In the early 1960s, Glenda Brunson Young found herself competing against a handful of other women for coveted modeling gigs for Delta Air Lines, Coca-Cola and several other high-profile companies.
But far from becoming bitter competitors, Young, who was Miss Georgia 1961, and the five other women became friends, developing a bond lasting more than five decades.
Even when most of the women, successful in their careers, got married, started families and moved out of state, they managed to keep in touch and stay close through letters, phone calls and the occasional get-together.
But in 2004, the six women’s connection strengthened when tragedy struck Young’s family. Her son, Alan Young, just 28 years old at the time, suffered a massive stroke. Hospitalized for two months, he was undergoing therapy at the Shepherd Center when Beverly Kievman Copen called for an emergency reunion.
“At first I said, ‘I can’t possibly get away,’ but she said, ‘You need to take care of yourself, please come,’” recalled Young, who lives in Atlanta.
For four days, the group of women gathered in Copen’s Sedona, Ariz., home. They talked. They listened. They cried. They went on hikes, sat on a balcony with a majestic view of the red rocks.
“Getting out and away — it didn’t make it go away, but to go away for a while. I was uplifted, I had more strength. I felt like I could face this now,” Young recalled.
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During that trip in Sedona, the group of friends committed to meeting for four days every two years. In 2006, they returned to Sedona; in 2008, they gathered in Sarasota, Fla.; and in 2010, they reunited in the hills of western California’s wine country. In 2010, they decided to meet once a year, and then in 2015, the women, who are all in their 70s and 80s, decided, why wait a full year? They now come together every six months.
Calling themselves “the Ya-Ya sisters” after the movie “Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood,” the women of retirement age still thrive in their careers and show no signs of slowing down.
Linda Carson (former KTLA-TV weather girl) is 77 and still on the air in Sarasota. Jane Chastain (former WAGA-TV and CBS sportscaster) is 72 and works as a writer and columnist; she lives in Southern California. Copen, who is 78 and lives in Sedona, just completed her fourth book. Cindy Romano, 73, is running a talent agency in Palm Springs, Calif. Diane Porterfield, 82, works in the travel industry and lives in the Phoenix area. (Unfortunately, she may have to skip this upcoming reunion for health reasons.)
Young, the only one still living in Atlanta, is 73, continues to model and is also a health and wellness coach.
Last year, they rented a house in Las Vegas and hit the town after dressing up in pantsuits, shimmering in gold, silver, glitter, with light red lipstick. They stayed out until close to midnight.
“They are my soul sisters,” Young said. “It’s like they are my extended family. They are my sisters.”
This weekend, the gals will reunite right here in Atlanta, where their friendship first began. And this group that loves to hike, shop and try new adventures (in California, they took a line dancing class and went up in a hot air balloon) plans to walk the Beltline, peruse Ponce City Market and maybe take a movie tour.
Wherever they go, there will be love, laughter and lots of photo taking.
“Wherever we go we turn heads. Not sure why. We are not loud or that flashy but people stop and stare at us. Maybe it’s unusual to see six women at this age who truly love life and so enjoy being together. Okay, maybe it’s the pictures. We never pass up the opportunity to strike an unusual pose and, since one of us is now an award-winning photographer (Copen), no good photo op goes unnoticed,” Chastain said in an email.
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