Staneck and her husband, Chris, met at General Motors where they both worked.
The pair married in 1982 and has lived in Wayne Twp., just outside of Waynesville, for 35 years. They live on a four-acre property and Staneck said she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“The quietness makes it so peaceful, and I love having room for the dogs to roam around,” she said. “We also have plenty of space for guests, which can include baseball games and go karts running all over the place.”
Staneck retired from General Motors after 30 years and six months later began working at elementary schools. She recently marked her second retirement after working as a substitute teacher for about 20 years and a paraprofessional for the last five years.
“The last five years I have loved my job more than anything I have ever done,” she said. “I love those kids so much.”
Staying busy is important and comes easily for Staneck, whose family includes 5-year-old Poppy, a Pitbull mix, and 9-year-old Asher, who is a yellow lab.
She also enjoys programs at her local library, including a calligraphy class.
“I’ve done so many different crafts there,” she said.
Volunteer work continues to be a priority, and Staneck plans to continue that in the future, and she is also thinking about joining a gardening club in Waynesville.
She has a few tips for staying young at heart.
“Embrace every birthday, or do what I do, and celebrate the whole month,” she said. “Be silly and don’t take yourself too seriously.”
For Staneck, the most important thing is to focus on the positive.
“Always, always have a positive attitude. Don’t stress about things,” she said. “I have God in my life and that certainly is a big help. I know I have someone I can turn to and lean on, no matter what. Also, keep moving, whether it’s taking walks or volunteering or tending to your garden. If you stop moving, you won’t be able to move.”
Hometown: Mad River Twp.
Spouse name and number of years married: I married Chris Staneck in 1982, almost 42 years ago.
Favorite memory of your hometown: I have lots of favorite memories of where I grew up. We had to have lots of imagination to make up games to play that did not involve toys because we didn’t have any. We would get one toy at Christmas, usually a doll or a stuffed animal for me and for my sisters. One example of our imagination is we would interlock two clothespins to make an airplane. We had a lot of oak trees in our yard and we would take the metal lid off the trash can or flip a wheelbarrow on its side, collect as many acorns as we could and have acorn fights.
My mother believed in keeping us outside as much as possible and we had the yard that all the other kids would come to play in. Another memory is riding the bus to downtown Dayton to see a movie either at the Lowe’s or Victory Theater. Also going to the Kenley plays every summer at Memorial Hall. There are so many memories.
How has aging affected your daily life: Aging really hasn’t affected my daily life. I still do what needs to be done. I can still run circles around people my age. Just ask the people I worked with. I decided not to go back to work full time after this school year ended. Not because I wanted to (I absolutely loved my job!!), but because I have people in my life who need me and I need to be available for them.
I love walking with my dogs. I love watching not only them, but the subtle changes in nature that happens every single day.
How do you stay fulfilled in retirement: I retired from General Motors after 30 years and then worked as a substitute teacher for almost 20 years. Then I began working as a paraprofessional and just retired again! I will definitely substitute at school for as long as I can.
I’ve never been retired long enough to know how I would fill up my time.
Biggest challenge of being a senior citizen: I’m in pretty good shape and haven’t really met any challenges of being a senior. I just saw the eye doctor, and my eyes are still good. No cataracts or macular degeneration. My visit with the heart doctor also elicited good news. Yeah, yeah, I need a new knee, but even that malady doesn’t slow me down much. I broke my foot in Jerusalem in 2019, and I still managed to walk the Via Dolorosa with the help of two wooden canes we were able to find. I had to have surgery to screw my bones back together after we got home.
Last summer I broke my other foot in Belgium while on a bike tour. I managed to finish the ride and then walk the town of Bruges. After that, we were off to Paris before we came home. I spent the next several weeks in a boot, but luckily, I’ve always been able to heal nicely with no problems afterward.
Biggest reward of being a senior citizen: One of the best rewards is getting discounts just because you’re old! Also, you get to the point where you don’t care what other people think about you or what you do.
Most satisfying part about life today: I’m happy that I’m still able to do so much! I’m also so much more relaxed now than when I was younger. It’s easier to take one day at a time and not worry about everything and everyone. I can’t control what other people say and do, but I can control me.
What does the future hold for you: I hope to be able to do more traveling, both in country and overseas.
Best advice for individuals 60 years and older: I would suggest you relax and enjoy every day because every day really is a good day if you make it one. Sit back, enjoy the ride, keep your chin up and a smile on your face. I hope my experience in aging will give hope to others coming behind me. Just take care of yourself, eat healthy, and exercise.
Contact this writer at writeawayk@gmail.com.
About the Author