Edmond Outlook - January 2019

January 2019

Painter Without Paint

Jerry Bergin Shares His Unique Technique and Creations

The Bells of Edmond

Duncan Hall WWII Veteran

Plastic Galaxy of Memories

Features

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FIT FOR THE FIGHT

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THE BELLS OF EDMOND

Ah, blended families. If you have one and made it through the holidays with little or no drama - congratulations. It’s not easy. Someone gets too much attention and there’s jealousy. Or someone gets excluded and feelings are hurt. Blending is hard work. Alison and I find it exhausting.

Polite coexistence may be the best we can hope for. Of course I am talking about our pets.

Edmond Boxers Champion the Sport in the Ring and the Gym Edmond’s Historic Bells Ring in the New Year

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GALAXY OF MEMORIES

Between us, we have 4 fur babies. There are territory squabbles, occasional hissing fits and barking. Lots of barking. But they are all loved, and we are doing our best to make it work.

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THE DECADE DOCTORS

Alison is mom to Puzzle and Mac. Puzzle is the long haired Calico and senior citizen of the group. When Puzzle walks, you can almost feel her joints aching. Her meows are deep and scratchy - almost like a she was a lifetime smoker.

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Mac is Alison’s mixed breed dog. Half Havanese and half King Charles spaniel - and all neurotic. Not really his fault. He was rescued from a puppy farm, so he has some issues. Anything out of his routine upsets the little guy. He once spent hours barking at a new purse Alison brought home. Alison loves him very much. He seems to have mostly accepted me.

Don’t tell him, but I would describe him as a sausage link with puppy legs.

I also bring a dog and cat set to our relationship. I have a female cat I call “black kitty.” She once had a name but she doesn’t listen anyway… and I’m a visual person… so I just call her the descriptor. Black Kitty is a onecat-per-household cat living in a four-pet home. She lives a sequestered life in the back half of the house. She seems content not engaging the other pets.

I also have a dog, Bailey, who is the youngster of the group. She’s super smart and unquestionably the best dog I have ever had (sorry Baron, Solo and Lady). She goes to work with me most everyday. And enjoys greeting clients and being fed lunch yummies by Back40ers.

Our pets are part of the family. With all our kids gone, Alison and I still get to dote on little ones, clean up after messy ones and still have tuck-in rituals. We even give the occasional lecture (they don’t listen). I guess one big difference is none of these pets will ever move out.

Dave Miller Back40 Design President

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Local Toy Store Specializes in Vintage Collectibles Dr. Walker & Dr. Keso Look Back on their Local Practices PAINTER WITHOUT PAINT

Artist Jerry Bergin Shares his Unique Art HALL DUNCAN TOWNSQUARE

French Townsquare Dedicated to Edmond WWII Veteran

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ALL CARE PET HOSPITAL / THE VISITING VET

Business

Keeping our Furry Friends Happy and Healthy

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THE VISION OF AN EYE RESEARCHER

EyeCRO’s Phillip Vanlandingham and Cutting Edge Research

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LOUISE TUCKER JONES

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DR. J. DAVID CHAPMAN

Always Keep in Touch

Lights! Camera! Economic Development!

Cover photography by Marshall Hawkins

ADVERTISING l Laura Beam at 405-301-3926 l laura@edmondoutlook.com MAILED MONTHLY TO 50,000 HOMES IN EDMOND/NORTH OKC 80 East 5th Street, Suite 130, Edmond, OK 73034 l 405-341-5599 l edmondoutlook.com l info@edmondoutlook.com January 2019 Volume 15, Number 1

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Edmond Outlook is a publication of Back40 Design, Inc.

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© 2018 Back40 Design, Inc.

PUBLISHER Dave Miller l ADVERTISING MANAGER Laura Beam l GRAPHIC DESIGN Adrian Townsend l PRODUCTION Rachel Morse PHOTOGRAPHY Marshall Hawkins www.sundancephotographyokc.com l DISTRIBUTION Edmond Outlook is delivered FREE by direct-mail to 50,000 Edmond & North OKC homes.

Articles and advertisements in the Outlook do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the magazine or Back40 Design. Back40 Design does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. The acceptance of advertising by the Outlook does not constitute endorsement of the products, services or information. We do not knowingly present any product or service that is fraudulent or misleading in nature. The Outlook assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials.

FEATURELOOK

Stephanie Tolson

Get ready, get sweaty. All thoughts turn to fitness this time of year. The struggle is real. For many, working out has evolved beyond just the necessary health benefits of exercise into the drive to live and train like an athlete. And when that training involves slipping into gloves and pummeling a punching bag, it’s next-level empowerment, especially for women.

With a degree in exercise fitness, a great grandfather who boxed during WWII and a father skilled in martial arts, Edmond boxer Stephanie, ‘The Terminator,’ Tolson discovered her passion for contact sports early in life.

Now, at 38 years-old, the 5ft 3-inch petite powerhouse is not only excelling competitively in a once-predominantly male sport, but helping redefine it in the gym as well.

With 16 fights under her belt, including the 2018 National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, Tolson is a driving force in building awareness of the sport for women.

Although there are still fewer women than men in the ring, that disparity is waning in the gym.

“You don’t have to compete to take up boxing,” Tolson says, “and you don’t have to be in shape first, before starting. I’ve exercised all my life and am in better shape now, at 38 years-old, than I was at 25.”

The raw, un-choreographed mechanics of boxing might seem intimidating at first, but newcomers of all ages and fitness levels are discovering the thrill of the fight. For four years at Roughhouse Boxing & Fitness in Edmond, Tolson and co-owner Joe Garcia, have brought a no-frills approach to the sport. There’s something incredibly motivating even about the spartan atmospherics of the gym itself--like the

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Fit for the Fight

By Laura Beam

stark, unyielding room offers no excuses. You know what you’re there to do.

Even the class schedule is straightforward: All classes are for all ages and all fitness levels.

While Tolson and Garcia--a competitive boxer and head coach at the gym-are keeping it real, they also keep it fun and invigorating. “We’re like a small, tight-knit community with great camaraderie and support,” Tolson says with a grin, “but we keep each other on our toes.”

At Roughhouse Boxing & Fitness, you may be punching a bag next to someone who trains for self-defense in their line of work, or you might just as well be sweating it out alongside a CEO or soccer mom. One member who has trained at Roughhouse for several years, says, “Joe and Stephanie are both humble and knowledgeable boxing people. Joe loves to teach and instruct, even novices such as myself. Stephanie keeps the gym about boxing and nothing else. The noise of the outside world stays out there, and the gym is for everyone because we are all there for one thing.”

On tap for this growing gym is an exciting new exercise program specifically for those suffering with Parkinson’s disease.

“Groundbreaking medical research and strides have shown that boxing is one of the best exercises to help slow the progression of the disease,” Tolson says. Roughhouse, currently taking one-on-one Parkinson’s clients, will become an affiliate of the ‘Ready to Fight’ program, with plans to offer group Parkinson’s classes later this year.

For more information, visit www.roughhouseboxingandfitness.com.

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FEATURELOOK

Photo Credit: UCO Archives and Special Collections

Photo Courtesy of: Rev. Josh Attaway

The Bells of Edmond Throughout American history, bells have signaled important moments and the passing of time. A surprising number of historical and symbolic bells exist in Edmond. Each has its own rich, ringing, history—and here are a few examples:

The Oldest Bell

The Little Bells

A tradition exists on the campus of the University of Central Oklahoma that graduates walk by and touch the bell in Barnett Plaza. The bell is believed to date back to the 1890s, when it first rang to call the college students to school. The school was established as the first teacher-training college in Oklahoma Territory. Although the bell’s exact journey of moving to various sites on campus, including Old North, is unclear, the symbolism of the bell is crystal clear—to announce the beginning of the school day. Since education is woven into the very fabric of this community, the importance of this 120+ year bell really resonates.

The Most-Heard Church Bell

Like the Big Ben of Edmond--time is signaled on the hour and half-hour from the bell tower of First Christian Church at 2nd and Boulevard! At noon and five o’clock, the “chimes” are replaced with the full pealing of religious songs. This tradition began in 1996 when the church’s new steeple and sanctuary were completed and dedicated. The bells are not actual bells, but rather a modern sound system played by a digital “carillon.” The system was purchased in honor of the members and congregation of First Christian

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The Old-Fashioned Bell

Near the college campus, another bell rang to start the school day in Oklahoma Territory. The Ladies Aid Society raised funds to build the elementary-age schoolhouse in 1889, and during its second year, purchased a 325-pound bell. Volunteers built the belfry on the north end of the schoolhouse, which is still visible today. The schoolhouse was restored by the Edmond Preservation Trust in 2007. Knowledge of the original bell remains a mystery, but the current bell was purchased by citizens during the reconstruction. The bell is sounded the old-fashioned way, by pulling on a rope, to signal holidays and Territorial Schoolhouse programs hosted by the Edmond Historical Society & Museum.

By Amy Dee Stephens

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Church and for the Edmond community. The music is heard from the Public Library, UCO campus, downtown Edmond and nearby neighborhoods--even further on a clear day.

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Hand-sized bells are part of the tradition of First United Methodist Church in Edmond. The first building and belfry were built shortly after the Land Run, but burned down in 1927. The damaged bell was melted to form small, memorial handbells, which the church sold for $1 each to raise funds for the new building at its present location. Incidentally, the church has a longstanding handbell choir that plays for worship services and holiday events.

The Newest (and Biggest) Bell

St. Luke’s Methodist Church in Oklahoma City has an iconic bell tower.

Recently, while having some work done on the bells, staff discovered an identical, unused bell at a foundry in Cincinnati. It is exactly the same, except bigger, at six feet tall and weighing 13,000 pounds--making it the 7th largest free-standing bell in the United States! The church decided that the perfect home for this sister bell was at the Edmond branch of St. Luke’s. Plans are underway to install the bell for the church’s 5th Anniversary on March 31st, where the bell will ceremonially ring for the first time. Its street corner location will eventually include a tall, three-cross structure, making the bell visible from I-35.

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FEATURELOOK

Galaxy of Memories

By Elisabeth Slay

AT-AT Walker, Millennium Falcon and Plastic Galaxy Toy Store Owner Seth Hastings

In a Plastic Galaxy not so far away lies a replica of the Millennium Falcon, mini versions of Chewbacca, a life size R2D2 and business owner Seth Hastings.

passion which makes everyone excited to visit his shop. “Everybody that comes in here is always in a good mood and I think they enjoy it. It makes my job easier when they’re in a good mood” he said.

Named after a Netflix documentary, the 40-year-old explained three and a half years ago he opened Plastic Galaxy Toy Store with his wife Michelle.“We specialize in the vintage items and we’re more into the collectibles,” he said. “We usually try to specialize in things you can’t find at Wal-Mart. Also it’s nostalgic, people can come here and find stuff from their childhood.”

The community provides most of the toys and they range from newer items to pieces from the late 70s to early 80s. “The inventory changes so quickly because we buy stuff and sell it online. One day you’ll come in and the next day you’ll see something totally different and that’s cool because it keeps things fresh,” Hastings said.

Before opening the shop, Hastings worked in construction, as a music producer and played in various bands. Eventually he had the idea for the toy store. “My childhood kind of hit that sweet spot with Star Wars, He-Man and Transformers like a cascading effect starting with the movies which transitioned into buying the toys,” he said.

It’s nostalgic, people can come here and find stuff from their childhood.

Now, with help from his wife Michelle, Hastings runs Plastic Galaxy. “A lot of people had this stuff growing up, so they remember playing with it and will have a story about it,” he said. “So really it’s just the items and the association with the customer and then the history behind the toys that I love.”

Similar to Hastings, many of the store’s customers have a deep appreciation for Star Wars, Transformers and similar franchises. Hastings feels it’s that

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This is also a challenge for Hastings because he must balance what he sells online and in the store in addition to his time. Every Tuesday and Thursday, Hastings hosts live sales on his Facebook page. He shows a select toy and the first person to comment gets to purchase it.

It is similar to a live auction and people from all over the world participate.

“Nostalgic, fun and retro” are three words Hastings would use to describe his Plastic Galaxy which he wants to expand.“I hope to keep on growing like any business. You want to make sure you remain relevant and you’re doing all you can to stand out. You don’t want to get lost in the shuffle as just another store,” he said.

For more information on items and sales visit www.plasticgalaxy.net

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FEATURELOOK

The Decade

Doctors

By Amy Dee Stephens

Imagine having the same job for four, five or even six decades!

Meet the Decade Doctors. Both of these medical specialists felt called to the art of healing. They each experienced incredible changes in the industry. Here, they speak candidly about their lifetime missions to help people and their sorrows at facing retirement.

Dr. Phillip Walker, Optometrist

Dr. Walker, age 74, is rather amazed by his unlikely career as an eye specialist--a career that is still going after 46 years. He wasn’t raised in a life of privilege. His mother was just fifteen when he was born, and consequently, his parents dropped out of high school. “Because of my low-income raising, my number one goal in life was to have starched shirts like the other kids at school. I wanted nice things.”

Walker’s mom worked as a receptionist for a local optometrist, so Walker thought, “Why not try for that?” His solution for moving forward was to join the Marines, which is where he found his sense of direction. He finished his service just before the Vietnam War draft and entered medical school on the GI bill. “I couldn’t believe I did it, and I was terrified,” Walker said. “We had no electronic equipment, and I did a lot of educated guessing. I was handwriting patient records on index cards, if you can believe that.”

Early on, Walker remembers when people only came to his office for serious eye problems. He was able to make a living by seeing one or two patients a day. He also didn’t have the quarter of a million dollars in educational debt most doctors have today.

“The field has changed. We have facts, databases and predictors to work with. I’m smart enough to know that I need to keep up with technology, so I buy the latest equipment and learn how to use it. That keeps my mind active and makes me smarter. I also exercise strenuously to keep my body healthy— so I feel young.”

In 2013, when Dr. Walker decided to ease into retirement by cutting back to a few days a week, he found himself depressed. “I seriously cried one day because I couldn’t figure out who I was anymore. I was losing touch with my patients--some who’d been coming to me for 45 years!” Walker said. “I’m such a people-person, and appointments aren’t just an eye check-up, they’re a social exchange. We talk about life and problems, and sometimes, as I get older, I even find myself praying with people who are facing serious health issues. It’s very humbling.”

For the time being, Walker plans to continue seeing patients for a few more years. “My life could have gone in a very different direction, because my family couldn’t help me--but the Lord has been with me. Being a doctor has been a perfect fit and the love of my life.”

Continued on page 18

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Dr. Phillip Walker

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FEATURELOOK

Continued from page 16

Dr. Larson Keso, Orthodontist

For 65 years, Dr. Keso peered into people’s mouths. When he graduated from dental school in 1955, he spent a few years as a general dentist in the Air Force, where he mainly pulled teeth and made dentures. “Gee,” he thought, “This is not a healing art.” So he decided to specialize in orthodontics.

In 1960, he opened his practice in Oklahoma City. He soon built his own custom-designed office made out of Oklahoma Limestone, near the new Penn Square area, and added an Edmond office twenty years later. Keso quickly saw the need for treating birth defects, particularly cleft lip Keso quickly and cleft palate. Little was known or being done back then, so he saw the need for helped organize a team to develop treatments. Team members treating birth volunteered their services at the defects, particularly children’s hospital, using their own supplies and instruments.

cleft lip and cleft palate.

Keso felt strongly that Oklahoma needed to build a College of Dentistry—so he gathered a committee of colleagues. “But we didn’t know how to start a dental college,” Keso said. He met with people, visited other schools, and was appointed as chairman until the OU College of Dentistry was actually established.

When Keso decided to retire, he transitioned his practice over to his associate Dr. Mark Felton. Facing retirement was hard for such a dedicated doctor.

Last year, at the age of 92, he briefly returned to work when Dr. Felton passed away unexpectedly. “I was faced with the moral obligation of several hundred patients needing care, so I jumped back in until someone else could take over.”

Dr. Larson Keso

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Keso is adjusting to his slower pace, but he can’t completely remove himself from the career of his life. He remains active with the dental college as a faculty member, teaching academic seminars. “I’ll never regret going into orthodontics. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”

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FEATURELOOK

Painter Without Paint

By Elisabeth Slay

Jerry Bergin

He slammed the plasters on the wooden panel and slowly began blending the chalky substances together. After forming a textured background, artist Jerry Bergin, perused his various dyes until he found the perfect shade of gray. With his pasty hands, Jerry raised the airbrush to the panel and gray splattered across the wood. Carefully he traced his intricate hand cut stencils until the random puzzle became a detailed horse.

For the last three years Jerry has created 45 different paintings for his “Urban Southwest Art” collection. However, rather than utilize the stereotypical art tools to make these large two-dimensional statement pieces, Jerry creates with materials commonly used for house construction. “I don’t use paint brushes.

I don’t use oil paints, pastels or acrylics.

I use plasters,” he explained. “It’s just a very nontraditional approach to fine art which I think is one of the things that sets me apart.”

It’s typical for Jerry to use dyes, inks and latex paints when constructing his artwork. “Everything I use in all my pieces was actually created to be used on walls and woodwork inside homes. I just turned it into something that would work well on a wooden canvas,” he said.

Jerry explained his art is both urban and western. He’s inspired by the textures of street art and beauty of americano imagery and it’s these influential aspects which help him accurately portray the concept. “I’m trying to create these looks of old metal or old concrete, something a street artist would be thrilled to paint over,” he said. “You’ve got these very 20

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urbanized looking backgrounds juxtaposed with a cowboy or a horse but I like that.”

Many have come to appreciate the details of the painter’s eccentric creations which he said take more than 40 hours a piece to complete. Were it not for a good friend with a large social media following, Jerry would not yet be in his current position. “I wasn’t expecting anyone to love it. I was shocked. I had people ask for interviews and I had people ask if they could put them in galleries,” he explained.

The father of three has loved art most of his life and always had a unique style. As a child he doodled, in high school he took all art classes, he graduated college with an art education degree, painted murals for Six Flags, had his own faux finish business and now runs a house painting company. In all his endeavors the artist was drawn to nontraditional art and even felt guilty for it. “It was a lengthy process for Jerry to accept and use his gift,” his wife Ali said. “I get a lot of joy watching him in his natural environment, when he’s in the flow of creating art and when he’s sharing it with others at a show.”

Over time, Jerry developed his own way of creating art and is now a painter who doesn’t paint. “I fully hope his hands will sustain what his mind and heart want to create and that he’s blessed with an audience that desires the same,” Ali said.

For more information visit www.jerrybergin.com.

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BIZLOOK

All Care Pet Hospital

how to keep their furry friends healthy and happy.

He’s especially passionate about the health and care of puppies and kittens. From the youthful spring in a puppies step, to the elderly waddle of a senior dog, Dr. Newsome offers appropriate medical care for the needs of all ages. “As we age, our pets are going through the same changes,” he says. “I ask what we can do to give them a better life?”

By Maria Veres

One unique aspect of Dr. Newsome’s practice is his house-call service. At first he was strictly a visiting vet. He opened his clinic in the early 1990s, however he still visits patients whose owners can’t make it to the office. There’s always a veterinarian available at the clinic—either Dr. Newsome or his associate, Dr. Heather Cobb.

The Visiting Veterinarian

Dr. David Newsome cares for many of Edmond’s cats and dogs, he even has a cat on his staff, Mike Rowe. Mike Rowe is a former stray off Broadway and is the public relations specialist at All Care Pet Hospital. Named after the host of the Dirty Jobs TV series, Mike Rowe greets patients and helps supervise the human staff. It’s a role nobody imagined when Dr. Newsome rescued him on a freezing winter day. “It took about six weeks for him to trust us, he was so wild,” Dr. Newsome recalls. “Now he has no fear of dogs, cats, or people.”

Dr. Newsome wants his clients to achieve the same kind of success with their own pets. Along with providing medical care, he counsels owners on

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During his 37 years as an Edmond veterinarian, Dr. Newsome has cared for thousands of animals.

Some of his most unforgettable patients were dogs working at the Murrah bombing site, who needed care for cut feet and heat stroke. Dr. Newsome was the first veterinarian on the scene. Two dozen others joined him later. “At one point we had a fullfledged hospital,” he says.

Dr. Newsome’s practice includes modern technology like digital x-rays and photon therapy.

But he’s quick to remind clients that good pet care begins at home. During winter, he urges pet owners to serve extra food, make sure water bowls don’t freeze, and provide a warm bed for all pets.

Dr. Newsome is now working with the children and grandchildren of some of his original clients, and he looks forward to caring for their pets in the future. “You’re always going to see the same face and the same staff,” he says. “We get to know our patients very well. It builds a rapport that can’t be beat.”

All Care Pet Hospital/Visiting Vet is open Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

Call (405) 341-0000 or find them online at www.visitingvetedmond.org.

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BIZLOOK

The Vision of an Eye Researcher

By Amy Dee Stephens

Cell Biologist and eye researcher Phillip Vanlandingham is on the brink of a potentially industry-changing development. With 36 million adults in the U.S. facing visual impairments or diseases, Vanlandingham and his co-workers at EyeCRO in Oklahoma City are on a mission to find easier, less invasive ways to help people see.

In his latest ‘passion project,’ Vanlandingham is preparing to present a new formulary for Dry Eye Disease to the Federal Drug Administration. “This could be one of those few big success stories,” he says. “It’s a really big deal for our company and for biotechnology in Oklahoma.”

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At EyeCRO, the fastest-growing eye research company in the world, the primary function is to test new therapeutic drugs for pharmaceutical companies. “We test compounds in fancy machines with eye cells or eye tissues. The machines then tell us if the tissue is affected under certain situations.

After testing, we notify the requesting company if their idea did or didn’t work,” Vanlandingham explains.

According to Vanlandingham, it’s actually rare for something to work--but the few successes make it worth all the work. “We researched a promising gene therapy for a rare disease that caused children to lose their vision. During clinical testing, a majority of the children who received this therapeutic actually regained their vision. When the finding was reported, people in the audience started crying when they saw the results. It’s those successes that drive and motivate us to keep trying.”

Much of today’s current research focuses on diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Vanlandingham is personally driven to find therapies that can be used in place of risky surgeries. “Besides testing the ideas of other

Phillip Vanlandingham

companies, our chemistry team is developing patented formulations, which basically means that instead of taking a pill and putting drugs into the whole body, we’ve developed an eye drop that can administer an active agent straight into the eye,” he says.

“People who’ve never had an eye issue don’t realize how frustrating and debilitating eye problems are,” Vanlandingham remarks. “A lot of progress has been made, but so much more needs to be done.”

For more information visit www.eyecro.com

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FEATURELOOK

Hall Duncan Townsquare

By Amy Dee Stephens

Dr. Hall Duncan is the most energetic 94-year-old you will ever meet. He’s still actively traveling the world, writing and illustrating children’s books, and bringing awareness to important causes that affect youth. In September, his work on behalf of children was repaid when a village in France named their town square in his honor: Hall Duncan Place.

tragically killed in the same battle in which Duncan fought. Although the two never met, it was on Duncan’s suggestion that the stone memorial was created.

“The mayor, whose family farm was once under Nazi occupation, was appreciative of the American soldiers who died for his people, so he was supportive of the monument idea,” Duncan said. “We did build it, and I was at the dedication. After a parade and school children singing, I read an acceptance speech in French that I’d prepared.”

In recent years, Duncan has received various honors for his WWII service, including a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, and the planting of a veteran’s tree in his name. Next year, villagers from France plan to visit the United States to honor Duncan at a military ceremony at the College of the Ozarks.

Despite Duncan’s strong ties with France, his connections stretch across international boundaries. He’s spent considerable time in South Africa, where he attended college and worked as a missionary. Duncan taught “I’ve returned to France four times to retrace the battlefields where I fought cartooning and advertising design for seventeen years at the University of during World War II,” Duncan said. “This was my final Central Oklahoma, and after retiring, he began writing visit to Bourgaltroff, and before I left, I was taken to “I’ve returned to and illustrating children’s books full-time. The proceeds the town square. I was so surprised when the mayor from each of his books are dedicated to a specific cause. dedicated it in my honor. It was very moving. The French France four times really show their emotions, and I did too. We all began Duncan’s current passion is to bring awareness to child to cry.” to retrace the slavery, an issue which captured his attention during travels to Singapore and the Caribbean. When battlefields where his It was 74 years ago that Duncan was an ally soldier Duncan’s research revealed a disturbing number of child stationed in Bourgaltroff and the nearby village of I fought during molestation cases here in central Oklahoma, he directed Guèbling, which was a Nazi headquarters. Most of his efforts toward raising money for local treatment Duncan’s regiment was lost, and he was wounded.

World War II” centers.

Because he was deeply affected by his wartime experience, Duncan has remained in contact with both Although this 94-year-old now relies on a walker, he has towns. For many years, Duncan has sent proceeds no intentions of letting age slow him down--he has too many causes close to from his published books to help buy books and technology for their school his heart. The people of France aren’t the only ones appreciative of Duncan’s children. He views them as his adopted children, and they know him as their humanitarian work, but their effort of putting his name on a town square sign “American Dad.” on the other side of the world means a lot to Hall Duncan.

In 2011, Duncan and his late wife, Lois, were present in Guèbling for the “I really love the people in France. I’ve tried to be part of their life because dedication of a monument in honor of Oklahoman, Ruben Rivers. Rivers, their ancestors suffered a lot. I feel so loved and respected that there’s now a a heroic tank sergeant of African American and Cherokee heritage, was memorial to me.”

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ALOOKBACK

friends, showing off our kids and grandkids. And like me, Ellen was widowed. Sisters in a sorority that neither of us wanted to join.

By Louise Tucker Jones A few years ago an old college friend contacted me through our alumni site. Ellen and I had lived and worked in the same dorm at NSU in Tahlequah.

We attended the Baptist Student Union and even took self-defense classes together. It was great to hear from her. Of course, we became Facebook

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Now, imagine my surprise when a year later I began seeing condolences to Ellen’s children on Facebook. I went to her page and found that my long time friend had died of lung cancer. I was shocked and suddenly catapulted back in time.

Nearly fifty years vanished in a flash and I was back in Wilson Hall, the dorm where we lived.

I wanted to turn to my roommate and the girls around me and say, “Ellen died!” But, of course, they weren’t there. I had lost touch with them years ago.

I wanted to tell my late husband, Carl. We had been friends with Ellen and her husband when we all lived in Tulsa after college graduation. They came to our home soon after we brought our baby boy, Travis, home from the hospital. A happy time.

Then, three months later, they attended our son’s funeral. At least Ellen told me they did. I wouldn’t know. That part of my life is a still a fog.

Finally, I came back to the present. There was no one to tell about my friend’s death. No one to grieve with me. I don’t write this for sympathy. I write it to remind all of us to stay in touch with people we love. High school and college friends.

Old neighbors who watched our children grow up. Colleagues. Church friends. And, of course, family.

Life is short. Keep loved ones close. You will be glad you did. You could even make that a New Year’s Resolution. And for the record, my high school girlfriends and I have been lifelong sisters, and I’m now back in touch with my college roommate. I count them all blessings!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Louise Tucker Jones is an award-winning author, inspirational speaker & founder of Wives With Heavenly Husbands, a support group for widows.

LouiseTJ@cox.net or LouiseTuckerJones.com.

CITYLOOK

Lights!

Camera!

Economic Development!

By Dr. J. David Chapman The long-awaited grand opening is now complete.

VIP event hosts Chuck and Gena Norris have left the building after the ribbon-cutting ceremony and ShowBiz Cinemas is now officially open.

Although record rainfalls over the summer postponed the opening about a month, the excitement could be felt all over town. Not just citizens wanting the ultimate movie-watching experience, but city leaders wanting to stop what we call leakage.

In economic terms, “leakage” simply means tax dollars from your area going to another area to accomplish something or buy something that they can’t get in your community. Edmond has been

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lacking this type of modern cinema entertainment and sales tax revenue has been leaking out to Oklahoma City and Moore for several years. To accomplish the project, Edmond city council members approved a $4.8 million economic incentive. The incentive, passed in March 2017, will be paid back by ShowBiz Cinemas and helped with land, site development, and construction costs.

Showbiz Cinemas calls this latest concept a “Movies and More” experience. Located at the northwest corner of I-35 and Covell, it features 14 bowling lanes; a lane-side café with expansive food and drink options; 10 state-of-the-art movie screens with electric leather recliner seating; full bar with beer, wine, and cocktails; cutting edge modern arcade with redemption center; multiple party rooms for every occasion; and an SDX, Superior Digital Experience auditorium featuring a 70-foot, wall-to-wall, ceiling-to-floor screen, 4K laser projection and immersive Dolby Atmos surround sound. If you think that sounds

impressive, wait until you experience the sound in the theater.

The company allows firefighters and police officers free admission, which management believes makes for a safer entertainment environment. The cinema is part of a much larger vision for this I-35 corridor location called Legacy at Covell. First to open was the Edmond Conference Center and Hilton Garden Hotel.

Starbucks and Braums quickly followed. Zoning has been approved in the area to allow for highdensity, multi-family housing and retail, giving the suburban area a more urban feel and hopefully attracting even more amenities to the area..

Dr. J. David Chapman is an Associate Professor of Finance & Real Estate at UCO. jchapman7@uco.edu

80 East 5th St., Ste. 130 Edmond, OK 73034