Marie, 94, from Brookdale Bethany, has a passion for basketball. She grew up on a farm in Chester, Oklahoma, where she went to grade school for eight years in a small schoolhouse with one room. Marie was the only one of five siblings to continue on to high school. Marie said, “I would wake up, milk the cows, and walk one mile to the bus stop to get to high school. I had to stay with friends to be close to the high school.” During this time, Marie became very interested in basketball. She would come home from school and enjoyed watching basketball on TV. She is passionate not only about basketball, but her favorite team—the Oklahoma City Thunder. Today, Marie enjoys watching every OKC Thunder game on TV. Her Wish of a Lifetime was to attend an OKC Thunder game.
Marie is not only a dedicated OKC Thunder fan, but a dedicated volunteer as well. She volunteered at Church of the Servant for about 10 years, helping with anything the church needed, such as making food in the kitchen and teaching. Marie also enjoyed volunteering with neighborhood associations and worked at Tinker Air Force Base and Douglas Aircraft during WWII.
Wish of a Lifetime and Brookdale Senior Living were excited to send Marie and her nephew, James, to the OKC Thunder game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Rachel Kidd, Resident Programs Coordinator at Brookdale Bethany, said, “Marie follows the team religiously. She is a hard core basketball fan.” Marie loved watching the OKC Thunder live from Chesapeake Energy Arena. Marie said, “I had a wonderful time. Lots of people showed up on the big screen in the arena. One time I looked up and there I was with Jimmy [James]!” Marie is still sporting her OKC Thunder gear and having fun sharing her experience with fellow residents at her community.
Photo credit: Sarah Vorva, Wanderlust Exposures
