EVERYDAY HEROES: Almost octogenarian uses exercise, education to inspire

Skyler Hammons, Tahlequah Daily Press, Okla.
·2 min read

Dec. 29—A local 79-year-old has helped to inspire others not only through her years of employment in the education field, but through her fitness goals.

Mae Dean Erb, a Northeastern State University 1963 alumna, said while she has run a marathon before, she mainly sticks to running half-marathons and has walked a 5K every day for the past 938 days.

"I've pretty much been active all my life. I started out playing basketball in high school, tennis in college, and volleyball at church," said Erb. "I think it just lent itself because I always felt better when I was active."

Erb hopes by doing almost 1,000 runs, she can encourage people her age, or even those younger, to know that certain limitations are not as set as they might think.

While Erb uses her fitness goals as a way to inspire others to do the same, she has used her position in education, which she has retired from three different times, to do the same all over the world.

Erb has taught in several places including Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, El Reno, and Okinawa, Japan.

Even though Erb is originally from Sequoyah County, she feels as much at home in Tahlequah as in her hometown of Blackgum.

"I have great memories from walking down these streets in Tahlequah when I was in school," said Erb.

Erb is the overseer of the Webbers Falls English Language Learner Program. In this position, she serves students of different ages and cultural backgrounds and their parents by helping bridge the gap between them and their teachers.

"I meet with these kids, and I meet with the parents, and I try to make sure that there is a connection between the teacher and the student in a positive way, and a connection between how parents feel regarding their student being in a difficult class, or if they're having trouble," said Erb.

For several years Erb worked with the American Indian Resource Center in Tahlequah by helping students in outlying areas at least two days a week. Erb said she did this to help students who were in a similar situation as her growing up, as she couldn't see herself continuing her education journey after high school even though her parents both pushed her to continue her education.

"I didn't want that to be the case for our kids out in these communities, and so it's just kind of a lifelong dream that I could help," said Erb.