The residents of Trinity Terrace have witnessed remarkable changes throughout their lifetimes—from the arrival of black-and-white television and color broadcasts to satellites, and family road trips that looked very different from those of today. Yet some things remain unchanged: the joy of childhood adventures, the comfort of family traditions, and the lessons learned along the way. In this special feature, several Trinity Terrace residents reflect on favorite memories, cherished traditions, words of wisdom they would share with their younger selves, and the inventions that shaped their generation. Their stories offer a heartwarming glimpse into the experiences that helped make them who they are today.
John Leuck
Favorite memory as a child: Going to the Iowa State Fair with my 3 brothers.
Advice to your younger self: Take school more seriously. It’s more than a venue to meet girls
Favorite tradition as a child: Piling 5 kids plus mom and dad into a 1953 and later into a 1956 Pontiac station wagon each summer for 2 week-long vacation trips.
Major inventions from your childhood: Wall phones, satellites, power steering and brakes.
George Chaffee
Favorite memory as a child: Working with my father and grandfather to build a soapbox derby car.
Favorite tradition as a child: The summer car trips to a small lake in east Texas where we stayed in a cabin built by my grandfather and uncle. We fished from a boat built by the same men.
Major inventions from your childhood: Television (B&W), TV (color), Tri-X camera film which made photos possible without using a flash bulb. I remember summer nights when our father moved the TV to an open window so we could watch shows from the front yard.
Betsy Chaffee
Favorite memory as a child: I have so many favorite memories but I guess the best would be traveling in Europe and camping with my parents when I was 10-12 years old. We visited Barcelona, Venice, Paris, Rome and had wonderful experiences.
Advice to your younger self: Not to worry about everything so much!!
Favorite tradition as a child: Every summer we visited my Grandmother Ruby in Fayetteville Arkansas. She always made my favorite meal which was chicken and dumplings. She loved to cook and was the best Grandmother to my sister and me.
Major inventions from your childhood: We got our first black and white television set in 1956 when I was 5. I remember it had large antennas on it and we would have to move them around to get the best picture on the tv.
Jack Crowder
Favorite memory as a child: My family getting together with my cousins and spending the day at
Burger's Lake in Fort Worth. We would swim all day, cook out, and get enough nerve to go off
the high diving board.
Advice to your younger self: Take school seriously. Study every day, do your best, and pay attention in class.
Favorite tradition as a child: Going to my grandmother's house on Christmas Eve. My cousins would be there, lots of food, presents, and the occasional dreaded article of clothing as a gift.
Major inventions from your childhood: I saw my first TV show in 1949. It was the Lone Ranger in black and white and on a tiny screen. I could not believe my eyes. We got a TV a year later. Also polio vaccine. I no longer worried every summer about getting polio.
Christine Leuck
Favorite memory as a child: Visiting Storybook Forest in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. (This is near Shanksville, where Flight 91 went down). Storybook Forest featured life size scenes of nursery rhymes.
Favorite tradition as a child: Christmas was a favorite holiday and tradition for my family. I grew up in West Virginia and we always had lots of snow.
Advice to your younger self: I would give to my younger self: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! I doubted myself so many times.
Major inventions from your childhood: Color TV. We got one when I was in first grade!