This is a very special podcast for me, because I am going to be the “Guest.” My very good friend, Martha Jeffers,  will be the “host.”

My Background.

I was born and raised in Westchester, a community within Los Angeles, where I continue to live today.  I have 2 kids. Dave and his wife Eva, live in Tucson, Arizona.  Julie and her husband Morris, live in Hawthorne, CA.  My brother Larry and his wife Beth live in Long Beach, CA. They have 2 kids Daniel and Rachel.

After I finished Westchester High School, I moved to Hawthorne and lived with a friend in a small apartment.  This tall skinny guy, named Butch, was living in the same apartment with his fraternity brother’s biological brother.  We started dating, and I ultimately proposed, and he said yes. I might mention, that Butch is the name we all called him, but his name was Walter.

We were married in 1971 by a reformed Rabbi and a Jesuit Priest from Loyola Marymount University.

Butch.

Butch was from Detroit and attended the University of Detroit where he received his degree in Electrical Engineering. Upon graduation he was hired at Hughes Aircraft in what was considered Culver City at that time. Butch had some very special qualities.  While he was definitely, a man that didn’t talk just to hear the sound of his voice, when he did share his thoughts they were meaningful.  As an example, I would say something that included “yeah, but.”  His response was always “it is what it is, adapt.”

Those words came back to me very strong, on March 12, 2009.  We were downtown at the Staples Center to watch March Madness Basketball.  Dave works for the University of Arizona, and they were playing their rival Arizona State.  We had gone out for lunch and then traveled downtown to go to the game.  Our seats were at the very top of the arena and we went and sat down. Suddenly he became very ill, and was  gurgling with his chin to his chest and unable to speak. He was rushed to the hospital, and did not recover. They attempted to regulate his heart, but he was unable to breath on his own.  I told the doctor, to “unplug him, he would not want to survive this.”  They honored my request.

It Is, What It Is.

I felt his presence when he said to me, “Marsha, it is what it is, you will adapt.”  The cause of death was Sudden Cardiac Arrest.  When it was explained to me what that was, I took great comfort in knowing he did not suffer.  The coroner said, heart attacks are painful.  Sudden cardiac arrest is like a dimmer switch that starts in the brain, and slowly ends your life. As you might imagine, the phone call to my kids was horrific.

My life changed on a dime, but I decided I was going to live a full life.  I realized almost immediately that Butch had lived a life without regret. His motto was always, “It is, what it is.” I found myself adapting to that same reality because I knew that my new normal needed to honor him by living a life without regret.

 

 

 

I have wonderful memories of Butch.  He was an exceptional cook. He had a great sense of humor. This is a very special photo of us.  We took a family cruise, and went through the Panama Canal. I cherish this professional photo of us.

 

 

My Story.

To begin with, I was a PTA mom.  This included volunteering at all the schools my kids attended. When they were off to college, I got a job at the Westchester Family YMCA.  I started part-time, then I became full-time.  I quickly worked my way up the ladder where I became the Membership and Healthy Lifestyles Director.  After 10 years I retired.  I’m still a member and support the Y.

After I retired, I did a lot of traveling around the world with my friend Shelley Wells.  She worked in the Exec. EMBA office at Loyola Marymount University. Part of what those students did was international travel.  I had the great fortune of joining her along with faculty members and students enrolled in that program.  We went all over the world starting in March of 2010.  There was a major earthquake in Chile, and we were rerouted to Lima, Peru.  It was the first anniversary of Butch’s passing.

I got involved with the LAX Chamber of Commerce. In fact in 2021, I was the Honorary Mayor of Westchester.

In January 2019, I joined the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club, where I met you Martha, our current President.

The Born To Talk Radio Show.

Thanks to my friend Deb Blaine, she was the stepping stone to my Born To Talk Radio Show.  Deb invited me to the Paradise Building, in Westchester where LA Talk Live had a studio.  She was the producer of a radio show that was called “Let’s Do Lunch with Chef Richard Petty.”

Deb invited me to be a guest to do restaurant reviews.  She saw something in me, that changed my life. That’s how the Born To Talk Radio Show started. I started writing a Blog in November 2013 about my travels, and interests to generate some interest.  After that, Deb felt I was ready to host my Born To Talk Radio Show in the LA Talk Live Studio.  My first show was April 13, 2015.  Deb came up with the name, and my tag line. Conversations + Connections = Community.  What’s Your Story? I did a weekly show in the Paradise Building at LA Talk Live for 3 years.  When that came to a close, I moved on to podcasting. A very important friendship developed, when I started my first show at LA Talk Live with a young women that had just graduated college.  I affectionately call her, Tia the Terrific or Triple T!  Tia has been with me since day 1.  She supported me in the studio and today she is my Instagram Queen!

My Takeaways.

I find great joy in having conversations with my guests each week.  My guests know in advance that I don’t consider my podcasts as interviews, but rather a conversation.  I was Born To Talk!  Just ask any teacher I ever had, I enjoyed talking much more than studying!

Thank you to all of you that have been my guests over these past 10 years and if YOU want to join me, drop me a note!

Thank you Martha, for this opportunity!

 Conversations + Connections = Community

Making the world a better place.  One Story at a time.

 What’s Your Story? I want to share it!