Nanci and Pat Teter of Morro Bay enjoy their retirement by giving back to the community.
In their day, Pat Teter’s great-grandparents visited Cayucos as often as they could make the trip from the Central Valley. Likewise, Pat’s parents brought the children over to get-away from the valley heat while working the family farm in Lemoore. When Pat married Nanci, it was always their go-to weekender throughout their busy careers. They knew it was where they wanted to retire, so they wisely invested in a small Morro Bay property to accommodate their visits. Meanwhile they built their nest egg to afford their dream home once they were ready to retire.
After their son married and moved to Colorado, they became Morro Bay residents in 2020. Nanci instantly joined Newcomers and has been treasurer ever since. She believes, “Newcomers is a great way to learn about and integrate into the community. You’ll find whatever your interest might be and get to know new friends.” She shared the Newcomers group offers small group options, including kayaking, Cultural Explorers, Bunco, Dine-Arounds and Lunch groups with area speakers. “And you don’t have to be a new to the community to participate with Newcomers,” she added.
When Nanci discovered the Morro Bay Active Adults group, she found another place to serve her community. She accepted the position of volunteer office manager, which offers a variety of activities particularly for seniors offered at the Community Center.
And although Pat had been a member of the Tulare Rotary Club, he took a break to enjoy his newfound relaxation before he reactivated his membership with Morro Bay Rotary. Last year he stepped up to lead the club’s largest fund raiser now in its sixth year, the Rubber Ducky Race held on Morro Bay October 10.
Cayucos in early 1900s. Photo submitted
One has to wonder where these two active seniors find the energy to do all they do for their chosen retirement community! Nanci summed it up. “I need to be involved. For years we enjoyed coming over for quick weekends and felt welcomed by most who already lived here. We had to work hard to be able to live here fulltime so now I believe it is our responsibility to welcome our visitors and newer residents.”
Pat was willing to share his background, “I was a gypsy growing up.” When their Lemoore farm was flooded out one year and it could no longer sustain feeding their family, his dad was forced to find a new career. “He helped build many of California’s dams.” North Fork and Melones Dams were two he mentioned. Their family would live onsite until the job was done and then the family would go back to the farm until he was called to the next job site.
Pat admitted attending multiple schools was challenging. “My sister was older and she would teach me as she learned. After I finished kindergarten and we were at a new job site the teacher tested me. They tried to place me in the fourth grade,” he laughed. “When I was a Freshman at Don Pedro High School Dad worked on the Don Pedro Reservoir, but by the time I was a senior, we were back in Lemoore while Dad was working in New Guinea. Once I graduated, we joined him in Brisbane, Australia for what we thought would be three months. Turned out to be eighteen months on one job and then several more months working a copper mine.”
Pat gleaned surveying techniques over these years and continued to follow the jobs until he met and married Nanci. The couple settled in Visalia and Pat spent 30 years working with Mike Lane including becoming one of Mike’s partners in Lane Engineers of Tulare.
Nanci was born and grew up in Santa Monica. “We didn’t have a lot so the beach was where our parents would take us for entertainment.” The beach continued to call out to her once Visalia became home. The couple was involved in several sports activities and spent most weekends waterskiing, snow skiing or playing team softball. Other weekends they’d head for Morro Bay.
Nanci also served on the planning committee for Youth Softball Association in Visalia. She offered Morro Bay leadership something to consider when looking for ways to increase weekend visitors, “Tournaments became a huge money-maker for our city.”
Nanci also admitted, “I love anything that goes fast.” She is proud of her first-place trophy in drag racing. And maybe the fact that Pat had four motorcycles contributed to her attraction to him. Note: he still has all four motorcycles! The Teters are members of the Coast Riders Club, a California Central Coast Motorcycle Club. Pat said his favorite and most challenging ride was the Barstow to Vegas motorcycle race. They’ve motorcycled through most of the western states, several states in the east and the Isle of Man.
This fall is a busy time for both. Although she recently gave up her front desk volunteer management job with the senior group, she continues to belong and support it. Coming up in September the Morro Bay Active Adults volunteer during the free musical programs called Tunes at Tidelands produced by the Morro Bay Recreation Department. Held every Thursday evening at Tidelands Park the seniors will be the greeters and guides for food vendors and in the Beer/Wine Garden. The community is encouraged to come out around 5 p.m. and bring their blankets or folding chairs and enjoy the early evening concerts with friends and neighbors. Nanci mentioned Brady Locke was Morro Bay’s staff coordinator for this popular event.
Meanwhile, Nanci has chosen to nurture her creative work. She is crafting and selling her handmade paper art designs and wind chimes which are currently on sale at Morro Made in Morro Bay.
Meanwhile, Pat chairs the Morro Bay Rotary Club’s annual Rubber Ducky Race on Morro Bay. Tickets are currently on sale at morrobayrotary.org for a chance to win $1,000, $500 or $250 if your $10-Ducky investment buys a yellow Ducky that cruises into one of the top three spots at Tidelands Park on October 10 soon after the 7:30am start time. Originally the idea came from Greg Hardcastle who had transferred membership from Visalia Rotary where he saw the fund raiser thrive. Pat will serve as chair for a second year and wanted to give major credit to volunteers Andrien and Michele Heryford for top sales in 2025 so the Club could provide more school scholarships and community grants.
Hats off to Pat and Nanci Teter for all you do to make Morro Bay a welcoming place for visitors and an enjoyable home for residents.
