My 90-Year-Old Great Aunt: The “Cool” Florida Swimming Role Model

Featured on the United States Masters Swimming website:

Three 90-year-old swimmers — Kay Schimpf (left), with 1,525 yards, Frances Cichanski (center), with 1,700 yards, and Brud Cleaveland (right), with 1,700 yards, of the Florida Mavericks, completed the popular January postal event. They then joined teammates June Reynolds, 86, Cliff Eastwood, 86, and Charles Edwards, 88, to form a men’s, a women’s, and a mixed relay – all in the 85+ age group! Margie Hutinger of the Mavericks reports, “They are a special group of swimmers, as they showed a lot of spunk to do their swims, in spite of the adversities they had to overcome. They are cool role models for Masters swimming.” [emphasis mine]

That’s my great aunt Frankie, my grandpa‘s “baby’ sister. There is longevity in the DeGrow genes – my grandpa & most of his siblings reached 90. And the last one remaining with us continues to stay very active in swimming. Though I have only met her in person once, I have to agree that Aunt Frankie is a “cool role model.”

If I should somehow live to be 90, I’d be pleasantly surprised and praising God to be doing the kind of activity she does. But today, since my parents brought this web feature to my attention, I thought it fitting to give Aunt Frankie a little modest blog appreciation.