Adeline and friends in Czech costume
Rudy and Lorraine Okoren
Dance Dance Dance – Adeline with Ernie Ortiz
Adeline and Red Hatters
All Hat and Feathers
Anneliese Ring and George Johnson
Adeline and friend in Czech Costume
Jim Ehrlich and Delores Billingsley
Adeline Stafford
Adeline Mares Stafford celebrated her 80th Birthday on Saturday, November 4, 2006 at the Lakewood Country Club with over 130 friends and relatives. On a warm fall afternoon this beautiful setting, nestled like an oasis close to 10th and Wadsworth, was festively decorated. Each table was set with colorful purple napkins and centerpieces held the charm of pictures of Adeline’s family and ancestors.
Adeline is proud of her Czech heritage and many guests wore Czech costumes with those vibrant colors and great billowy sleeves trimmed in lace. Others wore their Red Hat outfits with the intricately adorned hats and bright purple or red dresses. All had a great time and were honored to celebrate this occasion with Adeline.
The afternoon was a delight from the scrumptious dinner with delicious apple strudel to interesting stories and dancing. Greg and Deb Hach Beveridge, of the Polka Playmates band, explained they got their start years ago when Adeline needed a band for her Czech-Solvak Lodge years ago. Adeline is the champ at encouraging people to be their best. As a result of this support, the Polka Playmates are booked for over 120 engagements a year.
Jim Ehrlich, of the Polka Mates band, also entertained with toe tapping songs that beckoned you to get out on the dance floor. Ernie Ortiz joined in with his deep baritone voice to sing Tiny Bubbles, reminiscent of Adeline’s trip to Hawaii. From polkas and waltzes, to the group dances of the circle Schottische and line dancing to the Alley Cat and Never on a Sunday, guests were smiling and having fun.
Music and dancing have long been a passion of Adeline. Most Sunday afternoons she dances with the Polka Lovers Club at the Denver Kicker’s sports club house in Golden as well as joining friends at senior center dances throughout northern Colorado.
Adeline has lived in Lakewood for over 40 years. She is a retired elementary school teacher with over 30 years devoted to teaching children in their formative years with her kind, thoughtful, direct guidance. She acknowledged several of the key people in her life most notably recalling her 3rd grade students at Deane Elementary with aid, Martha Shiverdecker.
Adeline remembers her upbringing in Wilson, Kansas and was instrumental in continuing her heritage by organizing and making of two quilts representing her Libal and Mares family tree. The quilts are now in the Wilson Kansas Opera House Museum.