Mom was named Resident of the Month for May. The Terrace asked Aggles and me to do a write-up about her to put on the bulletin board with some photos. Aggles and I were both running on empty. So Tom sat down at his computer and here's what came out:
Martha Evans is a sixteen-time Senior Olympic table tennis champion. When she was in her 70's she became a ping-pong fanatic. In her early 80's she was a Senior Olympic gold medalist in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. She has a big bag of medals hidden in her closet.
She won Chattanooga and state championships for her age group from 1980 to 2005. Traveling to state tournaments in Nashville, Memphis and Fiery Gizzard, she demolished all her opponents with a wicked forehand and a sneaky backspin. She moved to the Terrace with her table and paddle and proceeded to take on all comers including residents, staff, and visitors brave enough or foolish enough to challenge her serve.
As if table tennis were not enough, her other accomplishments include:
• 30 year membership in the Hiking Club, with expeditions led by Ken Andrews to Big Sur, The Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite.....
• Adventurous trips to foreign lands including a river barge trip in France, a trip to Vienna and travels to Canada, Nova Scotia and the strange but wonderful city of San Francisco.
Growing up in Chattanooga, Martha played piano in several music groups. She fell in love with Kenneth Evans during WWII and they married when the war was over. She sang, gave piano lessons, and later taught speech therapy in Hamilton County Schools. She has two daughters, Linda and Margaret.
Some of her favorite things about the Terrace:
• The musical groups that visit
• The plays that Debbie organizes
• The blossoming cherry tree outside her window
• That dogs are allowed! (her favorite resident is Charlie)
• Dinner time
Some of her favorite things about Chattanooga:
• Riverwalk
• The Barn Nursery
• The Pumpkin Patch Playground
• The Aquarium
• The Tennessee River Gorge
Tom, Aggles and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts for writing this report. We're not sure about the Fiery Gizzard part, but it sounds very dramatic.
