Athletic Malibu Couple’s Forte Lies in Wanting to Learn More

Ed and Dorothy Stotsenberg live in the fast lane. Both are 77 years old and have won senior track meets around the world.

But the term “works in progress” describes the Stotsenbergs best.

Sixteen years ago, Ed contacted poison sumac and his hands swelled up so badly that he couldn’t sculpt, practice his music or drive to his CPA office. So he took up running.

But a man like Ed Stotsenberg doesn’t dabble. He started running every day. Then he founded the Stotsenberg Track Club, and he and Dorothy donated the new track at Pepperdine University. Now he trains other runners, competes every week and has the trophies to prove it. Dorothy, who took up running after Ed, has her own trophy room.

Ed was the fifth of nine children. When other youths were out riding their bicycles, he was working in the orchards in Washington State with his family. “When I graduated from high school, it was my turn to support the family, so I didn’t get to start college until I was 26,” he recalls.

By then, he and Dorothy had met and married. She supported them with her salary as a journalist on the Yakima Daily Republic.

That was 52 years ago. Today, Ed drives to his Beverly Hills office from their Malibu home three days a week to manage $55 million of other people’s money. Ed said $10 million of it comes from the Mary Pickford Foundation, which he helped establish.

Dorothy works for a local newspaper chronicling the history of Malibu. From their house overlooking the mountains and the Pacific Ocean, they live a life filled with learning. “You have to learn or you’re stuck,” says Dorothy.

Ed read 61 books last year and only recently began learning the classical guitar, accompanied by Dorothy on their grand piano. She is also involved in the Los Angeles Philharmonic Affiliates. Many of their friends are the children of their contemporaries. Ed attributes their fitness to the running and what they learned from raising horses. “We are alerted to taking care of ourselves. When I took care of our horses I learned that things never get better on their own, they always get worse, so we pay close attention to our health,” says Ed.

The Stotsenbergs are looking forward to July when they will participate with 4,500 other athletes in the 9th World Veterans Championships in Turku, Finland. “It’s the Olympic Games for older people, but it’s held every two years because they don’t think they’ll live long enough for every four years,” Ed says with a laugh. “The oldest competitor is 90.”

Friendly competition, intellectual curiosity, community involvement, artistic pursuits, living in harmony with one another but enjoying the interaction with others, the Stotsenbergs are always in training. For information regarding running for older people, call (818) 889-2660.

Bulletin Board

Casting Call--The Los Angeles City Recreation and Parks Department has announced its annual casting call for talented senior citizens; before the grand show scheduled for Aug. 24, seniors must compete in the preliminaries; West Los Angeles preliminary at Fairfax Senior Center on June 14; application deadline is May 31; information: (213) 485-4851.

Home Safety--Home Secure provides and installs home safety and security hardware for any income-eligible person, regardless of age; information: (213) 937-5855.

Legal Issues--WISE Senior Services Education and Resource Center will present six sessions dealing with legal issues of interest to senior citizens; topics include age discrimination, consumer rights and fraud, and wills, estates and trusts; WISE Senior Services, 1527 4th St., Santa Monica; 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays, from June 18 to July 23; information: (213) 394-9871 ($10 for all six sessions).

Noteworthy Women--Tracey Kahan will lecture on “Women of Achievement in the Arts and Science”; presented by Westchester Senior Center; 8740 Lincoln Blvd., Los Angeles; 1 p.m. today; information: (213) 649-3317 (free).

Medication Help--County residents may take current medications for an evaluation of side effects and use; sponsored by the Hollywood Wilshire Pharmacist Assn.; Roxbury Park Community Center Auditorium, 471 S. Roxbury Drive, Beverly Hills; 10 a.m. today; information: (213) 653-4070 (free).

Retired Teachers--Harvey Stromberg will discuss international tensions during the last six months; presented by the Santa Monica division of the California Retired Teachers Assn.; First Methodist Church, 11th and Washington streets, Santa Monica; 12:30 p.m. Tuesday; information: (213) 450-7808 (free).

Pet Care--Dr. Kathleen Carson will discuss geriatric pet care and how to handle the loss of a pet; sponsored by Pet Network; Veterans Memorial Building, Overland Avenue and Culver Boulevard, Culver City; 7:30 p.m. Friday; information: (213) 393-0012 ($2 donation requested).

Retirees’ Group--Hilary Metternich will lecture on “Living Through Glasnost in Leningrad”; presented by Santa Monica Chapter of the American Assn. of Retired Persons; Ken Edwards Center, 1527 4th St., Santa Monica; 1 p.m. Friday; information: (213) 395-2045 ($5).

Senior Assistance--Assistance League of Southern California’s Hollywood Senior Multipurpose Center volunteers will help low-income seniors complete renters’ and homeowners’ forms; 6501 Fountain Ave., Hollywood; 9 a.m. Mondays, 10 a.m. Tuesdays, 11 a.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; information: (213) 465-2158 (free).

Health Care--Westside Council for Seniors will discuss health insurance plans; includes refreshments after the meeting; Santa Monica Place, community room, Colorado Avenue and 2nd Street, Santa Monica; 1 p.m. Wednesday; information: (213) 390-2302 (free).

Happy Seniors--Michael Feuer will be the featured speaker at a meeting of Temple Beth Am Happy Seniors; entertainment by violinist Sam Konviser; 1039 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles; 1:30 p.m. Thursday; information: (213) 652-7353 (free admission, $2 lunch).

Insurance Reduction--AARP 55-Alive Mature Driver Class will be offered by the Assistance League of Southern California’s Hollywood Senior Multipurpose Center; successful completion may reduce auto insurance premiums; 6501 Fountain Ave., Hollywood; 12:30 Friday; information: (213) 465-2158 ($8).