COMMUNITY & CULTURE
TAKE IT FROM ME … with Marylen Mann
ADVOCATE FOR ACTIVE AGING . ARTISTICALLY PASSIONATE . A STUDY IN PERSEVERANCE .
By Diane Kline
Do not be fooled by Marylen Mann ’ s petite stature . She is indubitably a mighty force .
As the founder of OASIS , she had a simple focus : to help aging people lead better lives . Through her determination and perseverance , the nonprofit has grown to national prominence , with offices in 50 cities encouraging and supporting hundreds of thousands of seniors to stay active , healthy and socially engaged .
Mann ’ s commitment , as well as her intellect and creativity , have impacted many other areas of the community , especially in the arts as a board member for the Contemporary Art Museum , Craft Alliance Center of Art + Design and the St . Louis Symphony .
Her endless energy and positive attitude is more enviable given the challenges she has faced . At age 43 , she lost her husband ; later , she lost her 45-year-old son to brain cancer . After being widowed for 19 years , she married Frank Jacobs ( founder of Falcon Products ), whom she had dated in college . He wanted to go steady then , but they broke up after she turned him down , only to rekindle their courtship years later . Mann is dedicated to her friends and family , especially her six grandchildren . She took the time to reflect on some of her philosophies and past experiences .
Pull your socks up ! When things get tough , pull your socks up ! I was only 43 years old when my husband died , leaving me with two sons to raise by myself . I ’ m not one to cry , “ Poor me !” No one can feel your pain , and you don ’ t want it to define you . You need to get beyond yourself and out of your problems .
Surround yourself with mentors . In any venture , you have to be realistic . It ’ s not easy . Passion can get you started , but you need mentors who believe in you . They give you moral support . And just as important , they have to be honest with you . Everybody ’ s got something to say , even if you don ’ t want to hear it a second time .
Education held the greatest value in my family . Terribly , terribly shy , I grew up with books . My favorite was “ The Seven
Wonders of the Ancient World ” by Richard Haliburton . My parents couldn ’ t go to college , but they made it a priority for me and my sister . My undergraduate degree was in philosophy , but my father encouraged me to be practical and get a master ’ s degree in education . It turned out to be the love of my life .
Just solve one problem at a time . When I started OASIS , I had no idea what I was doing . When a problem came up , we would solve it and move on to the next one . You find courage to keep going when you see that your work matters to people . You see progress and it keeps you going .
Adventure ! Adventure ! My attitude at Oasis was “ We ’ re going to make this an adventure ,” so we made work fun . I was an idea person and managed the organization for 25 years . We ’ d grown so much that I knew it was time to give the reins to someone with a different kind of administrative experience . I strongly believe that a founder shouldn ’ t go on forever . Fortunately , I could still come up with ideas and stay involved .
Show up and show you care . We have no idea what we ’ re going to have to face in life . When something happens to a friend , I take homemade soup or my famous apple sauce . There ’ s no one right way to support somebody who is hurting . Just be willing to listen . Ask , “ Can I bring you food ?” Tell them , “ I need to do something for you .”
I worship creativity . Unfortunately , I have no artistic ability so I ’ m envious of people with that talent . I admire that somebody can create a piece of art and express their unique vision so others can see it and enjoy it . It ’ s why I ’ ve been very involved in arts and culture .
I ’ m never in style , I ’ m never out of style . I dress in artistic pieces that make me smile or that I just find interesting - whether they are in style or not . I never thought I was pretty as a young girl , and once you carry an image of yourself , you can never get over it . We never really see ourselves as others do .
82 GAZELLE STL