2006.03.22: March 22, 2006: Headlines: COS - Kenya: COS - Lesotho: COS - St. Lucia: COS - Ivory Coast: COS - Namibia: COS - Jamaica: Older Volunteers: Seattle Post Intelligencer: Chuck and Marcia McBeath, ages 83 and 81, respectively, have served as Peace Corps Volunteers in Kenya, Lesotho, Jamaica, Namibia, St. Lucia and the Ivory Coast
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2006.03.22: March 22, 2006: Headlines: COS - Kenya: COS - Lesotho: COS - St. Lucia: COS - Ivory Coast: COS - Namibia: COS - Jamaica: Older Volunteers: Seattle Post Intelligencer: Chuck and Marcia McBeath, ages 83 and 81, respectively, have served as Peace Corps Volunteers in Kenya, Lesotho, Jamaica, Namibia, St. Lucia and the Ivory Coast
Chuck and Marcia McBeath, ages 83 and 81, respectively, have served as Peace Corps Volunteers in Kenya, Lesotho, Jamaica, Namibia, St. Lucia and the Ivory Coast
The McBeaths are actually less notable for their advanced years than for the number of times they've signed up: six ... so far. They're hoping for a posting to Fiji next, having just come back from Kenya, where Marcia trained teachers about counseling and Chuck helped the local university upgrade its computer networking system. They've also served assignments in Lesotho (inside South Africa), Jamaica, Namibia, St. Lucia in the Caribbean and the Ivory Coast. They spent two years in each location, except the Ivory Coast, which erupted in civil war one month after they arrived.
Chuck and Marcia McBeath, ages 83 and 81, respectively, have served as Peace Corps Volunteers in Kenya, Lesotho, Jamaica, Namibia, St. Lucia and the Ivory Coast
One stint in Peace Corps just wasn't enough
By CAROL SMITH
P-I REPORTER
Caption: Chuck and Marcia McBeath, ages 83 and 81, respectively, have signed up for the Peace Corps six times, most recently in Kenya for the past two years. The couple live in an apartment in the U District. (March 22, 2006) Credit: Dan DeLong/Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Chuck and Marcia McBeath of Seattle (for the moment) may not seem like your typical Peace Corps volunteers. Sure, they've finished college and were looking for adventure and a chance to do some good in the world. It's true they don't have many ties holding them down, and they were up for a challenge, so the Peace Corps' "toughest job you'll ever love" sounded promising.
They're also in their 80s. The McBeaths, who recently returned from an overseas stint in Kenya, are of part a fast-growing volunteer segment among Peace Corps workers -- seniors.
"No single group has more to offer in terms of experience, maturity and demonstrated ability," said Corps spokeswoman Maria Lee.
Currently 6 percent to 7 percent of the Peace Corps' volunteers are older than 50. And in many countries, they are especially valued because of their age, not in spite of it.
"A lot are finding age works to their benefit," Lee said. "Not only do they have a body of life experience and skills to share, but in many developing countries, age is something regarded with reverence and respect."
There is no upper limit for serving in the Peace Corps, which was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961.
Although the average age of volunteers is 28, the McBeaths are actually less notable for their advanced years than for the number of times they've signed up: six ... so far.
They're hoping for a posting to Fiji next, having just come back from Kenya, where Marcia trained teachers about counseling and Chuck helped the local university upgrade its computer networking system.
They've also served assignments in Lesotho (inside South Africa), Jamaica, Namibia, St. Lucia in the Caribbean and the Ivory Coast. They spent two years in each location, except the Ivory Coast, which erupted in civil war one month after they arrived.
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They evacuated by bus, leaving what little they'd brought behind.
The couple, who have been married 56 years, have always had a healthy wanderlust.
"We're not really from anywhere," said Chuck McBeath, 83, who was born in Colorado and grew up reading adventure stories in Wyoming.
"Yes, we're gypsies," said his wife, who originally came from Pawtucket, R.I.
The two, both still fit from daily walks and treks up the stairs of their University District apartment building, volley their stories back and forth, giving each one a chance to jump in and continue an especially good tale.
They met playing bridge when Chuck was brought in to fill out the table. Six months later, they married. They had three goals:
"To see the world, get more education and have children, not necessarily in that order," said Marcia McBeath.
The couple left for what was then French Morocco when their first child was 6 weeks old. Subsequently they had three more children ("We have one American, one African and two Turks," Marcia said.) The family lived in Istanbul and Ankara before deciding to "settle down" in Shoreline so their kids could finish high school.
After 10 years -- nearly the longest they've lived anywhere -- they were off again.
Along the way, they both earned doctorates, Chuck's in engineering and economic planning, and Marcia's in educational psychology -- both from Stanford University.
They both put their training to use in their Peace Corps positions.
Marcia trained educators in various countries in counseling and strategies for reducing corporal punishment in schools.
"In every country we were in, they beat kids," she said.
Chuck also helped with training of various kinds, including at one point helping plan a water system to deliver water from the highlands of Lesotho through a series of dams and tunnels to the watershed of Johannesburg.
It's been especially gratifying for them to see people they worked alongside in faraway places achieve their dreams. They've kept up with many of them.
Some have pursued educations in the United States. Others have achieved prominent positions within their own countries.
The work itself can be frustrating and the problems facing the countries overwhelming. They've seen corruption and witnessed hunger.
They've been held up at gunpoint and been figuratively sideswiped by civil war, but they wouldn't trade any of it.
"You never know what changes you might make in someone's life," Marcia said.
Serving in the Peace Corps requires flexibility, creativity and patience. "And you can't be attached to creature comforts," Marcia said.
When the couple decided to pursue the Peace Corps, they inventoried their possessions, sent the list to their kids, let them take what they wanted and got rid of the rest.
Now everything they own fits into one filing cabinet and one trunk. When they come back to Seattle, it's to a modest, furnished apartment.
They've long since sold the only house they ever owned, the one in Shoreline.
"We were never the homeowner types," Marcia said. "We don't like gardening and home repair."
TALK
Chuck and Marcia McBeath will talk about their Peace Corps experiences from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Sunday, March 26, at University Unitarian Church, 6556 35th Ave. N.E. in Seattle. (Note: An incorrect date was originally given.)
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More headlines and info from Shoreline, University District.
P-I reporter Carol Smith can be reached at 206-448-8070 or carolsmith@seattlepi.com.
When this story was posted in March 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:
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Story Source: Seattle Post Intelligencer
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Kenya; COS - Lesotho; COS - St. Lucia; COS - Ivory Coast; COS - Namibia; COS - Jamaica; Older Volunteers
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