Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined

Marsha Borders, 76, met early life challenges with tenacity and resourcefulness, including her mother’s mental illness and her own experiences of racial discrimination. An African American lesbian committed to social justice, Marsha believes in building bridges through respect, kindness, and purposeful action. Currently, she co-chairs the Environmental Committee of the League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest, Illinois. Today, her priorities are clear: “saving our democracy,” protecti

Chris Ruys, 81, has never been one to resist an interesting fork in the road. A lifelong lover of art, words and people’s stories, she follows her curiosity into activism, creative pursuits and unexpected adventures. What others might call taking risks, she sees as making choices—with her mother’s example as an enduring inspiration. Her activism took root during her early 20s, from protesting the Vietnam War at UC Berkeley to a fledgling activist group at Illinois State University. As editor of

At 76, Magda Bogin describes herself as an “a-typical international,” drawn to the sounds of languages, the cello, and the power of words. A poet, novelist, journalist, teacher, librettist, translator, and cellist, she has devoted her life to exploring how we make meaning and express what we know. For 25 years, through her retreat center, Under the Volcano, in the heart of Mexico, Magda has brought together world-renowned teachers and accomplished and emerging writers from English- and Spa

At 76, Magda Bogin describes herself as an “a-typical international,” drawn to the sounds of languages, the cello, and the power of words. A poet, novelist, journalist, teacher, librettist, translator, and cellist, she has devoted her life to exploring how we make meaning and express what we know. For 25 years, through her retreat center, Under the Volcano, in the heart of Mexico, Magda has brought together world-renowned teachers and accomplished and emerging writers from English- and Spa

For Liz DiCarlo, 77, activism isn’t something separate from everyday life. It is how she lives—seeing a need, stepping forward, and working alongside others to create change. Now retired after a long career as a registered nurse and community organizer in central North Carolina, New Bedford, and throughout Cape Cod and the islands, Liz and her wife of 38 years, Bev Baccelli, are creating a new chapter together. Retirement has simply given Liz more time to continue the work that matters to her.

Ann Jones, 75, has never been afraid of change. Curiosity and courage have carried her from teaching on a remote Native American reservation to a demanding career with Andersen Consulting/Accenture, and later to gardening, real estate, and a new life in Asheville, North Carolina. That first teaching assignment, 90 miles from Gallup, New Mexico, taught Ann something important: she could handle hard things. Teaching wasn’t her calling, but the experience gave her the confidence to keep moving tow