Making the best of everything

Gladys Refakes grew up during the Depression.

She has made the best of everything that has come her way whether

it was good or bad. Refakes has lived in the Newport Beach and Costa

Mesa area for more than 50 years, and has seen many changes.

She remembers when the population was around 12,000, and when a

man who lived across the street from her sold things out of his

garden. Small homes and big lots characterized the area when Refakes

first came to town. Now, it’s big houses and small lots.

The 85-year-old recently sat down with the Pilot’s Luis Pena and

shared her old town memories.

Where did you grow up?

I was born on a farm in eastern central South Dakota. By Southern

California numbers, it was not a real large one and I lived there for

a number of years. And then I moved to another town and lived on a

larger place; it was actually a ranch. I started my schooling at a

little country school for my first two years. I think there were

approximately 10 children in the whole school from grades first

through eighth.

What kind of childhood did you have?

I had a very nice childhood. I was the only child for the first

six years of my life and got a lot of attention from both parents. I

enjoyed going to school very much. I was born shortly after World War

I.

A lot of family activities were not the same as we have nowadays.

We didn’t have radio or TV, or any of the modern things, so we

managed to amuse ourselves with what we had in our surroundings. I

learned to play baseball because all of my cousins were boy cousins

at that time in my early childhood. They were all baseball fans.

Young kids were not the best pitchers or batters in the world. I had

my nose broken. I even wound up with a black eye one time. It was a

fun time nevertheless.

How did you end up in Newport-Mesa?

I had been ill one winter and the doctor had suggested that I go

to a warmer climate for a season to fully recover. And my parents had

moved from the Midwest to California. It was a natural trend to come

visit with them and finally make my home out here. So, by that time I

had a daughter and my husband and I had moved out here. We first

settled in Newport and from there we moved up to Costa Mesa. We’ve

lived in Costa Mesa for many years now. We came out here in 1949 I

lived in Newport for two years, and then I moved to Costa Mesa. I’ve

been here since 1951.

What are your greatest accomplishments in life?

I think my greatest accomplishmentwas having my daughter. She’s a

very smart person, and a very energetic person with a wonderful

personality. I think she got that from her father and not from me. We

enjoy each other’s company immensely.

If you could re-do one moment or incident in your life, what would

it be?

I should have learned how to play baseball. But if I had something

to do over again, I think I probably would have finished college. But

given the same circumstances, I would probably do the same things

that I have already done.

It’s hard to say what a person would do.

I don’t think I would care to live my life over. Any mistakes I’ve

made are past. Any good things I’ve done are behind me and people

have to take me at face value.

What profession other than yours would you like to have tried?

I try to live a normal life. I try to be a friend to everyone that

wants my friendship. And I have a great empathy for people who are in

need.

What profession other than yours would you like to have tried?

I think I would have liked to have been a writer. I think mostly

because I am interested in reading, and I have read so many great

works. I feel that I would have liked to have been the creator of a

few great works myself.

What are some differences between a typical day in your life now

and a day in your life 20 years ago?

Forty years ago I had a husband to take care off a child in school

as well as work. Nowadays, I am involved in community service and

more sedate activities. I am still interested in gardening, reading

and history. And I love to travel. Since I’ve retired, I’ve managed

to stay busier. My days are so full I don’t have enough hours in the

day to cover all the activities I want to participate in. What is the

greatest lesson you’ve learned in your life?

I think the greatest lesson I’ve learned in my life is to be

tolerant of all people, and to be friendly with everyone improving

myself anyway that I can.

What do you treasure most?

The things I treasure the most are my friends and my family.

Without themI would not have a life. It would only be an existence.

What would you like people to always remember about you?

I think I would like to have people remember me as being friendly,

fair and occasionally a little crazy.

What was one of the best of the unexpected things that happened in

your life?

My husband. I literally ran into him in a grocery store.

Eventually, it budded into a date, and more dates, and into

marriage.