SENIOR SUPERLATIVES
Defying Stereotypes and Aging with Joy Research shows that seniors are happier than ever—and after meeting these four remarkable Chicagoans, it’s easy to see why. Bound not by their birth certificates but by their absolute zest for life, they’re living proof that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself, share your message with the world, or follow your true passion. EMILY STONE
HERB SHERIFF, 87 Engineer + Crossing Guard A storied face in District 39, Herb Sheriff has been an important part of the Wilmette Police Department and Village for the past 26 years. Following his successful career in engineering, Sheriff’s wife spotted an advertisement in the Chicago Tribune for crossing guards in Wilmette—and the rest, as they say, is history.
PHOTOS OF SHERIFF AND BROWN BY EMILY STONE
Sheriff aims to lead by example, instilling the values he learned in the army during the Korean War in the children he sees every day. “When I was in Korea, you watched the sergeant: If his legs were bent, you were down on the ground before him. The same thing applies today—you look to those who know better than you do. And there always is someone who does.” And above all else, Sheriff places the utmost importance on the safety of the “little adults” he crosses. “When I took the job, I said no kid will ever be hit. I will put myself before that,” he says.
RENEE MATTHEWS, 86 Actress + Singer Matthews was just 6 years old when she made her onstage debut at the Chicago Theatre, and with a concert pianist mother and opera singer father, it’s safe to say the award-winning actress was destined for the stage. Matthews has starred in countless productions throughout the years, including Old Jews Telling Jokes at Royal George Theatre, A Christmas Carol at Goodman Theatre, The Full Monty at Drury Lane Water Tower, and The Vagina Monologues at the Apollo Theater. In 2014, she appeared in Kmart’s widely viewed “Shop Like a Boss” commercial. Matthews continues to audition for commercials and voiceovers—and her advice for aspiring actors is simple: “Stay passionate about your work, prepare for rejection, and be patient.”
DWAYNE DOBSCHUETZ, 70 Nurse + Cyclist As an advanced nurse practitioner who provides home primary care to seniors, Dobschuetz spends his days turning passion into action by caring for others. Though he’s been known to have a bleeding heart (an ironic description for someone in the medical field), the thrill and challenge of making someone else’s life better is what keeps Dobschuetz motivated. “That sounds simple, but [for me] it’s like magic.“ Dobschuetz keeps himself fit by commuting to patients’ homes on a Northwestern University purple bike— and as an avid cyclist, he wouldn’t want it any other way. “More than 50 years since college, everything has come together for me: my initiative, my training, my experience, and that Northwestern has allowed me to work in this rewarding position.”
MAGDA BROWN, 91 Activist + Storyteller Holocaust survivor Magda Brown, a member of the Speakers’ Bureau of the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, has spent most of her adult life traveling the world to share her harrowing story of survival. In the past nine years alone, she’s addressed over 100,000 people—and though her audience may vary, her message remains the same: “The Holocaust was a premeditated, scientifically coordinated mass murder. Genocide doesn’t happen from one minute to the next; it builds gradually,” she says. “You’ve got to look out for your freedom and protect it to the best of your abilities, because once you lose your freedom, you lose everything.” Even at 91, Brown says her goal is to share her story with as many people as possible so the next generation never forgets the Holocaust—and never allows it to happen again.
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