Page 7 - Voices-2022-02

COVER STORY

Living Life to the Fullest
Love, Life, & Toastmasters

Loretta Schwarz-Reed, DTM

In 1962 Loretta Jean Graves joined Oregon Trail Toastmistress Club in Portland, Oregon.
Her devoted interest and long tenure as a Toastmistress/Toastmaster enhanced her personal
and business life. She appreciates very much how the personal development programs have

enhanced her life.
Loretta was born on July 3, 1932 to Clifton and Minnie Brokeshoulder. She was the first
born of 10 children. She became her mother’s best “daily helper” in the home and on her
parents’ 80-acre diversified farm in Shawnee, Oklahoma. She still appreciates the sacrifices

her hard-working parents made so that she and her siblings could be educated and enjoy
a fulfilled life. What follows is Loretta’s story in her own words.

My father inherited 80 acres of land to as a follower of Jesus Christ.

develop when he married my mother. I was In 1945, my parents sold the farm and
the first born of 10 children, a workforce moved to Ardmore, Oklahoma where I was
needed to help with the daily farm chores. enrolled in an all-girls, federally-operated
The rural life showed me how to help others, boarding school named Carter Seminary.

value hard work, respect others (especially the I graduated 8th grade with a goal of
elders), support the community, like people, becoming a “business woman.” I pursued
choose friends wisely, and love thy neighbor. high school education in Kansas. In 1948, I
One significant memory of living on the enrolled in Haskell Institute in Lawrence,

farm was having non-Indian neighbors, John Kansas. Haskell was a high school, business
and Jewel Kays. When I was 6 years old, Jewel college, and trade School. Haskell’s motto
would pick me up every Sunday to attend was “Learn to Earn.” Haskell offered
Bible School at Shawnee Mission Baptist students an environment for learning and

Church. At age 10, I decided to follow Jesus developing a social life. The student body
Christ’s teachings. At age 19, I confirmed my was comprised of many American Indian
faith by water baptism and committing my Tribes, from many states. It was a joy to
life to learning how to have a meaningful life learn about their cultural practices and

VOICES! | FEBRUARY 2022 7