The photographer, 28-year-old Tom Sanders, began traveling around the country in 2006 working on what began as a college project, to seek out and photograph World War II veterans. He began in his home state and then, with the help of a corporate sponsor, took his camera all across the nation. The result was The Last Good War: The Faces and Voices of World War II. Published in 2010 by Welcome Books, a division of Random House, the book has won wide praise from reviewers and readers alike.

Next month, Sanders will be in Dallas for two events at Love Field’s Frontiers of Flight Museum. On Friday, May 24, he will be the featured guest at a private meeting of a chapter of Happy Warriors, a national WWII veterans’ organization. The following day, Saturday, May 25, he will make a presentation open to the public and sign books at the museum, beginning at 1 p.m. Belmont Village Senior Living, a retirement residence operator that underwrote his tour to produce the book, is sponsoring his two-day visit.

With his collaborator, Veronica Kavass, Sanders produced an absorbing and irreplaceable collection of black-and-white and color images accompanied by poignant recollections of veterans, whose ages range from 80s to 100, some seven decades after their war service.

Sanders’ odyssey began when he was 21 and happened to photograph a World War II veteran. “He told me his story and changed my whole perspective. When he was my age, he was just trying to stay alive and keep the men around him safe.” Sanders began to find and record images of about 150 WWII veterans in California.

Then he linked up with Belmont Village. “They loved what I was doing and saw the opportunity to honor the veterans who live in their communities,” Sanders said. “They took me around the country to their locations, where I photographed over 400 veterans in less than a year.” After this whirlwind tour, he had the material to approach a publisher.

A major new book was always Sanders’ goal. “The reason I started was to be able to share the veterans’ stories and bits of personal history with as many people as possible.” And the response was “tremendous.” Amazon gave the book five stars, and Forewords Review magazine named it non-fiction Book of the Year. Publishers Weekly said: “Oral historian Kavass collected brief reminiscences from the veterans that don’t underplay the horrors of war. But most memorable are faces: solemn, proud, occasionally smiling, some looking directly into the camera, others looking off to the distance as if remembering the events of long ago.”

Happy Warriors from every branch of the military services reside in 20 Belmont Village senior residences. One who plans to move into a new Belmont opening soon on Turtle Creek in Dallas is John “Lucky” Luckadoo, who flew a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. Recalling his experiences, Luckadoo said, “I wonder every day how I could have made it past my 21st birthday, never mind my 91st.” (He reached that milestone in March.) During a recent Wings of Freedom Tour, Luckadoo rode from Denison to Dallas Love Field aboard a rare restored B-17. “First time back in one in 68 years,” he said.

Sanders’ book, which has sold 10,000 copies, includes photos and reminiscences of many notable Happy Warriors. One of them is Edith Shain, the nurse shown kissing a sailor in Life Magazine’s famed cover picture celebrating the war’s end.

Tom would like to do another book, on Vietnam War veterans. And he’d like to work with a non-profit group help sell the remaining 4,000 books with some proceeds going to members of today’s armed forces. The young author, whose grandfather was one of the GIs who stormed Normandy Beach in World War II, says he had “a rare opportunity” to document subject matter he loved. “This assignment was a dream come true.”

My mother used to say, “If we could only see ourselves as others see us.” I’d like to add, “And hear how we sound to others!” Are you a gossip? Most of us would vehemently deny that charge, but a great definition of gossip is “a continual complaint to somebody about something they have no power to change.” Ask yourself what you continually complain about. Do you go to the person who can actually do something about it? And if so, is your tone accusatory? Defensive? Offensive? Sarcastic? Do you habitually criticize others and even yourself?

After having previous marriages, Joe and I made a decision to do things differently in this one, beginning with loving and respectful words and actions. In his book, Blink, Malcolm Gladwell cites how non-professional observers could guess in less than a minute if a relationship would survive. The deciding factor was if one or both treated the other with contempt. It’s easy to spot in others but not so much in ourselves because we are used to our ways of being. And we usually defend our viewpoints to the death. I’d like to gently point out…it could also be the death of a new relationship.

Today, pay attention to how you speak to and treat important people in your life. Do you express respect, joy and appreciation or do you act and speak with an underlying or overt contempt? Can you make a commitment to stifle criticism and sarcasm and an eagerness to prove yourself right? If in its place, can you focus on all the good things you love about that person and your togetherness?

No more… “Pick a little, talk a little.” Rather, as the Psalmist David, said, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight.”

“Wait a minute!” you say. “She painted in New Mexico.” Right you are, for part of her life. But this young O’Keeffe needed a job and she’d found one in a place that intrigued her. We can claim her as a Texas artist for she left a marvelous legacy of this young love. During the two years she taught art in the public schools of Amarillo she spent hours roaming the prairie and the orange rocks of Palo Duro Canyon with her charcoal and her sketch book at her side. Later she recalled, “It is the only place I ever felt that I really belonged, that I really felt at home. That was my country—terrible winds and a wonderful emptiness.”

After her time in Amarillo, she headed back east to New York with a portfolio stuffed with those drawings. Some of these may have been in her 1916 exhibit at Alfred Stiglitz’s Gallery. Two years later, O’Keeffe came back to the Panhandle as head of the art department (of one) at West Texas Normal College in Canyon near Amarillo. She returned to her wandering life, but now she was painting in the abstract style that defines her work. She was not always fully appreciated. The owner of her boarding house remarked after viewing one picture that it “did not look like any canyon that I’ve ever seen.”

Intrigued by O’Keeffe paintings of the lonely prairie and the wide night skies? If you’re driving through the Panhandle, plan your trip to include the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum at West Texas A & M University, the campus where O’Keeffe taught. (You can even spend the night in the Hudspeth house where she took her meals.) And be sure and take the short trek to Palo Duro Canyon itself and watch the sunset. Surely you too will catch the magic.

But you don’t have to make the drive to Canyon. Just go to the Amon Carter Museum at 3501 Camp Bowie Blvd in Fort Worth. The museum has the largest collection of O’Keeffe paintings in Texas, including four from those Panhandle years. If that’s not enough for you, the Dallas Museum of Art has two more.

When young Georgia made those long treks down Panhandle roads and Palo Duro trails, surely she had some sustenance tucked into the pockets of her black sweater. Here’s a long-ago Panhandle recipe she might have taken along.

Palo Duro Picnic Sandwich

Combine butter, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and onions. Split the rolls and spread the butter mixture on each half. Put cheese on the bottom half of the roll, top with the ham and put the two sides together. Put sandwiches in a 350 degree oven (if it’s a wood stove—about baking temperature) for five minutes or until the cheese is melty. Wrap in brown paper and slip in your pocket. Of course, these days, we’ll wrap them in foil. They freeze well; then bake them for about 10 or 12 minutes.

For more about Georgia O’Keeffe, visit my blog at http//culinaryanthropolgy.blogspot.com. You can e-mail me at ppando@gmail.com.

My oldest granddaughter, Lena, married in 2011. I am a “tall-normal” woman, about 5’7”; my late husband, Lena’s maternal grandpa, was much taller. Our son, the bride’s father, is a shade over 6’2”, and his wife, the bride’s mother, is about an inch taller than I am.

I once read somewhere that two tall people usually have offspring who will be tall, but most likely not quite so tall as their tallest parent – they will fall somewhere in between. And that two short people’s children will be short, but not so short as their shortest parent – again, falling somewhere in between. Lena follows the “prediction,” coming in on the tall side at 6’. Taller than her mother, not so tall as her father.

Her husband, however, towers over everyone, including both his parents. Where did those genes lurk? No one knows. But we’re all grateful…

My beautiful granddaughter, like many tall girls, went through a slumpy teenage phase, and we feared she might become permanently round-shouldered. However, that stooping tendency vanished altogether when she met Garrett. In the booklet that the two compiled for their wedding guests’ information and amusement, they wrote:

“Lena always dreamed of finding a man taller than she is, and in addition to all of his other good qualities, we are so thrilled that Garrett is actually 6’7” tall!”

The most fun came during the wedding ceremony itself, for which Lena wore the highest heels of her life. Coming down the aisle on her father’s arm, she had an enormously pleased smile on her face, and the whole family knew why: for the first time ever, she was standing taller than her dad, and having a heck of a good time! I have a picture of my son’s smile – normal – and his daughter’s overhead “smirk” to prove it.

It’s two years later now, and Lena and Garrett have recently become parents of Andrew James, who at birth was no heavier or longer than most typical newborns; the only thing about him that’s different is his head of flaming red hair. Redheads run in our family; no redhead has ever become parent of a redhead, but there’s at least one of these “sports” in every generation. We’re all enjoying this baby now, while waiting expectantly to see how tall he’ll be when he grows up!

Illustration by Terry Naughton

The movie launched his life and career into hyperspace. While Mayhew has stayed down to earth, he’s had little time to stay grounded, often flying to sci-fi conventions around the world to meet his fans.

The Senior Voice met with the legendary actor at the home that he and his wife, Angie, share with their animals on some land in Texas so remote, one might need the Falcon to find the place. It’s a long way from the MosEisley Cantina on Tatooine where we first met Chewbacca, and there’s only one sun in this sky. However, it’s shining bright today, and Peter requests that the interview take place on their front porch.

At nearly seven and a half feet tall, Mayhew’s height is minimized only by his kindness and compassion. He really is a gentle giant, and on this sunny afternoon, he’s radiating the same warmth that we’ve seen in the wookiee he brought to life.

Peter, have you seen the Star Wars movies over the years? Yes.

When you’ve been in the films, what’s it like to watch them? I can look through the eyes of Chewie and see what was happening on the other side. It’s all to do with the memory of certain experiences. Overall it was a good experience. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I’m glad we did it.

Was an acting career on your mind when the producers approached you? No. I did one movie called Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, and I went back to work at the hospital. Later, I got a call that they were looking for someone big for a sci-fi movie. We go up and see the drawing board of all the characters in George’s office. I sit down, and the door opens. George walks in and says, “Hello.” He looks at producer Gary Kurtz and then says, “I think we found him.” Within a couple of hours, we’re down in costuming getting this suit made. It was that quick.

How did they describe the character of Chewbacca to you? I knew it was going to be a mohair, wooly suit that I was in. I was told that Chewie’s got all the reactions to work with, except he’s not going to be able to talk. So working that out, you think, “Ok, it’s got to be a mime character.”

Did you instinctively know what to do with Chewie’s mannerisms? What you have to realize is that you do not stand there like a lump of clay. You have to be doing something, listening to whatever’s going on, and things like this, so that Chewie comes through as a fairly intelligent character. Fans pick up on this.

What age range of fans do you meet at the conventions? You get fans from the age of 80 to 5 years old. Star Wars fans are now spanning three generations. A lot of times we have grandmas who’ve brought their sons in the past. And now they are bringing their grandkids.

Peter and his wife, Angie

When you’ve been famous for so many years, is it difficult figuring out who likes you for yourself? Not really. Over the years, my wife and I have developed a sixth sense to tell quickly, whether we like the person or not. It’s a weird ability to know the good guys from the bad guys.

With people always observing you, are you ever able to sit in public and observe others? Yes. I love observing people. I can sit in an airport, as we often do, and watch people, and try to work out the story of what they’re doing and where they’re going. It’s fun. It gives you a storybook. Other people take computers and look at those. I look at people. What are they eating? What are they reading? Where are they going?

People know Chewbacca. They know far less about Peter Mayhew. How would you describe your personality style? Quiet, sincere, fun-loving.

Do you have a good sense of humor? I’ve got a wicked sense of humor, according to certain people. Remember, I have an English upbringing, so when you think about it, my sense of humor does kind of break the mold.

When you’re not working, what do you enjoy doing with your time? There are ten acres here. It all depends. If we are not that busy, we’ll go out and do things. Of course, it’s nice just being home with the dogs, cats, guineas, parrots …

Is there solitude that you experience here on the land that’s hard to find on the convention circuit? Yes. There is quietness. Sometimes at night, it is really quiet, and you can see the stars clearly.

You’ve had this career in sci-fi movies. What kinds of movies do you enjoy? I enjoy a certain amount of sci-fi movies and musicals. I enjoy movies that people will look at and go, “Hmmm … when did they make that?”

What has your size taught you about human nature? I learned at a very young age to respect everybody. It didn’t matter if the person was 6 feet or 3 feet. I grew up knowing I was capable of being a bully, but with the mindset that I didn’t have to be. There are other ways and means of doing things. You sort things out and go on down the road.

Peter Mayhew:  “I learned at a young age to respect everybody.”

Let’s talk about your two books. Growing up Giant shows the story of my life. My Favorite Giant shows more about the differences in height and size between people, and how other people react to the size. It shows my growing up, up and up. We’ve got Kenny Baker (R2D2 from Star Wars) and other people in there. We have a girl named Katie in the book. She has since died from cancer. She was only 7 years old.

What’s the overall message in these books? I think it’s tolerance and acceptance, and why you shouldn’t bully. There’s your little kid, and there’s your big kid. There’s got to be a tolerance between them.

Tell me about the Peter Mayhew Foundation. This is a nonprofit foundation created to help people in need. Basically in the science-fiction world, we’ve had people going through different things, in regard to health and life circumstances.

This started with Albin Johnson, who’s head of the 501st Legion (a volunteer organization of Star Wars costume enthusiasts). His daughter, Katie, had cancer. She was the little girl in My Favorite Giant. We got together with other organizations, and helped raise money to make some of Katie’s dreams come true, which included a trip for her to Disneyland. We helped make her final days as comfortable as possible. We do whatever we can, showing the world how geeks make a difference, the wookiee way.

You’ve really used your Chewbacca fame to give back. When you’re associated with a character like Chewie, you make the most of it, which I feel like I do. This character is part of me.

Is there anyone that you’ve been star-struck by meeting? Three people. One would be Sir Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars). There’s also Christopher Lee from Lord of The Rings, and Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets. Those are the three who stand out in my mind, by just meeting them. Each were wonderful and professional people.

Bobble heads in the Chewie room

Did Alec ever give you advice? Not really. He would come in every morning with a newspaper and a cup of tea or coffee, and he could talk to you about anything. His education was unbelievable. He’d let you have a point of view, and then you’d go off to work, and enjoy your scenes together. If he screwed a scene up, he would apologize to the entire cast. We’d go back and do it again, and it would be perfect.

He’s been one of my heroes for a long time. When you’re looking at all the ‘40s and ‘50s movies that he did, you could see he had so much personality.

How did you meet your wife, Angie? We were out on the convention circuit. She was a toy dealer. We kept seeing each other at the shows. There was an attraction. We eventually decided that we wanted to get married, and realized it was far easier for me to come to Texas, than it was for her to move to England. We just did it, no regrets, whatsoever. She’s referred to now as the luckiest toy dealer that came away with the biggest wind-up toy.

What has she brought to your life? Food (laughs). She brings a lot of thought and organization, and many other things. We get along well.

How is dealing with your Star Wars fame now different than when it all started? What has happened over the years is that the fans have become our family. There are particular people that we know and expect to see when we’re in each city. There’s always a certain group that have become friends of ours. We see many of these fans as our kids.

As Peter and I conclude this portion of our meeting, we’re ushered by Angie and his agent, Zachery McGinnis, to a building on the property known as the Chewie room, which houses memorabilia related to Chewbacca and the Star Wars franchise. You can see all the pictures on The Senior Voice Facebook fan page.

To learn more about the Peter Mayhew Foundation, visit petermayhewfoundation.org. You can purchase his two books online at chewbacca.com.