Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Stella Markovich is YMCA Senior of the Month

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Every month the Duneland Family YMCA Senior Center honors one active older adult and this month that senior is Stella Markovich.

The Y Senior Center celebrates the lives of its members and creates opportunities to bond with other like-minded active older adults, through trips to restaurants, movie days, board games and fitness classes.

Stella Markovich began her adventurous life in Gary, Indiana, on March 1, 1928. She graduated from Gary Frobel which she had attended since kindergarten. She has great memories of her schooling there where the emphasis was not only on academics but on art, music, drama, athletics, and gardening. She appreciates the fact that skills developed in these areas have served her throughout her entire life.

After high school, Stella went to Indiana University in Bloomington where she majored in elementary education. After graduation, she returned to Gary where she taught second grade at Tolleston Elementary School for three years. After this she began teaching overseas, first in Germany for one year as a teacher in a school for US Air Force children and then taught in a NATO school in the Netherlands. She has special memories of this two room school where eight grades were taught in two classrooms. After her years abroad, she returned to Gary to teach at Horace Mann School. While there she attended classes at Indiana University Northwest where she majored in library science. In time she became a librarian, serving in two Gary schools. Library science became her new passion and, while she served as a librarian and after her retirement, she also lectured on library science at Indiana University Northwest, Purdue Calumet, and Valparaiso University. While she treasures her lifetime memories, she also treasures her memories of her husband, Charles Markovich from Whiting, Indiana. He passed away in 2001. They had no children, but a special love in her life is Charles' grandson Joe who lives in Valparaiso and works as a computer specialist. Her first love as a former librarian is reading but close to this is employing her skills preparing and enjoying Serbian foods. Stella cherishes special memories of her and her husband's travels in Europe and Australia.

Since returning to Chesterton to live near her relatives here and in Valparaiso, a special feature in her life has been the Duneland YMCA Building Fit Friends and Silver Sneakers programs. She especially enjoys and treasures the book reviews and trips. Stella loves Chesterton and especially the Y where "everyone is so friendly and helpful."

The Duneland Y Senior Center brings active older adults together through fitness classes and social outings. With members such as Stella, the Y Senior Center is able to strengthen ties and promote healthy living in the Duneland community.

For more information about activities or programs for active older adults, contact Nancy Zlamal, nzlamal@dunelandymca.org

 

 

Posted 8/10/2015

 
 
 
 
 

 

 

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