OLD FRIENDS HAVE WEATHERED THE STORMS OF CHANGE.

Byline: Bettie Rencoret Senior Columnist

LANCASTER - When Mildred ``Mickey'' Dunham Primmer, Theresa Montoya Stevens and Carmen Olaiz Wasil get together, it always promises to be a lengthy gab session.

They are part of a larger group of sisters, cousins and friends who have maintained contact throughout the many years of change and growth which have pushed the Antelope Valley from a rural, sparsely populated area to a big city.

Others in the group are Alma Dunham Hungerford, Primmer's sister; Florence ``Flossie'' Finck Buff, cousin of Primmer and Hungerford, and Marge Godde Cox and her sister, Barbara Godde Reynolds.

They all have fond and vivid memories of the old days in the Antelope Valley and like to reminisce. They say it's fun to be part of an area's history, especially when they don't feel as old as the years suggest.

Reynolds, for instance, was born in a relative's home.

``When we were born, Mom Everett delivered us at her house. There wasn't any hospital,'' she said.

They talk about things like the dishes given away at the movies and Little Orphan Annie cups that are collectors' items today.

To a woman, they know they can't hold back the toll time takes on them, or on an area that has evolved so rapidly - so they accept the evolutionary flow and get on with it.

Sometimes a meeting such as theirs means it's somebody's birthday.

The women, all in their 70s, pushing 80 or already there, make it a point to celebrate their natal dates. It's a legitimate reason to get together in case they can't find any other excuse. Usually they go out somewhere for lunch. But not always.

Next on the birthday calendar is Flossie Buff, July 1, followed by Primmer, July 11.

Hungerford's birthday comes Aug. 13.

Stevens was the last birthday celebrant, and for that occasion Primmer invited everyone to ``picnic luncheon fare'' in her home.

Missing that day was the late Pearl Finck Jahn-Leclair, Buff's sister. She would have attended, but she was in the hospital at the time, for her final admission.

Stevens and Wasil are cousins and Wasil, who now makes her home in Rancho Palos Verdes, drove here especially to be part of the big day.

``Carmen, Theresa, Mickey and I all went to Del Sur School," said Hungerford, Primmer's sister. ``That was back in the days when only a dirt road separated two school districts.''

``The Godde girls and our cousins, the Finck girls, all lived on the other side of the road from us and attended Esperanza,`` Hungerford said.

Stevens came to the area as a little girl and couldn't speak English. She still couldn't when she was enrolled in Del Sur School.

``When did you learn English?'' asked Reynolds.

``Immediately!'' she replied without a trace of accent. ``I didn't have a choice. I just couldn't do anything else.''

Stevens was showered with cards and an ice cream birthday cake after lunch and Primmer offered a toast.

``Here's to all of us,'' she said. ``We've survived and we've been friends all these years. I think that's really something.''

MENUS FOR THE WEEK at the senior life nutrition sites in Lancaster, Palmdale and South Valley have been announced. All meals include bread, margarine and coffee, tea or milk for a donation of $2.

Monday: Creole chicken, rice pilaf, beets, carrot and raisin salad, apple juice, fruit cocktail.

Tuesday: Polish sausage, parslied potatoes, cooked cabbage, garden salad, banana.

Wednesday: Beef tips, parslied noodles, broccoli, lettuce/tomato salad, ice cream.

Thursday: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, fiesta coleslaw, Jell-O w/pineapple.

Friday: Lemon herbed fish, rice pilaf, stewed tomatoes, coleslaw, lime Jell-O.

CAPTION(S):

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Photo: Old friends Marge Cox, seated left, and Theresa Stevens have gathered frequently with friends and family since elementary school. Standing, from left, are Alma Hungerford, Carmen Wasil, Flossie Buff, Barbara Reynolds and Mildred ``Mickey'' Primmer.

Bettie Rencoret/Special to the Daily News