By Kristine Thomas
As an artist, Shari Lord never knows where her inspiration might derive from, but married 45 years to Dr. Frank Lord, she knows what inspired her husband to become a doctor.
When he was in the eighth grade he saw the television show Dr. Kildare. That was it. Frank knew he wanted to become a doctor and wear a white coat.
And through the years of high school, college, medical school and career moves, there’s no secret as to what – or who – inspired the couple to work together for their family and their community.
“We got into a habit of encouraging each other to do more stuff,” Frank said. “We are always supporting one another.”
After 30 years working at Silverton Health and a total of 47 years as a doctor, Frank recently retired.
“Working in medicine has been fun,” he said. “It has been fabulous to have the connection with people and an honor to have the permission to be a part of people’s lives and help them.”
In his years as a doctor, he has seen tremendous changes, including in the hopital’s emergency department.
When he first started at Silverton Hospital, he said the emergency room was a public relations nightmare because patients had to ring a doorbell to be let in and it wasn’t fully staffed. It was his task to revamp the emergency room and bring it up to the nonprofit organization’s high standards.
The changes that have happened in Silverton’s emergency room in the last 30 years are night and day, Frank said.
“Today, it is a high quality organization,” he said. “We have a high quality staff and we take great pride in people getting great service.”
As one chapter of their life closed, the couple has eagerly jumped into the next by celebrating their new lifestyle of “no set schedules” by traveling to Egypt where they explored ancient tombs, taking a hot air balloon ride and enjoying adventures in a country they spent months learning about.
Politely declining to give their ages, Shari and Frank said there is a perception about what retirement means, and they have no intention of adhering to that perception.
The pair enjoy kayaking, scuba diving, traveling, bicycle riding and more. They are both learning to play the piano, although they do take lessons at different times. And they both enjoy art – with each having their own studio.
Laughing, Shari said she has been asked if it will be a challenge to have her husband home more often now that he is retired.
The answer is “No.”
“We’ve always had a partnership and supported one another,” she said.
On a coffee table, there are two legal pads – each with a “to do list.”
Shari explains there is a reason she and Frank have their own “to do lists.”
“We are both highly motivated people and we both have a lot of energy,” Shari said. “There are things we like to do together and things we like to do on our own.”
Now that Frank is retired, they are excited to be able to make their own schedule, which includes being at Silverton Fitness at 5 a.m. to workout.
“The biggest change I see in being retired is I get to be in control of the list,” Frank said.
Both Shari and Frank graduated from Lake Oswego High School and the University of Oregon.
“Thank goodness we don’t have that to fight about,” Frank said with a smile. Both are Duck fans. Their children – Meika, Sasha, Carson and Gavin – are grown and they have 10 grandchildren from ages one to 16.
They say what makes their marriage work is they know they can count on one another for support and encouragement.
“We understand there is a give and take in marriage,” Shari said. “We enjoy doing things together.”
Their adventures so far have ranged from scuba diving with a pod of gray whales to completing three Cycle Oregon bike tours to traveling to Belize.
Both Shari and Frank said there are things they wouldn’t have attempted to do without the other by their side.
Shari views her husband’s retirement as a positive change in their life because it allows them more opportunities.
“We love to be with each other and love to do things together,” Shari said.
Frank knows he will be busy working on his art projects, helping with the family’s nursery, and tackling yard and house projects.
“I might even start a new business,” he said. “I have lots of ideas.”
People have asked Frank if he will miss working in the hospital emergency room.
While he enjoyed his work, he said, he’s ready for what’s next. He wants to learn to play the guitar and the piano, go fly fishing and work in his studio.
“I am on an upward learning curve again and I am excited about what is next for us,” he said. “I am ready to learn new things and explore new places.”
What’s exciting about retirement for Frank is he sees lots of doors opening.
“And windows too,” Shari added.
