It's Me by Reva Patrick Coon

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 #MountShastaRead by Sarah Kelly | Hosted by Andy Coon | ⁠Talent Freaks⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠

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 | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠

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 | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠

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 | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠

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 #CentenarianWisdomRead by Sarah Kelly | Hosted by Andy Coon | ⁠Talent Freaks⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠

Chapter 9 of It's Me by Reva Patrick Coon spotlights her enchanting theater life: starstruck encounters with Richard Burton (Hamlet), Elizabeth Taylor, Yehudi Menuhin/Fritz Kreisler violin recitals, Helen Keller speech, John Philip Sousa. From directing Dunsmuir High plays/operettas to Broadway's West Side Story, her charm bracelet—tokens from productions—symbolizes a lifelong passion for stage magic.​Celebrity Brushes: Burton/Taylor charisma, Menuhin virtuosity, Keller inspiration, Sousa marches.Theater Milestones: School directing triumphs, community glee clubs, bracelet as memory trove.Dunsmuir Arts: High school productions blending music/drama in small-town spotlight.Delightful for theater history buffs, violin lovers, celebrity anecdotes, 20th-century performing arts. Narrated by Sarah Kelly; produced by grandson Andy Coon. #RevaCoon #ItsMePodcast #TheaterMemoir #RichardBurton #HelenKeller #DunsmuirDramaRead by Sarah Kelly | Hosted by Andy Coon | ⁠Talent Freaks⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠

Chapter 8 of It's Me by Reva Patrick Coon chronicles a century of American wars through her eyes: childhood Civil War grandpa tales, WWII homefront airplane spotting in Dunsmuir, Korean/Vietnam losses, 9/11 horror, Iraq reflections. She mourns shifting patriotism—from unity to division—amid personal ties to conflicts shaping small-town life near Mount Shasta.​War Generations: Civil War stories, WWII vigilance (spotter duties), Korean sons, Vietnam doubts, post-9/11/Iraq sorrow.Homefront Impact: Dunsmuir's WWII early dismissals, empty seats in class, FDR's death shock.Personal Lens: Patriotism's evolution, unity's loss in centenarian wisdom.Essential for WWII memoirs, 20th-century war history, veteran families, American patriotism arcs. Narrated by Sarah Kelly; produced by grandson Andy Coon. #RevaCoon #ItsMePodcast #WWIIHomefront #AmericanWars #9/11Memories #DunsmuirHistoryRead by Sarah Kelly | Hosted by Andy Coon | ⁠Talent Freaks⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠

Chapter 7 of It's Me by Reva Patrick Coon soars through her "lifetime of survivals": colon cancer surgery (2001, fluttering wings anesthesia), breast mastectomy (1989), multiple hip fractures/replacements (1965 ice fall, 1978, 1990 SF stairs), hysterectomy (1997 at 93), black widow spider bite, bionic upgrades—resilience personified in Dunsmuir.​Medical Triumphs: Dr. Sternberg/Nash/Nutley/Sei/Miller heroics; post-op Methodist choir carols, "Rolls Royce" walker.Near-Death Visions: Anesthesia wings, student concern during ambulance ride.Centenarian Grit: "Bionic mother" label, healing amid 100+ years.Uplifting for cancer survivors, hip replacement stories, senior resilience, medical miracle tales. Narrated by Sarah Kelly; produced by grandson Andy Coon. #RevaCoon #ItsMePodcast #CancerSurvival #HipReplacement #CentenarianHealth #MedicalMemoirRead by Sarah Kelly | Hosted by Andy Coon | ⁠Talent Freaks⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠

Chapter 6 of It's Me by Reva Patrick Coon details her unexpected Dunsmuir teaching career: sidetracked violinist dreams for English/glee club (1925, $90/month hunger), mother's stroke grief, WWII short days/jobs, pie-chomping Tony, Sonoma quake/"Birdman Alcatraz" hysteria, elder hostels—37 rewarding years retiring 1966.​Key Themes and SEO HighlightsEarly Struggles: Hotel crackers diet, 19-year-old "boy-men" dropouts, Lucille Huffacre "prettiest teacher" brawl.War/Classroom Drama: FDR death shock, football captain chorus boost, naturalization Italians.Pivotal Moments: Earthquake calm under desks, post-granddaughter death Sonoma stint.Inspiring for teachers, 1920s educators, WWII school life, small-town drama memoirs. Narrated by Sarah Kelly; produced by grandson Andy Coon. #RevaCoon #ItsMePodcast #TeacherLife #DunsmuirHigh #WWIIClassroom #EducationMemoirRead by Sarah Kelly | Hosted by Andy Coon | Talent Freaks | Instagram | YouTube | 🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify

Chapter 5 of It's Me by Reva Patrick Coon passionately recounts her lifelong violin devotion: age-12 start, Orly C (SF Symphony) lessons/recitals (Beethoven Minuet flop redo), soirees with pros, Stradivarius trial, Fritz Kreisler idol (rediscovered sheet music at 102), arthritis halt, Dunsmuir solo/teaching despite gender bans.​Musical Mentors: Orly/Adelaide C adoption, elite Ibel Club snub, UC music major.Pivotal Instruments: Homolka voicing with Louis Prince, Kreisler favorites, grandson Sean's brief try.Career Tension: Private pupils/recitals amid child-rearing, voice-loss sadness.Enchanting for violinists, classical music memoirs, SF Symphony history, women's arts barriers. Narrated by Sarah Kelly; produced by grandson Andy Coon. #RevaCoon #ItsMePodcast #ViolinMemoir #FritzKreisler #SFOrchestra #ClassicalJourneyRead by Sarah Kelly | Hosted by Andy Coon | ⁠Talent Freaks⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠

Chapter 4 of It's Me by Reva Patrick Coon weaves her 1920s romance with baseball star Burton "Bones" Coon: fateful double date via Andrew Leach/Eleanor Van Fossen, basketball court "hook," shy engagement ring reveal by brother Boosie, simple Medford Baptist wedding in linen sheath (no church dream), fulfilled decades later giving away daughter.​Love Story Sparks: Harvey Fisher first kiss, SP courtship dances/cake, Harvey Leach matchmaker.Wedding Realities: Doris/Zeke attendants, Stage Coach chicken dinner, Medford Hotel night.Full Circle: 21 years on, Sunday-no-baseball vow for dream garden ceremony.Romantic for 1920s nostalgia, baseball romances, wedding tales, Irish-American love stories. Narrated by Sarah Kelly; produced by grandson Andy Coon. #RevaCoon #ItsMePodcast #1920sRomance #BaseballSweetheart #DreamWedding #DunsmuirLove Read by Sarah Kelly | Hosted by Andy Coon | ⁠Talent Freaks⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠

Chapter 3 of It's Me by Reva Patrick Coon cherishes lifelong bonds: violin mentors Orly/Adelaide C (SF Symphony soirees), college playmate Helen Robart, elite Eleanor Van Fossen/Harrison (social graces), adoptive Wattenbergers (Depression gifts), surrogate Minnie Lockhart (mothering), Mamie Poe (Burton death vigil), Grace Harris (centennial book), "other kids" Altos.​Inner Circle Impacts: Orly's self-esteem seed, Wattenbergers' child proxy, Poe's scotch post-loss, Harris' chauffeur role.Widowhood Support: 1973 Burton TV death, Mamie's endurance.Modern Ties: Bev Minneth recipes, Barbara Shepherd readings.Touching for friendship memoirs, mentor stories, widow resilience, small-town networks. Narrated by Sarah Kelly; produced by grandson Andy Coon. #RevaCoon #ItsMePodcast #LifelongFriends #IrishAmericanBonds #DunsmuirCommunity #MentorMagicKey Themes and SEO HighlightsWhy Listen on Spotify?Read by Sarah Kelly | Hosted by Andy Coon | ⁠Talent Freaks⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠

Chapter 2 of It's Me by Reva Patrick Coon opens doors to her lifetime homes: Seattle Cape Cod birth/bay window, San Diego cottage/nanny goat, desert shanty sandstorm hell, Oakland Victorians/garden magnolias, Berkeley near UC, Dunsmuir's Travelers Hotel/Fisher/Hollis/Rose cottage, cherished 57-year Beverly Way (fireplace build), Montclair Sky Room, Morgan Manor retirement.​Humble to Heartfelt: Shack hardships (pregnant mother's plea), hotel independence, family builds (Richard's room).Moves Milestones: Post-Burton 1973 shifts, flood-displaced Nakaos caretakers, carless hill challenges.Home Essence: Love as cornerstone amid variety.Key Themes and SEO HighlightsWhy Listen on Spotify?Nostalgic for housing histories, 20th-century moves, family home evolutions, senior independence. Narrated by Sarah Kelly; produced by grandson Andy Coon. #RevaCoon #ItsMePodcast #LifetimeHomes #DunsmuirLiving #VictorianHouses #FamilyAbodesRead by Sarah Kelly | Hosted by Andy Coon | ⁠Talent Freaks⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠

Chapter 1 of It's Me by Reva Patrick Coon roots her Irish-American saga: 1732 Patrick Kentucky/Indiana farmers, McKinneys Minnesota/Wisconsin; adventurer father Thomas McVeigh meets soprano mother Martha Jane McKinney at Seattle Presbyterian (cousin pastor), 1904 birth (12.5 lbs), infant Paul loss, siblings Sarah/Richard, Uncle Ralph hugs, Burke Rothers moon songs.​Family Traditions: Chicken/dumplings Sundays, Boston beans Fridays, July 4th fireworks/lockjaw warning, Christmas popcorn/cranberries (tree knock regret).Early Memories: Swing "Sailing," steamship storm captain's pet, Seattle to San Diego.Heritage Echoes: Civil War Memorial Day, flu shadows, bakery stint.Foundational for genealogy buffs, Irish immigrant tales, early 1900s childhood, family lore. Narrated by Sarah Kelly; produced by grandson Andy Coon. #RevaCoon #ItsMePodcast #IrishRoots #1900sChildhood #FamilyHistory #SeattleMemoriesKey Themes and SEO HighlightsWhy Listen on Spotify?Read by Sarah Kelly | Hosted by Andy Coon | ⁠Talent Freaks⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠

Hi, I'm Andy Coon, grandson of Reva Patrick Coon. Discover her memoir It's Me, written at 99 (lived to 104). Actress Sarah Bronwyn Kelly brings her Dunsmuir life to vivid audio: Irish roots, violin, teaching, dances, travels & wisdom near Mt. Shasta. Family-made (14 episodes). Trailer: Meet Reva, her story, & why it lives on. Subscribe for full chapters!Read by Sarah Kelly | Hosted by Andy Coon | ⁠Talent Freaks⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠🎙️ Talent Freaks Podcast on Spotify⁠