Life in the Later Lane
K.D. Sullivan: From Park Bench to Publishing House
At 15, K.D. Sullivan was homeless, hungry, and sleeping on park benches in Honolulu’s Aina Haina neighborhood....
Retired conference consultant embraces San Francisco and its history with tour of her own neighborhood
As she strolls toward the smallest park in San Francisco, Bonnie Wallsh calls back to the group...
Farm life couldn’t compete with the excitement of big cities and the challenge of the executive life
In college, Bob Britt worked as a night auditor at a roadside Holiday Inn in Southern Illinois....
Successful sous chef finds equilibrium and support after career sidetracked by health and hard times
Jon Insco has been a go-getter most of his life — always hustling for his next adventure....
Being an ‘old soul’ isn’t just about age but an attitude – best nurtured by intergenerational contact
SF SENIORBEAT GUEST COLUMN – There’s a corner of Gen Z internet culture that has popularized the...
How a dedicated teacher of young children became a dedicated civic volunteer.
Sharon Yow’s father drove a truck and tried his hand at farming. Her mother worked a switchboard...
Famed boogie-woogie pianist embroiders her performances with her own hand-crafted art
Caroline Dahl has never forgotten the glamorous, red-haired woman in a sequined dress she saw at a...
The biggest, best walk – and bath of a lifetime.
Tina Martin SENIORBEAT GUEST COLUMN – I love San Francisco, and I love to walk. So when...
‘So hard, all the losses and pain:’ Personal and world tragedies led daughter of Holocaust survivors to life of helping others help others
Juliet Rothman was living in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1992 when her 21-year-old son Daniel attempted a double...
Rock ‘n’ roll and diamonds shaped the life of Arthur Indenbaum
WRITER'S NOTE: Arthur Indenbaum died on November 28, 2025, with his wife and daughter by his side....
A lucky phone call steered him into a 54-year career as a shipping executive.
Tony Hanley felt stuck. He’d flunked out of San Francisco City College and was working at an...
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Maintaining that ‘je ne c’est qua’ into age 60 and beyond
SENIOR FASHIONISTA – Mark Allan Davis, 57, is a musical theater specialist born in Rochester, N.Y. He says his work in dance and theatre took him to Europe, where he learned that “being fashionable and being stylish aren’t mutually inclusive. I collect clothes, then get rid of them, then look for new bargains. Successfully, I ...
Obstacles prove plenty for active woman when a wheelchair enters her life
Peggy Coster’s life at 69 is full and busy. But hers requires a lot more planning – and patience than most people’s. At the age of 39, after having lived a relatively healthy existence, she was diagnosed with post-polio syndrome. Since then, she has had to rely on a wheelchair to get around. And sometimes ...
Pop-Up pairs ‘perennials’ and millennials for conversation– and possible friendships
CREATING COMMUNITY – Manny’s cafe on the corner of 16th and Valencia streets was noisy and crowded. Scattered among the predominant millennials were a handful of perennials – a new term for seniors, as in enduring or existing for a long time – who nervously waited for the announced event to begin. Most of us ...
Matching outfits for him and his sister inspired lifelong interest in fashion
Jerry W. Brown describes his style as “I don’t like paying full price.” So he always picks his clothes from items on sale. SENIOR FASHIONISTA – Actually, his interest in clothing all came from his mother,” he said. “Me and my sister always had matching outfits for church. She hated it but I loved it.” ...
On the road again: Singer on search for last traditional piano bars for documentary
From the time she was a little girl, Kathy Holly’s mother would take her to piano bars to join in the singing in its convivial atmosphere. As a child and performer still going in her 7th decade, she has lived through the piano bar’s heyday as well as its decline. Her career has taken her ...
Coffee shop regular never fails to sport carefully selected attire and adorable dachshund
Wilma Winston visits Farley’s coffee shop on Potrero Hill several times a week, enjoying a cup and conversation with her neighbors. SENIOR FASHIONISTA – The 25-year resident of Potrero Hill, known at Farley’s for her elegant style and devoted dachshund Hexley, is a native of Germany. Now retired, she was the West Coast representative for ...
