Gregory McKelvey McKelvey
Rhonda McKelvey Royse
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Help us Please
Celebrate our 60th Wedding Anniversary
June 6, 2025
Sally & Greg McKelvey
If you are in Tucson between 1 pm and 6 pm
drop by for
Wine, Cheese & Snacks
4505 N. Silverbell Road
Tucson, AZ 85745
RSVP if you can
602 561 5915 / gempressphotos@gmail.com
Surprises always welcome.
No gifts, please
Bring stories, memories, caring, and love.
happy happy happies to you good man
Posted on: Dec 24, 2024 at 1:33 AM
Gregory and Sally 2024. Tucson
The happiest of days ever
Happy happiest birthday
happy happy birthday. !!!!!
Fifty-Nine Years
"We gather here today to celebrate the marriage of Sally Jo Addicott to Gregory E. McKelvey. Dear friends and family, I am honored to join these two long-time sweethearts to commence their lifelong journey into a bright and exciting venture exploring life, love, and family. We know not where they will go nor what they may encounter, try, test, or experience; however, we know they will do it together. "These and other words spoken in a Palo Alto church on June 6, 1965, formalized a marriage, a friendship, and mutual respect of two young people some fifty-nine years ago.
Time tested our resolve, strained but strengthened our love, fortified our caring, and constructed our mutual respect while growing as people, friends, and lovers. Each grew as an individual and together as a couple. We lived in Lancaster, Pa., Salt Lake City, Utah, Tucson, Arizona, Spokane, Washington, Tucson again, Santiago, Chile, Scottsdale; then Peoria, Arizona; years in Pine, Arizona; and back to Tucson. Some of the most rewarding times were in Chile, where we learned more about ourselves being in another culture.
Sally's art blossomed from sewing, fashion design, paintings, textiles, weaving & quilting to design and superb camera work. About one-third of our marriage passed, with one of us being away on business or working in distant places. We raised two beautiful daughters and enjoyed brightened homecomings and special unplanned times together. Trips we did take: Hawaii, Galapagos, Macho Peachu, Easter Island, Torre del Pinie, South Africa, India, New Zealand, Bolivia, Costa Rica, jungles in Brazil, Argentina, Canada, Mexico, Nambia, Easter Island, Botswana, Ecuador, most Western United States National and State parks, and every state in the USA.
Sally is the artist, me the science guy. She sees form, color, feeling, and comfort; I look for solutions and reasons. Yet I learned of my artistic and caring sides from her and how to give unconditionally. Opposites do offer complementary perspectives. No chat about marriage does not include, "What is your secret?". It is not a secret! I worry when people ask that. Is caring, giving, compromising, respecting, listening, forgiving, building on the positives, and learning from conflict a secret? We do not talk about religion or politics. We do not try to influence others; each opinion needs respect and privacy. We reject hate.
We spent almost 1/3 of our married life apart, not estranged, but apart for work. How is that positive, you ask? We know the essential things we missed while away, and we gave space to each other to be both solid individuals and a caring couple. We agreed on more things than we disagreed. Our values grew as one, and we learned when to help and when to provide space. We always try to listen to the other point of view and be in their shoes, so to say. We learned this in Chile while living in someone else's culture. Judge our words not on what we say but as others may hear them.
I have loved this lady since our first dance in 8th grade. Married before entering graduate school, we know, care, and respect each other. Fifty-nine years after our wedding, we still tease, laugh, help, care, and remain deeply in love. Age arrives with new challenges, yet our foundation prepares us to address each other and support each other.
We will celebrate together in private. Abandoned for this year are the zip line, bungee jumping, bull riding, tag team shopping, running a marathon in the baking desert, annual window washing, midnight street racing, the trip to the space station, or waiting in line at Costco. We know of no Hallmark anniversary symbols for this milestone; that can wait another year.
Facing dementia, Crohn's, arthritis, kidney disease, ostioperos, carcinoma, cataracts, and other aging ailments, we support and care together. Our strength from 59 years together is enormous and more than enough to deal with whatever passes our way.
Hope that you are continuing to click your camera as one of many ways to enjoy life and celebrate the beauty around us.
Hola old buddy. Such fond memories we hold from our days together
Happiest birthday good man. May you add a lifer sighting every day .
Posted on: Dec 23, 2023 at 10:32 AM
I never understood what an Octogenarian was.
Now I ® one.
Born less than two hours before Christmas, Dr. Reed Rich accomplished what five previous physicians could not: deliver my Mother and Father a living child. Their only other son did not live past one. That small Bear Lake hospital on the second floor of the Fair Store proved to be more of a miracle to my parents than any manger anywhere.
What my father was doing in the middle of the 1943 winter in Southeastern Idaho connected directly to the Second World War and our needs for critical and strategic minerals. Later, he served on the High Pacific Command, applying his geologic skills to missions, many of which remain classified today. Day one of my journey to becoming an Octogenarian began in a 12-bed hospital long demolished from Washington Street, Montpellier, Idaho. Now 80 years of age, I ponder what I have accomplished and what is expected of me to do.
Not being sure about this exclusive club, I googled a new fashion AI-based net program for research and statistical data to ponder. The life expectancy in the United States when I was born was 61 years. Now it is 77 years. Today, 3.7 of the population is between 80 and 89, with 5.6 of the US population over 80. By 2060, they estimate that 14.5 % will be us older folks. You have to bet the insurance industry is keenly aware of both the burden and opportunity looming in our future.
According to Google's AI search engine BARD, "Octogenarians are a diverse group of people who have lived through many different experiences. They come from all walks of life and have a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to share. They are often respected for their age and experience and are sometimes called "elders." Some people may use the term "octogenarian" in a negative way to stereotype older people as being frail or out of touch." Looks like I qualify on that one.
Loaded with all these definitions, stereotypes, expectations, suggestions, and insights, I feel a twinge of guilt for living longer than previous generations and doing things that today appear inappropriate.
Between 1943 and today, using the technologies and resources available, we built the United States into the most powerful and prosperous nation on the planet. We produced more and eliminated more waste, creating new products and uses. We advanced and institutionalized the concept of preserving parts of the Earth. New industries replaced and challenged our minds beyond the common standard of living before WWII. Thanks to advances in our medical sector, we defend our bodies from attacks better than nature, replace parts that wear out, and protect ourselves from the changing extremes common on Earth by building inhabitable living spaces. We have essentially eliminated natural selection, and for the first time ever in 4.5 Billion years of history/evolution, we believe we can control the Earth.
So why do I feel guilty? We used what we had and created new technologies, products, food, comfort, and, most uniquely, time, not building, hunting, gathering, or defending. No other living thing on this rock has ever done that. I am proud of what we did and my part in accomplishing it. But do we know what we are doing now: did we ever? We are conflicted over what some say we do to the Earth. Nothing happening today has not happened tenfold more in Earth's past except for Humans. Our collective fear is what we do to ourselves; the Earth will do just fine; it always has.
My guilty twinge is for us believing humans control life, Earth, nature, and natural phenomena. The media appears exempt from sticking to the truth, and most leaders, reporters, students, and causes seem discouraged from researching the history of the Earth or learning any of its lessons. It makes me wonder if becoming an octogenarian is a reward. I qualify, yet I do not feel privileged but somewhat underappreciated for following the values and hard-working principles we invested to get here. We used what we had, fed and clothed societies, grew the global population to 8 billion, and built incredible technologies. Yet, somehow, it becomes 'my' fault humans war, waste, can't adapt, put fear above science, and need to control what they do not like even if they can't. I do hope our wisdom and counsel will be sought or considered. We have considerable to contribute.
Posted on: Nov 29, 2023 at 5:34 AM
Sally Addicott & Greg McKelvey, 1964
Posted on: Nov 29, 2023 at 5:34 AM
Sally Addicott (McKelvey)'s sister Judy Addicott (Bowen passed in September following a courageous bout with Frontal Temporal Dementia. We miss her beyond feelings can embrace. Sally Addicott (McKelvey) was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and is under periodic cognitive / memory testing. It is not dementia, but it might head in that direction. While no known cure exists, new medications and supplements can slow the potential progression. Slowing down and better managing our expectations returns us to a reasonable quality of life. Greg McKelvey continues to battle off and on again, Crohn's flares, stage 3 kidney disease, and sometimes debilitating reflux pains. At 80 years old, it could be a whole lot worse. Greg's camera remains active, and writing brings tremendous satisfaction.
