Page 30 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2025 - Online Magazine

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Senior
Senior

Entrepreneur,

Advocate,

Inspiration

Nowana Cashiola

by Drue Martinez

n the past, I never really realized financial problems, and a father have told me that she was a pretty
how good I had it. For me, struggling with alcoholism. girl and enjoyed an active social
Ieverything bad outweighed the life. She lived in an apartment
good. But now, I’m starting to realize Since my grandma and I have faced complex, and one day, on her way
just how much people have given similar struggles, we have connected home from work, she noticed a car
up for me, just how much they care on a deeper level than I have with following her, making her nervous.
about me, and just how much they others in my life. Finding solace In the apartment parking lot, she
love me. This is especially true when in my grandma was one of the questioned the driver, demanding to
it comes to my grandma, Nowana major things that made my parents’
Cashiola. divorce bearable.
For years, I’ve taken her for granted, My grandma’s childhood family
not thinking about the millions of didn’t have time for many
things she’s done for me and the vacations. Perhaps that’s why my
people I’m closest to. Thinking back, grandparents have traveled so
there were only a couple of times much and why they took me and
that we talked about her childhood my cousins with them when we
and her life before I was born. So, I were younger. I have countless
thought I’d interview her and tell the memories of my grandparents
story of my grandma. and I getting into the car to go on
a fun trip. But they always taught
Born in Wichita, Kansas on August me the importance of being frugal.
5, 1951, to her father, Jack, and They did not allow me to buy
mother, Norma, she already had a every little thing I wanted, and
brother, Richard, born in 1950. Three that taught me that we could have
siblings were yet to come: David, fun without excessive spending.
born in 1953; Clarence (Clay), born Their childhoods gave them values
in 1956; and finally, Patricia, born in which they passed on to me.
1958. My grandma says they moved
around a lot: “every year until I was After Grandma grew up, she lived
six.” She described her home life as in Houston, which she described
“unstable” with lots of arguments, as “enjoyable.’ Family members

30 Lubbock Senior Link