There are many memories of my "big" sister I could share. Like the sister who hired me as her assistant for the summer at the screen factory in Camanche when I had just graduated from high school. Or the sister who called when after being a widow for over two years I announced that I was getting married again. Guess she was concerned if I knew what I was doing?! I was 51 years old. But the one memory I will always remember is the last time I had a phone conversation with Diora.
Whenever I spoke with Diora after she took residence at Park Vista I would ask her what she was doing. Usually she said that she was just sitting in her room watching T.V. But this time she told me about two people who were coming into Park Vista teaching some of the residents to play the guitar or harmonica. I asked her if she was participating. Her reply was, "No, it's just fun watching those old people trying to learn something new."
I told her that she had already learned to play the piano. She told me that she didn't play well, probably because she hadn't practiced enough. I responded by telling her I remember a song she practiced over and over and about drove the rest of us out of the house!
She asked what song was that! So I started humming it. Diora started laughing. When her laughter stopped she said, "I guess I was highly motivated."
The song? the official song of the United States Air Force. For you see Diora had just met a young Air Force man, Douglas Hewer!
