Featured Piece in the Emerald Coast Fifty Plus Publication

Have you ever met a couple who you really liked and admired?  I did.  After spending some time with them, I decided to write about them.  Fortunately they let me.  And even more fortunately, I convinced a local publisher to print a small feature on them.  It’s only a small portion of the original piece I submitted but it is still a lovely testament to this husband and wife team who are really something special.

Please enjoy the shorter version published today in the Friday, April 25th edition of the Northwest Florida Daily News Emerald Coast Fifty Plus publication, as pictured here below:

Then please read the uncut version (shared below) that I wrote.  The original reveals more details about their livelihood, active hobbies and interesting tales. 

Original piece:

“Like the expression of fine wine, our relationship and our lives really do get better with age” say Joetta and David McCaig, residents of Gulf Breeze. The couple has been married for 55 years.

With that length of time, one might assume that no surprises would be left; however Joetta beams with renewed affection for David as she mentions a speech he gave during a recent Toastmasters meeting. “I was looking at my husband, hearing him speak and learning something new about him after all this time,” she said smiling.

While other senior couples are slowing down and resting more, the McCaigs (ages 78 and 81) show no signs of stopping. In fact they are active now more than ever. David and Joetta , often referred to as “the dynamic duo” are in five different clubs throughout the northwest Florida region. This includes three different chapters of Toastmasters, a Life Group at the Gulf Breeze Methodist Church, students in various Leisure Learning Society classes offered at the University of West Florida, a Wednesday Bible Study Group and members of the Write On! Pensacola writers group.

The McCaigs maintain a calendar to track all their social activities and commitments. They are often booked for the whole week; however they do leave open opportunities to be spontaneous or “spook” as they call it – such as agree to an impromptu lunch with a friend in Pensacola who calls them suddenly.

When asked how they determine to fill their days, the McCaigs take a logical approach. “We look at our calendar, study the college semester offerings and circle what interests us on an individual basis. After a general discussion together, we select what would be most fun and beneficial for us both,” says Joetta.

Their past studies have included a wide range of disciplines and topics. A few notable ones include: “A Laughing Matter, humor’s impact on relationships and health,” “Around the World by Sailboat with Ron and Joanne Bruce” who spent two years doing the project and “Aviation Art and Fascinating Sculpting” with Bob Rasmussen who has artwork in the Smithsonia Museums, NASA Museum at Cape Canaveral and various locations in Florida.

Beyond art, history and culture, the McCaigs expanded their spiritual interests as well. They recently attended Temple Beth-El, a local synagogue, to hear more about Jewish customs. Joetta and David were both fascinated with the historic traditions of the faith and even completed an advanced course in Hebrew; they can now recite prayers and sing songs in Hebrew.

The MCaigs do not limit themselves to any particular group when it comes to age or genre. In fact they comment that there aren’t many other seniors in most of their groups. “We like being around younger people, with their energy and enthusiasm. It fuels us and keeps us motivated,” says Joetta. They add that younger folks remind them to forget their ailments and aches while focusing instead on a new learning project or skill.

The couple takes particular interest in their Toastmasters groups. They have been members for over twelve years. “We watch members join and flourish in developing communication skills; it’s very rewarding. We both have developed our speaking, listening, leadership and conversational skills because of this organization,” say the McCaigs. They serve as officers of two local Toastmasters clubs and meet weekly, monthly and bi-monthly between the three groups they partake in.

David and Joetta moved to Gulf Breeze in 2001 after a “snow bird” visit during the winter. David grew up as a city slicker in Philadelphia but Joetta has roots as a country girl from the rolling hills of southwestern Pennsylvania. They liked northwest Florida immediately. The couple thought it had a small town atmosphere and they loved the culture it offered through the opera, symphony, orchestra, restaurants and natural beauty of the beaches.

They sure have taken advantage of the area’s offerings since living here. When they are not busy in one of their clubs or classes, the couple enjoys giving back to the community in other ways. The McCaigs have packed bags for the area homeless. They have also served as Co-Presidents of the Music Study Club of Pensacola, an organization that began in 1919 and gives over $10,000 in musical scholarships to outstanding music students in the area.

In spare time, David and Joetta enjoy writing about their past adventures. One of their favorite series of stories is from their roaming days around Europe and Great Britain. In their writers group the McCaigs share personal stories of how they met and descriptions about their family’s history.

The couple reveals a special memory from their wedding day too: “A robin landed on the open church window and sang lustily during our ceremony in California, Pennsylvania.”

Although impulsive, the McCaigs do have their morning and evening rituals. Each morning after waking up the couple greets each other with “Good morning,” kiss, enjoy breakfast, a Bible study and discussion and end with prayer for those around them. They conclude their evenings with a similar format except they typically watch a television program they recorded before going to sleep.

Upon asked if they had difficult years, the McCaigs noted “Life at the mid-point, in our 50’s was full of stress in our careers. Now we enjoy the freedom of retirement and making fun choices.”

The McCaigs are a fine example of senior living at its best but they are humble and do not give advice. They simply encourage others to “learn, love and laugh” often. They leave a lasting impression on those around them but hope that they’ll be most remembered as people who “sprinkled joy” on those who knew them.