Caroline Fermin returned to Beaufort as the Executive Director of the Parris Island Historical and Museum Society—the first in its 25-year history.

The retired Marine lieutenant colonel’s father was a 26-year-Navy veteran. “My dad was deployed on the USS Constellation when I was born,” she says.

Her tone reflects the jagged course her life has taken. “I believe that through trials and tribulations of life, your faith is what anchors you,” she says.

Walk into any room where Louise Spencer is singing and you can feel the room vibrate. Louise is Hilton Head Island’s cherished hometown diva, possessing an incredibly sassy voice with great range, control and rich expression.

If you look up Carole Glover online, she is a presence. Whether she wants it or not, as the mother of an “American Idol” winner, Candice Glover and beloved “native daughter” of the Lowcountry, Carole Glover has high visibility on her own. Despite her claims of shyness, Carole has risen to the role of sought-after interviewee.

Have you ever played the game where you describe a person in one word and everyone tries to guess who it is? If the person in question was Teresa Wade, the one word would be sustainability. Teresa is the founder of a nonprofit that focuses on sustainable solutions for the future. Her goals are as lofty as her devotion to the subject.

“All you have shall some day be given; therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors.”

-Kahlil Gibran

With all the changes in this world, especially those on beautiful Hilton Head Island, one blessing thankfully remains in tact. No amount of progress can destroy it or remove its beauty, as the spiritual uplifting of giving to others is a permanent, innate characteristic resting securely within our hearts.

Luciana Quiroga is a young woman, not yet 30. There aren’t many decades behind her. But in her last 10 years, she has been on power drive, zooming through a lifetime of events in her personal and professional life. Here are the highlights:

Hilton Head has its own Martha Stewart and her name is Ginger Craig, a brown-eyed dynamo who has her hands in enough high-energy projects to live up to the celebrity Martha. Ginger, and her equally perky four-legged friend, Liza Jane, graciously welcomed me into her lovely, bright living room, where I had the pleasure of meeting Ginger's husband Tim. Accustomed to constant movement from her pet, Liza Jane, contently followed Ginger as she guided me about the elegant home. Every room was decorated with a variety of beautiful dust ruffles, draperies and portraits.

Ever wished you could see the glaciers of Alaska, cruise the tropics of Costa Rica, see the beautiful Smoky Mountains or tour the jungles of Africa? Sue Jarrett doesn’t have to put any of these things on her bucket list because she’s done them all, and much, much more.

Patty Gosdin is glowing; her bright blue eyes have an added sparkle. The weekend is coming, and Patty can’t wait to play with her new toy, a zoom lens her husband bought for her Canon camera. She’s thinking about the images she’ll capture of ghost crabs, egrets and other wildlife and ocean scenes on Hilton Head Island. It’s pure joy for a woman who connects with nature on a deep level. 

What do tuning forks, Tibetan bowls, Chinese gongs, essential oils and energy medicine have in common? Alice Tobin and natural methods for healing and wholeness.

Anne Lear was destined to be a Navy woman. Her grandfather, father and three of her five brothers all served in the Navy. “So, I was actually going to enlist in the Navy as a corpsman, but they talked me out of it,” recounted the 24-year Navy veteran; a pediatric nurse practitioner and the commanding officer of Naval Hospital Beaufort (NHB) and Naval Support Facility since July 2013.

Bring up the topics of alternative medicine, the human body or the cultural differences between people around the world, and Cheryl McCarthy’s voice fills with enthusiasm. And her words are filled with knowledge. “I’m passionate about health. I can’t read enough about health,” Cheryl said. “The human body is a beautiful, complex machine that has an innate intelligence which we might never fully understand.”

Having had one of those really happy kind of lives leads to a different type of bucket list. Anne McNear would like to “do it again” rather than have totally new experiences. How would you feel about that?

“When I visited my grandparents on Hilton Head Island as a child coming from Atlanta, I learned how to pick tomatoes, grow watermelons and peel shrimp.But best of all, I was able to bond with my family.”

Tosha Suggs is now a 42-year-old single mother, raising her 14-year-old son, Christopher, who a freshman at Hilton Head High School. Island life and family bonding brought her back to the Lowcountry and the strength of her character and power of her goals has kept her here.

When Dene McCain and her husband decided to move to Beaufort 15 years ago to live on their 36-foot sailboat, the registered nurse had no problem getting rid of almost everything she owned—including most of her wardrobe.

“You learn to live without a lot of things,” she said. “You really don’t need 20 pairs of shoes.”

Six years ago, Dolores A. Surprenant checked herself into Beaufort Memorial Hospital because she was having uncontrollable asthma attacks. Doctors told her she had congestive heart failure, fluid on the lungs, swelling in her legs and her kidneys were shutting down. Leading up to her decision to go to the hospital, Dolores had an infection in her lungs, her house in Beaufort was broken into and she survived an accident while driving her truck.

It is said that passion is the heart of every successful venture. For Trudie Lobban, the heart is her passion. It has been more than 20 years since her 10-month-old daughter, Francesca, began having “fainting spells” for no apparent reason. Terrified at what was happening, Trudie visited countless medical experts to find an answer. Finally at age 3, it was discovered that she has a rare heart condition Reflex Anoxic Seizures (RAS), which causes the heart to stop for short periods. RAS is one of many heart rhythm disorders that fall under the umbrella of arrhythmias, which cause the heart to beat irregularly, too fast or too slow, and can have devastating effects. They affect the electrics or rhythm of the heart (as distinct from heart attacks, which are caused by blockages in the heart vessels). They sometimes present no symptoms, but they are always treatable, if detected.

“People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed; never throw out anyone.” Audrey Hepburn

Dr. Audrey Klenke, the only female cosmetic surgeon in Beaufort County, explained how plastic surgery became her passion. “Medicine, in general, was so exhilarating that it was challenging to narrow in on the perfect fit, until I became smitten with plastic surgery,” said Audrey.

Dolores Blusewicz’ son-in-law is checking up on her. He’s not making sure she’s home safely, or if she needs anything from the store. Jason Pampucha, Dolores’ only son-in-law, is snooping around in her fridge.
And much to his delight, there is no container of pork and beans or sugary barbecue sauces or, dare it even cross her mind, leftover pizza.

“So, here is a question for you. What is the opposite of retirement? The answer? Pamela Freedman!”

I started my interview with Pamela Freedman by asking how and when she and her husband, Roger, came to Hilton Head Island. Boy, did I get an answer. As with many of us, they had been here off and on before making the final move to retire, but in this case, retirement has a whole new meaning.

KeCia Jordan and Leveta Smith grew up in two very different worlds. KeCia shared Jersey City, N.J. with nearly a quarter million souls, while Leveta was raised with 12 siblings in the tiny town of Louisburg, N.C., population 3,300.

Yet, today they are equals, both wearing the insignia of the Marine Corps’ top enlisted rank—sergeant major. KeCia is Sergeant Major of Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, assisting the commanding officer with enlisted operations supporting all units on base. Leveta is the sergeant major for Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, responsible for the well being of about 600 Marines, filling support roles ranging from administrative support to military police.

Ellen Malphrus knows how to disconnect. Our telephone interview required an email, voicemail, text and several days of spotty phone calls before we could arrange a window of time when Ellen could come back down the mountain to the small town, where there is cell phone reception and Internet connection. This summer she is living in her one room cabin in Big Sky Country. The cabin has no electricity or running water. There is a generator for the well; a horse trough for the water she uses to bathe and wash her hair. At night, candles and stars provide the light against the dark.

Meet two vibrant and engaging women who are masterful at connecting with people and dancing with life. They are both adventurers at heart and have had incredible opportunities to make friends from all over the world and travel to exotic destinations.

Kelli Bright is very well named. She shines through the clouds like a beam of brilliant sunshine!

Have you ever met someone who made you feel confused, grateful, ecstatic and hopeful all at the same time? Well, I did, and it was a first-time experience for me in the 10 years I have been writing for Pink. I had the wonderful and blessed privilege of making the acquaintance of Kelli. Now 21, she was injured in a single-car accident at the age of 16, which left her paralyzed from the chest down. Yes, this amazing woman is wheelchair bound. However, she makes that term seem silly because she is “bound” by nothing!