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Roberta 'Poo' Coker reflects on her life moments.
| Highest high |
The birth of my children. Also, two honors that I got that meant a lot to me, but not that the others haven’t. I was elected to the Raytown School District Hall of Fame, and that was very special. (The late Independence) Mayor (Ron) Stewart picked me to be the first Truman Heartland Citizen of the Year, back in the days before I was even on the foundation board. That was pretty significant. |
| Lowest low |
Maybe the day after surgery. (Laughter) Some days, you think things are low, but they’re really not. One of my low days was when my friend Daneen Barber died. I guess I’ve been blessed that I’ve never had a real tragedy or something that would make you real sad. |
| Moment of epiphany |
Oh my gosh. It might be my 70th birthday. The good one would have been the day when I told myself, “I can do this,” whatever it was. |
| Achilles’ heel |
My knee. (Laughter) When you look back, you think, would you have done things differently? I think there are always things that you wish you’d have done. Did I do enough? I also have a lack of patience, and I am compulsive. |
| Most important mentor |
I’d say Diane Sawyer, if I knew her personally. I terribly admire her. Locally, (the late Independence Examiner reporter) Sue Gentry might have been one. She was probably way before her time, as well. |
| Smartest thing I ever did |
Go to work for the Independence School District – I got to do everything else because of that. I probably would have never been chairwoman of the Independence chamber. Everything I ever got to do or got credited for was because I worked at that job. |
| Dumbest thing I ever did |
I’ve done a few. Well, once I was on a diet and I lost about 30 pounds. I managed to gain it back – that was pretty dumb. Oh, life is full of little dumb things, don’t you think? |
| What I thought I’d be doing at this point in my life |
I probably thought I would be just sitting on a beach more. I hear friends say, “Well, I’m going to go spend six months in Galveston.” And I say, “You are? How does one get to do that?” |
| What I still really want to do |
Travel. I always wanted to go climb Mount Everest, but I’m pretty sure I’m not going to do that. Besides Mount Everest, I’d like to go to Antarctica, but I’m having a hard time to find anyone who wants to go with me. Everybody thinks I’m nuts. I always wished I could paint with watercolors. I don’t think I’m going to be any better at that than mountain climbing. |
