It's Me by Reva Patrick Coon

Chapter 14: Joyland

Chapter 14 of It's Me by Reva Patrick Coon vividly captures her early 20th-century childhood memories in Seattle and Dunsmuir, California. Reva recounts Sunday walks with her father, from toddler terrors like a giant octopus at a marine museum to fears of Native Americans fueled by Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and her father's warnings about "Siwash." Overcoming prejudices, she embraces joyful dances at Joyland hall with big bands like Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, and Ted Fioriato—fox trots, waltzes, and spins under twinkling lights. * Childhood Fears to Joy: Transition from Native American phobias and school chants to adult appreciation and vibrant 1920s-30s dances. * Dunsmuir History: Joyland dance hall, big band era, family games (crocineau, Pit, Hearts), NYC adventures, WWII shifts, Railroad Days parades, centennial celebrations. * Personal Milestones: First prom in flapper dress, Merrymakers club, tea at Miss Lynn's, dancing at 99, pets like Doby the poodle, Mount Shasta reflections. Perfect for fans of memoirs, Irish-American heritage, Mount Shasta stories, big band nostalgia, and resilient centenarian tales. Narrated by Sarah Bronwyn Kelly in Reva's voice; produced by grandson Andy Coon. #RevaCoon #ItsMePodcast #DunsmuirMemoir #BigBandDances #ChildhoodMemories #MountShasta Read by Sarah Kelly | Hosted by Andy Coon | ⁠Talent Freaks⁠ [https://talentfreaks.com] | ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://instagram.com/talent.freaks] | ⁠YouTube⁠ [https://youtube.com/@talentfreaks] | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/5ELhgo3t9d4J2jT1V3dV70?si=197fbafac3044540]

Chapter 13: Cake

Chapter 13 of It's Me by Reva Patrick Coon celebrates her profound teaching legacy and heartfelt honors in Dunsmuir, California. From a humble store-bought cake gifted by Italian immigrant student Mr. Rossetti upon U.S. citizenship to a $25,000+ Riva P. Kuhn Scholarship Fund from 400+ alumni, Reva reflects on plaques, citations, and President Reagan's letter for her Dunsmuir Centennial leadership. * Teacher Tributes: 75th UC Berkeley reunion directing "Hail to California," Citizen of the Year (Rotary, Chamber, BPW), Alexander Dunsmuir Award, Crag Echoes yearbook dedications, Railroad Days Grand Marshal. * Personal Reunions: Babysitting Ralph Fisher (now Russian history professor), 90th birthday "Sunday in the Park with Riva," 100th dual celebration—park fiesta, gala banquet with Angela's acapella, harvest moon. * Community Impact: Naturalization classes, Clown Capers, violin solos at Greek Theatre/California Theatre. Inspiring for educators, centenarians, Irish-American stories, Mount Shasta locals. Narrated by Sarah Kelly; produced by grandson Andy Coon. #RevaCoon #ItsMePodcast #TeacherLegacy #DunsmuirHistory #100thBirthday #ScholarshipFund. Read by Sarah Kelly | Hosted by Andy Coon | ⁠Talent Freaks⁠ [https://talentfreaks.com] | ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://instagram.com/talent.freaks] | ⁠YouTube⁠ [https://youtube.com/@talentfreaks] | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/5ELhgo3t9d4J2jT1V3dV70?si=197fbafac3044540]

Chapter 12: Dress Circle

Chapter 12 of It's Me by Reva Patrick Coon chronicles her thrilling senior travels at age 70+: first transatlantic flight to Britain for Queen Elizabeth's Trooping the Colour (early curb spot amid crowds), Isle of Skye, Loch Ness hunt; solo Irish Republic tour (Killarney jaunting car, Limerick castle); Austria's operatic splendor—Vienna State Opera dress circle, Lipizzaner horses, Mozart exhibits in Salzburg, mayor's banquet, Beethoven's Ninth manuscript. * Epic Adventures: Heathrow dash, bobby-policed parade, Prince Philip sighting; Dublin vaudeville, "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen"; NYU music tour, former student reunion, fairy-tale woodcarver shop. * Cultural Gems: Regiments marching, Lippizaners, puppet shows, Strauss waltzes; red-carpet Vienna, Grimms-like Salzburg. * Reflections: Latte companions Eleanor/George Harrison, travel's end at 90s, gratitude for life's journeys. Ideal for travel memoirs, royal watchers, opera buffs, Irish roots, Mount Shasta locals reminiscing Europe. Narrated by Sarah Kelly; produced by grandson Andy Coon. #RevaCoon #ItsMePodcast #TroopingTheColour #IrishHeritage #ViennaOpera #SeniorTravel  Read by Sarah Kelly | Hosted by Andy Coon | ⁠Talent Freaks⁠ [https://talentfreaks.com] | ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://instagram.com/talent.freaks] | ⁠YouTube⁠ [https://youtube.com/@talentfreaks] | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/5ELhgo3t9d4J2jT1V3dV70?si=197fbafac3044540]

Chapter 11: All Aboard

Chapter 11 of It's Me by Reva Patrick Coon embarks on her lifetime of rail and river adventures, starting with 1946 cross-country train to NYC (Grand Central, Statue of Liberty climb, nightclub) with daughter Barbara on $250 budget via husband Burton's SP pass. Later: Expo 67 World's Fair Montreal, Maine lobster frights, Cornish ancestors; luxurious cruises—Alaska calving glaciers, Panama Canal, "Love Boat" Mexico, Mississippi Queen antebellum estates to New Orleans jazz. * Family Train Tales: Indiana farm outhouse surprise, Wisconsin humidity, Philadelphia with grandson Shawn (Liberty Bell, mint, lightning lessons), Victoria BC high tea/Butchart Gardens with Susan. * Festive Escapes: NYC limo Rockefeller tree/angels choir/"Master Class," Christmas Montclair with limos, gray poupon laugh. * Water Wonders: Puget Sound steamship, SF Bay ferries, duck march Memphis. Captivating for train buffs, cruise lovers, family travel stories, vintage NYC/Expo nostalgia. Narrated by Sarah Kelly; produced by grandson Andy Coon. #RevaCoon #ItsMePodcast #TrainTravel #WorldsFair #MississippiCruise #FamilyAdventures  Read by Sarah Kelly | Hosted by Andy Coon | ⁠Talent Freaks⁠ [https://talentfreaks.com] | ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://instagram.com/talent.freaks] | ⁠YouTube⁠ [https://youtube.com/@talentfreaks] | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/5ELhgo3t9d4J2jT1V3dV70?si=197fbafac3044540]

Chapter 10: Shadows

Chapter 10 of It's Me by Reva Patrick Coon poignantly explores a lifetime shadowed by death and grief, from childhood losses—a baby robin, drowned kittens, Spanish Flu victims—to family tragedies: friends, Civil War grandpa tales, WWI uncles, WWII kin, Korean/Vietnam sons, murdered/flight crash grandchildren. Reva confronts cruelty (guns, hunting), life's fragility, finding light amid Dunsmuir's enduring cycle. * Grief Milestones: 1918 flu aunt/mother-in-law, WWII drownings/seizures, personal family deaths across wars/accidents. * Childhood Encounters: Animal deaths sparking empathy/horror; adult reflections on mortality, centenarian wisdom. * Emotional Depth: Guns' terror, nature's cruelty, hope's persistence in Irish-American resilience. Heart-wrenching for grief memoirs, loss healing, WWII family stories, animal empathy tales. Narrated by Sarah Kelly; produced by grandson Andy Coon. #RevaCoon #ItsMePodcast #GriefMemoir #DeathAndLoss #DunsmuirHistory #CentenarianWisdom Read by Sarah Kelly | Hosted by Andy Coon | ⁠Talent Freaks⁠ [https://talentfreaks.com] | ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://instagram.com/talent.freaks] | ⁠YouTube⁠ [https://youtube.com/@talentfreaks] | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/5ELhgo3t9d4J2jT1V3dV70?si=197fbafac3044540]