and said, “I think those boys are leaning.” Lynda replied, “Yes sir, I think they are.” To which he said, “You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.” But they went through with it, and here they are, still together, nearly 55 years later!

Ken & Margaret Ricks ~ Married 63 years ~

It pays to know how to dance. That’s the lesson here. Ken, the Athlete of the Year of 1956 in Del Rio, went to play basketball at San Angelo Junior College. At under 6 feet, he had his work cut out for him in that first year. Margaret was a cheerleader and was in her second year at San Angelo Junior College. But it was football season, and we all know two things: 1) Football, not basketball, is the dominant sport in Texas, and 2) Cheerleaders date football players. But Ken had a secret weapon. Margaret had heard through the grapevine that Ken could dance. A skill that most of the football players had not mastered. There was a local joint called the Red Rooster, and Ken and Margaret happened to be there at the same time, but at separate tables. Margaret was sitting with, as expected, a group of football players.

Ken, undeterred, went over to where Margaret was seated and asked if she wanted to dance. Well, that first dance was a Jitterbug, a dance Ken knew well. So well, in fact, that the band asked them to stay on the floor and they played a second Jitterbug. Now, do you remember that scene in the John Travolta movie, “Saturday Night Fever,” where everyone else on the dance floor pulls back and he and his partner have the floor to themselves? Well, that’s what happened on that night in the Red Rooster. Being a gentleman, Ken took Margaret’s hand, walked her back to her table, and pulled out the chair for her. He said, “Thank you very much for the dance, Margaret,” preparing to return to his table. To which Margaret replied, “I’d like to sit at your table for the rest of the evening.” All of a sudden the basketball player looked 6-foot-6 and bulletproof in front of all those football players! Margaret went to Ken’s table and has been at Ken’s

table now for 63 years and counting. All credited to Ken’s ability to Jitterbug. But it might not have turned out that way, given how the second date started. Margaret had never been out of town with a boy – it was the ’50s, after all – but they took off for Del Rio with some friends. As they approached town, the red lights came on and the cops pulled Ken over. Ken instructed Margaret to sit on the case of beer and spread her skirt over the edges. The cop was a friend from high school, but it didn’t matter, he had to arrest Ken for previous speeding tickets. So the second date started with A) an out of town trip, B) a case of hidden beer and C) the new boyfriend being arrested! But it all worked out, Ken was released, and everyone went on to their true destination – the town of Ciudad Acuna, across the border in Mexico. But they still made it back to San Angelo in time for Ken’s tee time the next morning. And about a year later, Ken and Margaret were married.

Riverhill Living 15

Ford & Sharon Smith ~ Married 61 years ~

Ford and Sharon first saw each other one morning while Sharon was boarding the yellow school bus in west Houston about 8 miles out of town. Both of them were students at Lanier Junior High School. Ford asked his best friend David if he knew the name of that girl that just got on the bus. He said, “Yes, her name is Sharon Ellis.” She was wearing a maroon skirt with many petticoats under it, so when she walked down the bus aisle, the skirt would go in and out of the rows of seats. She had on a starched white blouse and her dark brown hair was put in a French twist hair style. Ford asked his friend if he knew where she lived, and David said, “Come to my house on Saturday, and we will drive by her house.” They did, and there she was, shoveling horse manure out of her dad’s horse barn and wheeling it out to their pasture. She was wearing blue cutoff bib overalls, knee-high black rubber boots and a big straw hat. She was beautiful. David invited Ford to their church on Sunday and introduced Sharon to Ford. It all started from there. We’ll let Ford tell the story: “We were friends throughout junior and senior high school, dating off and on in both schools. We participated in activities at church, sock hops, ice cream activities at her home, went to stock car races, high school rodeos on Friday nights and just hanging out. Occasionally on Sundays, I would bring my girlfriend home to meet my parents. One day, as my dad and I were working in the garden, he told me, ‘Junior, if you decide to marry any of these girls, marry Sharon. She will make you the best wife.’ Somewhere around June 1959, we went on a date at Kaphan’s Restaurant. While Sharon went to powder her nose, I decided to slip her engagement ring right into her shrimp cocktail. When she returned and started to eat, she noticed the ring and screamed, ‘What is this?’ I immediately asked her to marry me, and she said yes. On Dec. 3, 1960, we tied the knot — the first best day of my life.” Sharon’s memories of old school bus rides, Ford’s crew cut hair and his high school letter jacket, dancing in the living room to the stereo, and church activities — the past 61 years have been a journey filled with lots of adventures and great memories.

16 Spring 2022

Nancy & Charley Chipman ~ Married 9 years, friends for 70 ~

I remember the first time I saw Charles. He was “Charles” in 1952 when he and his mom walked into Mrs. Lawrence’s first grade classroom. I thought he was the cat’s meow, but I restrained myself and waited until the second grade to kiss him. Our friendship continued over the next 12 years as we shared common experiences, especially in MYF and band – band camp and band trips – laughter, tears, joy, stress and some not-so-subtle flirtations. The note on this page is from my senior year book. That second grade kiss was not one to be forgotten! After graduation, we went our separate ways, but in God’s time we reconnected at a class reunion. We are part of the Tivy senior class of 1964, and our reunions are in conjunction with homecoming. Our friendship began right where it left off. It was so natural. That friendship has grown into a deep, enduring love, a love that I believe began in 1952 when Charles walked into Mrs. Lawrence’s 1st grade classroom. Fifty-nine years later, Charley kissed me back! WOW! Of course, there were tests that had to be passed before we said “I do.” First, Charley took me on a motorcycle ride

over the Twisted Sisters. Our wedding invitation includes a snap taken as we went around one of the more notorious curves. Next was the test of the elements — a bike ride to Sandia Crest, White Sands, and Taos. Finally, there is the fact that Charley leans to the right while I lean to the left (of course, being a Libra, I am fair and balanced). Charley gave me a necklace that said it all: You are mine, and I am yours in love. I am I, and you are you in thought. Independently, we share our lives together. For our honeymoon, we rode the bike to Branson, Missouri, in heat in excess of 110 degrees — the beginning of a smoking hot adventure and of an unbelievably wonderful 10 years of marriage in July!

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Goodbye, Winter. Hello, Spring! There’s no place like home. Spring is in the air and there’s no better time to celebrate the outdoors than right now. Come in to OutBack Patio Furnishings and let us help you turn your lifeless outdoor space into the place where your friends and family want to gather. At OutBack Patio Furnishings, we’ve been serving the greater Texas Hill Country for over 20 years. You supply the view, we’ll supply the rest.

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RATED BY OVER 1,500 VERIFIED CLIENTS 866.830.2120 www.century21thehi11s.com ©2021 CENTURY 21 Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. CENTURY 21® and the CENTURY 21 Logo are registered service marks owned by CENTURY 21 Real Estate LLC. CENTURY 21 Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Housing Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated. Data taken from Real Satisfied, a third-party customer satisfaction platform. To read these reviews visit https:/ /www.realsatisfied.com/office/century-21-the-hills-realty.

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Our Club Members Are Our Passion Our remarkable golf club started with a friendship between golf legend Byron Nelson and renowned course designer Joe Finger. That tradition continues today with the friendships still formed and strengthened on the rolling hills of Riverhill Country Club just as Byron Nelson had hoped. You are invited to be a part of that tradition and the present celebration of the game of golf, fabulous dining and events, world-class tennis, swim and fun for your entire family. Many families have taken part in what Riverhill has become over the past 112 years when it began as the mansion at Cedarcrest. Many families return generation after generation to enjoy the important history of this estate and the wonderful part the club continues to play in their lives.

2IVERHILL #OUNTRY #LUB s 2IVERHILL## COM s s 2IVERHILL #LUB ,ANE s +ERRVILLE Please contact at (830) 896-1400 x2230 for more information about memberships and initiation fees.