Paul & Jeanie Oldmixon: Generosity, Stability, Humility
Saturday August 15, 2020 was a special day at Star Ranch. Long-time residents Paul & Jeanie were feted and publicly acknowledged for their years of service.
Though opening another chapter in their lives away from the Ranch, we couldn’t let them get away without, at the very least, honoring their many contributions to Star Ranch. Members alluded to the three legacies Paul and Jeanie leave behind:
Generosity. Paul has been a top bidder at pie and cake auctions, which included buying several pastries at each event. One of these was always shared with others at the event. They donated their John Deere Gator ATV to Ranch Maintenance and were likely contributors when needed.
Stability. It was during their seven-year tenure that the dark cloud of mysterious Sahnoan Council membership was dispelled. There was a time 20+ years ago when it was not known who was on the Council, how one was chosen to serve or for how long! Paul & Jeanie worked tirelessly to facilitate the unprecedented and periodic open election of Council members by the Sahnoan membership. Their action opened previously-darkened doors, embodying the Sahnoan motto: “Stand not between me and the sun.”
Humility. They would never tell you what they had done, or what form an unsolicited gesture of support took. A desired enhancement might suddenly appear, but it never had their name on it.
The PUBLIC venue where Paul has been most visible is the Petanque courts. Besides guiding players through the baffling world of double elimination, he also consistently and unerringly served as “Judge Of Whose Bocce Ball Was Closer To The Little Red Ball” —yet never spilling a drop of beer when assuming a Judging Position.
In honor of his total dedication to the game, he received a modest “Petanque Master” trophy and as a lasting tribute, the courts are now named “Oldmixon Petanque Courts.” Old-timers and newcomers alike stand on the shoulders of those whose dedication may have been forgotten during our 60+ years of operation. A plaque here, a street there, but what counts most is that Paul & Jeanie can stand proudly with a relatively few selected Sahnoans in our past and they can say, “OK; Now it’s your turn to carry the torch.”
Contributed by David P. Sept 2020
