Members

John and Lena Lawrence - John and Lena have been Married for 58 years interesting years. In that brief period of time they managed to have 5 Children, 7 Grand Children, and 5 Great Grand Children.

John is currently 84 years of age and was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2004. He is a retired farmer and did volunteer work for several years. He enjoys reading and watching old movies. He even plays "wrong-way-corrigan" on the computer and greatly misses his old flying days.

Lena is 80 years young and enjoys crossword puzzles, humor, and also enjoys much reading and analyzing, and is in charge of publicity for our Parkinson's, group. She keeps track of offspring, and admits to having strong opinions and being ornery.

Tom & Jane Maxwell - Tom was born in Dinuba, CA, and Jane in Kingsburg, CA. They met on a blind date when they went to the Fresno County Fair on a Saturday night in 1953. On Sunday Tom came over to pick up Jane and take her to his church in Dinuba before moving to Montana the next day to work in the Wrought Iron business. After coming home to Dinuba for Christmas, Tom and Jane got engaged to be married. Then Tom went back to Montana until April when he came home to stay.

Tom and Jane were married on June 12, 1954 in the Baptist Church in Kingsburg and honeymooned on the Washington coast for a week.

They have 4 kids—Margie, Carol, Diane, and Duane, who all live in Visalia except Diane, who lives in nearby Modesto. Today, they have 16 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren, with 2 more on the way.

They lived in Dinuba until 1961, then moved to Reno, Nevada, where Tom worked as an insurance adjuster for Allstate. Tom and Jane transferred back to the Valley and moved to Visalia in 1964 where they lived together until Tom died in 2002. They were very involved with the First Baptist Church and attended regularly.

Tom worked for Allstate for 15 years, then worked for Toyota and built up a body shop for them. It was then that he decided that if he could do that for someone else, he could do it for himself, and that’s when Tom started Tom's Body and Paint Inc. in 1989 on Dunsworth Street. Five years later they bought property on East Main Street, where the shop is today. Jane didn't know anything about bookkeeping, but learned fast and did all of the books for the shop until retiring to take care of Tom. Their son Duane and his wife Kibby run the shop today.

Tom was a very talented man. He could do anything he set his mind to. Every house we lived in, he added something to it. The house we lived in for over 35 years in Visalia, he added 1,000 square feet to. We added a family room, office, and utility room downstairs, then two huge bedrooms upstairs, and a storage room and deck. The Building Inspector said he was doing a better job than some contractors do. Tom always wanted it to be just right.

Tom always wanted to fly, so he took two friends with him to go buy a plane, even before he had his pilot’s license. He eventually got his license and enjoyed flying for a number of years.

He was also interested in old cars. Tom and Jane went to Oklahoma City to get their first old car, a 1925 Maxwell. Not everyone can have a car with their name on it! They went back a couple of years later to buy a 1934 three-window Ford.

We still have the Maxwell, along with two 1932 Model A's and a 1956 T-Bird. The grandsons sometime come over and get them out to drive.

Tom was diagnosed with Parkinson's 1993, but later found out that it wasn't true Parkinson's, but Louie Body Disease, which is a type between Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

Bob & Mary Dickerson - were high school sweethearts. After graduating from high school, farm-boy Bob went to Ohio State University and graduated in 1957 from OSU's College of Veterinary Medicine.
The two were married in June 1956, immediately following Mary's graduation from Ohio Wesleyan. On June 12, 1957 their first daughter was born (Mary said the timing was great - from June to June - and people didn't even have to count!)
Bob first practiced in Mayfield, KY. They moved to CA in 1959 and in 1961 their second daughter Laurie was born. Valley Veterinarians, Inc. was formed and they limited their practice to large animals. Bob loved the outdoor work. He was active in his church, the Boy Scouts and Kiwanis. Bob and Mary camped, traveled, became private pilots, enjoyed being with family and friends and playing bridge. His favorite children? His four grandchildren! His favorite movie star? John Wayne! His favorite historical movies? WWII and the settling of America West.
Parkinson's cut short Bob's professional life in 1986 at the age of 52. In 1996, because his colon had lost its tone, a twisted section was removed. Two years later, twelve more feet of colon had to be removed.
CAUTION: Morphine and Demerol both reacted badly with his Parkinson's medication. The successful anesthetic used in 1999 when he had the DBS procedure performed at UCSF was Fentenol. They used as little anesthesia as possible and put him back on his Parkinson's med's as soon as possible!
The DBS proceedure was a wonderful success for Bob's tremors, stability and movement disorders. Bob and Mary had three more great years before Bob's passing in November 2002. Mary is still active in the Central Valley Parkinson's Support Group because she feels called by God to be here and she loves the people she meets along the way.

Margaret & Izzy Machado - Izzy was born in Princeton, California in 1925. His family moved to Santa Maria, CA after the death of his father when he was six years old. At 17 he joined the Navy and served aboard submarines during WWII.
After the war, he returned to Santa Maria where he met Margaret Tognazzini. They were married in 1946. It was at this time that he realized a life-long dream of learning to fly. He attended USC College of Aeronautics flight school, and on becoming a licensed pilot, started his own aerial spraying business in 1948. First in Santa Maria, then moving his operation to the San Joaquin Valley. Izzy continued to fly for the next 26 yrs.
He always loved farming and grew some crops here in the valley. But he had a bigger dream, and in 1958 sold his business and, with his family, move to Australia to pioneer cotton farming. This was at a time when Australia was just beginning to grow cotton. It was a huge undertaking, as well as a great adventure, but in 1962 just after planting his first crop of cotton, disaster struck in the form of two days of torrential rains! The rain completely destroyed all the newly planted cotton, and that, coupled with a lack of necessary financing, made it impossible to continue the venture.
On returning home to Lemoore, Izzy reestablished his ag-airplane spraying business and continued operating until his semiretirement in 1980. His sons, Matt and Patrick continued to run the company until selling the business in 2005
With time on his hands, Izzy decided to buy a restaurant in Lemoore. He discovered that he had a knack for the "food & beverage" business and enjoyed operating the restaurant for the next 10 years. (The Granary served great food!).
Izzy was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1996. He died of heart failure on June 1, 2002. Margaret and Izzy were married for 56 wonderful years. They had three children, Judy, Matt and Patrick, seven grandchildren, and to-date, three great grandchildren.
Because of the positive impact the Kings-Tulare Parkinson's Support Group had on their lives, Margaret continues to work as an active member.

Don & Dolly Black - My wife Dolly was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in about 1985. She went through the progressive stages of difficulty in walking and otherwise functioning until 1994, when she had to move to a convalescent hospital. She died on November 7^th, 2007.

Some time soon after her diagnosis, we were introduced to the Fresno Parkinson’s Support Group by Bob and Mary Dickerson, and in 1994 when the Tulare/Kings Parkinson’s Support Group (now the Central Valley Parkinson’s Support Group) was formed, we started attending the meetings there. Mary Dickerson was the charter President, and I was the charter Treasurer.

At Dolly’s death, I nominated the Tulare/Kings Parkinson’s Support Group to receive her memorial donations. In the process of the funds being received by them, I visited the group at their monthly meeting, and once again plugged in and took the office of Treasurer. Mary is President again, and has brought the group along to an important level of raising donations for research, in addition to providing good support to those with the disease and to their care givers. I appreciate stepping in once again at this time to help her organize the group into a nonprofit corporation. The Central Valley Parkinson’s Support Group has been an important local factor in providing support locally and in raising funds for research into cures for Parkinson’s. With our new name and 501 (c) 3 status, our effectiveness will be greatly improved. I appreciate being involved with this vibrant organization.

Don & Neva Appling - By a quirk of fate, Don Appling and Neva Folks crossed paths at Exeter High School in October of 1945. Don's high school days were full of sports and time spent with friends and his best friend Neva. Don and Neva fell in love, found themselves to be true soul mates, and were married in February of 1948. Don attended Stanford University after high school where out of the 50 freshmen in his dorm, 45 were returning military veterans. Neva attended College of the Sequoias and assisted her mother with a child day care nursery while awaiting Don's return from Stanford.
Neva began her life in Stafford, Arizona, and Don in Fresno, California. Don's father passed away at the age of 27 from Tuberculosis. Don's mother resumed her teaching career in Visalia where she later met and married Herrick Waterman of Exeter. Don assumed his step-father's name and became Don Waterman from fifth grade through high school.
Upon Don's return from Stanford University, he joined the family business, Waterman Industries, Inc., contributing to its growth from a local machine shop and specialty irrigation valve business to a global enterprise with operations in six states (CA, TX, KS, NE, ID, TN) and two foreign countries (Egypt & Australia). Don became President of Waterman Industries, Inc., in 1970 and retired in 2001.
Don and Neva love to travel. They have had the good fortune to visit Europe, Russia, China, Viet-Nam, Cambodia, India, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Hawaiii, and many other international as well as many locations in the continental United States. Neva always set up the travel itineraries and Don went along for the ride, and what a wonderful ride it was!
Don and Neva have 2 sons, 1 daughter, 2 grandsons, 3 granddaughters, and 3 great grandsons. They recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary and are looking forward to many more. Don was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2000 and is currently treating with the standard medications of Sinemet, Requip, Azilect and CoQ-10 while awaiting that "Miracle" cure.

Tony & Phyllis Cheung - Both Tony & Phyllis were born in China and migrated to Hong Kong with their parents during their childhood.
Their families immigrated to the US around 1969-1970. Phyllis and Tony met in San Francisco and married in 1974.
Tony graduated from Golden Gate University in San Francisco and pursued an accounting career in the Bay Area and Central Valley. Phyllis is a full-time homemaker.
Tony and Phyllis have lived in Visalia for almost 28 years and attend Grace Community Church. They have three grown daughters and two young grandsons living in Orange County, Turlock and San Diego.
Tony was diagnosed with PD in 2005 and works for Sunkist in Tipton as a Cost Accountant.

Ed & Barbara Lagrutta - Ed was born and raised in Los Banos and lived there until he left for college to attend Fresno State, where he majored in music. After graduating in 1960, he joined the California Air National Guard in Fresno. Ed married Barbara in the summer of 1961 then a year later moved to Visalia in September 1962. Ed taught music for the Visalia Unified School District for 36 years before retiring in June of 1996. Barbara also worked for the Visalia Unified School District for 33 years as an Elementary School Secretary, retiring in 2000 to take care of hubby.
Ed was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1990 at age 54. He retired in 1996 at age 58 due to the lack of energy when the disease started to progress. He did well until about 1995 when the medications were not effective and started to become a problem. Ed has recently had the DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery) in January 2008 at UC San Francisco with Neurosurgeon Dr. Paul Larsen. The surgery was a success and Ed is so much better. It is taking time to get the stimulators regulated with the medication. Ed has been so fortunate to have such wonderful doctors throughout the years to help him. Thanks to God, our wonderful family, and friends who have been there for us with all their prayers, love and support.
Ed and Barbara have lived in Visalia for 45 years, have one son, Ed Jr., his wife Kathleen, and 2 grandsons, Anthony 10 and Alex 8, who are a great joy.

Pat & F.E. "Set" Sedlacek - F. E. "Set" Sedlacek was born and raised in Crete, Nebraska. After continuing his education, including Univ. of Omaha, Set (as he is known) enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1941. He later attended the Naval Air Academy, graduating as a 2nd Lt. Marine Air Corp Fighter Pilot. While home on leave in 1942, Set met Patricia Hunting, a student at Univ. of Nebraska. In between serving in the South Pacific (Guadal Canal), Mojave and Hawaii, Set and Pat were married in 1944. After the Atom Bomb stopped his mission, Set returned to California and went to work for Continental Airlines, the FAA, BofA, and So. Pacific R.R.
Set and Pat raised a son, Michael, and daughter, Kathy, who both went on to college, married and had children of their own. After retiring to Visalia in 1976, Set and Pat stayed very active and enjoyed many activities, such as traveling, motor-homing, tennis, dancing, water-skiing, and volunteering for the YMCA, Boy and Girl Scouts, PTA, and Little League coaching.
In 1995 Set developed Parkinson's. The support group reguarly attended by Set and Pat helped them cope with the disease before Set's passing on August 7, 2004.

Keith & Betty Budge - I have the best father anyone could ask for!
My father, Edwin Keith Budge, was born July 10, 1927 in Pocotello, Idaho to Edwin Joseph and Mildred Budge.
At the age of 6 months the family moved to Glendale, CA where Edwin worked in the movie industry. While living in Glendale the family grew with the addition of two sons; Donald and Duane. At the age of 16, Keith attended Lake Elsinore Military Academy. Just shy of graduation, due to his parents divorce, Keith moved with his mother and two younger brothers to Coalinga, CA.
There he graduated from high school and immediately joined the Marines to serve our country for two years. Upon leaving the Marines, he returned to Coalinga and met the love of his life and married Betty Dale Baker.
While in Coalinga, Keith worked for the Post Office and helped raise 4 children; Rick, Donna, Debra and Mike.
25 years later he transferred to Three Rivers to be the Postmaster. Here he retired after 42 years of working with the Post Office to enjoy his hobbies: fly fishing and woodworking.
After 54 years of a loving marriage, Keith lost his wife Betty to lung cancer.
Keith now lives in Visalia CA with his dog of 12 years Heather.
My father has always been the most patient teacher, mentor, friend and father.
I have the best father anyone could ask for.

Submitted by Donna DeVrees