Five siblings, all 85 and up, recommend connection and movement for longevity

NOVI — One metro Detroit sibling group is enjoying “turkey with all the trimmings” in the game of life as they continue to age together well into their 90s.

Five of six siblings, Beverle Gumtow, 96, of Novi, Audrey Mooradian, 97, and Pat Willis, 95, of Bloomfield Hills, Ted Hochstein, 93, of White Lake, and Sue Kulka, 85, of Northville, whose parents founded the well-known but now defunct Mercury Lanes bowling alley in Dearborn, continue to score high, living on their own, as they push three digits in years.  

The siblings, several of whom continued the family legacy, owning and operating bowling alleys across the state, cite their parents teaching them the importance of faith and family as the reason for staying close to each other.

“Our parents just instilled us with a love for others, and they were great examples for us,” Kulka said. “They taught us all to be hard workers, and we’ve instilled that in our children and to just get along with people.”

The siblings agreed that they really don’t have a lot of sibling rivalry, although Willis recalled how Mooradian would get mad at her sisters when they would borrow her clothes as young girls.

“We don’t have any arguments,” Gumtow said.

“We stay away from politics,” Kulka said.

“They taught us to help each other and be nice to one another to care about others,” Willis said.

Willis said that although she and Mooradian live the farthest away from the other siblings, they are really only a phone call away. 

“All you have to do is make a telephone call, and if the person can’t help you in the meantime, they’ve already called somebody else to help you,” Willis said. “The help is always there.” 

She recalled that when she stopped driving four years ago and “saw the handwriting on the wall” was telling her to move home as she was getting older, it was Mooradian’s son that helped her secure the place across from her sister, and it was Gumtow’s kids who came down to bring her home to Michigan from North Carolina.

The siblings stressed how important it is to see each other regularly. Willis and Mooradian, who live across the hall from each other in a condominium complex, said they have dinner together every day, and all five of them try to meet up every few weeks for lunch.  

“It used to be dinner and then we got a little older and it turned into lunch,” Hochstein said.

“We keep tabs on everybody. When we don’t see each other, we call,” said Kulka.

Hochstein said there were times when they hardly saw each other, as they were raising their children. But the siblings were always available to each other for babysitting and whatnot. 

They said that through the years, as their numbers have grown, they have started having separate holiday gatherings as the six siblings, including their late sister, Gail Drew, who would be 92 today, have 30 children and over 60 grandchildren, plus some great-grandchildren. 

“We definitely get together during the holidays. Not like we used to, but we just had a big Hochstein family reunion, but the main thing is we would always celebrate at least the major holidays as a family,” Hochstein said, “especially as we were all growing up.”

“Until our families got too big,” Gumtow said.

Gary Gumtow recalled that if his mom ever told his grandfather that she couldn’t come over for the weekly family gathering on Sunday, he’d want to know why and try to convince her to shift other things around, because the family gathering was very important to him. 

“He’d want everybody together on Sunday, and so that is what I think really made our family,” Gary Gumtow said. “So, all of our cousins became more like brothers and sisters because we saw each other so much.”

They said that they would recommend that other siblings and families do things together to build strong relationships. They suggested having a meal together once every few weeks or find something that all the siblings enjoy doing together. Hochstein and Kulka also plan to travel together to their timeshare in Aruba soon. 

“Listening to Beverlee talk about her family, you can tell there is so much respect, so much love, so much admiration between them, I don’t think there is anything they wouldn’t do (for each other),” said Beverlee Gumtow’s friend, Gayle Hinman. 

 The siblings said they believe they have all achieved independent longevity by staying active, and, of course, good genes.

Mooradian said that “to a point,” she would definitely credit the group’s continued ability to thrive independently to their genes.

“There was a big article in the science section (of the New York Times) last week that said genes are very important,” Mooradian said.

To which her siblings chuckled and were quick to point out that not only does Mooradian read the New York Times every day, but she walks 2 miles as well, as long as the weather is nice. 

They all keep their minds and bodies active every day,” said Laura Jalynski, of Livonia, Beverlee Gumtow’s daughter.

Willis and Mooradian also do tai chi. Mooradian said she got into it after taking lessons and enjoys doing it when she can’t go for a walk outside.

The siblings say they are grateful for everything they have and advise others to “just keep moving” and to “keep in touch with each other.”