Age was only an illusionary figure in Elleta Nolte’s life, not to be taken seriously. She enrolled at age 71 as a freshman at a prestigious univer-sity from which six of her nine children graduated. At age 89, she earned a Degree in General Studies and graduated with her granddaughter Rebecca. Elleta is a writer of regional history, but this, her eighth book, is a departure from that norm, for at her graduation, many people of all ages said to her, “You need to tell people what you did and what they can do, that age can have a positive effect on their lives.” her book, Indeed You Can, is that telling, as she relates many of the humorous and profound details of her learning experience: “I greeted each day on campus as a new beginning—the best of the rest of my life. I felt forty of my years melt away when I set foot amid the rushing, bustling aura of the campus filled with the leaders of tomorrow. I wasn’t a finished product; in my heart I was young again, anxious to test new ground and gain new knowledge.” Elleta’s offbeat sense of humor welcomed the campus comments: from her professor in her electronic media class who said, “I never knew I’d have a student older than radio,” to the students who asked, “Why would you want to do that… What are you going to be when you grow up?” Elleta’s words are for all ages in all roles of life. May they inspire you to use the strength and talents that are uniquely yours to enter a world of change in your routine, to not place your mind on hold, but place it on roam to set new goals and follow new paths, to add a little daring to your life, a few what ifs…what if I… Indeed you can. About the Author: Elleta Nolte (shown with her husband Quenton in 1993) is a writer of regional history in the forms of books, articles, and presentations and an advocate of learning. After the sixth of her nine children graduated from Texas Tech University, she enrolled as a freshman at age 71. She graduated with a Bachelor of General Studies in 2008 at the age of 89. Elleta lives in Lubbock, Texas and is mother of nine children and a multitude of grandchildren. She and her husband shared a love for 63 years until his death a year before her graduation. She is still learning and writing.
