If there was ever a good example of a senior citizen still living life to its fullest, it’s Houston resident Floyd “Buck” Wade.
At age 86, Wade is busier than most people 20 years younger. He’s an active member of the Houston Lions Club and does volunteer work at the Houston Senior Center and Romines Motor Co. He also plays golf at least three times a week and leads a senior exercise class twice a week at the Houston Housing Authority building.
“I’m a busy man,” Wade said.
Wade is a Houston native who graduated from Houston High School in 1951. He was a star athlete for the Tigers in football, basketball, baseball and track, and earned a two-sport scholarship (football and basketball) at Kirksville State Teachers College.
Wade left college after a year and then spent four years in the Air Force. After that, he embarked on a 56-year career as a traveling wholesale rep in the shoe business.
While still serving in the Air Force, Wade took up golf.
“I’ve been golfing a long time,” he said.
For several consecutive years, a foursome sponsored by the Houston Senior Center has played in a golf tournament hosted by the Senior Foundation of the Ozarks at Millwood Golf and Racquet Club in Springfield. In this year’s version on Oct. 1, the group – including Wade – shot 13-under par and finished second, two strokes behind the winners.
Wade took the prize for longest drive by a player 75-orolder in the event, and was honored for being its most elderly participant. He received plaques for both distinctions, and also earned the nick-name, “Mr. Adorable,” which was in big, bold letters on the age award.
A couple of weeks ago, Wade came close to winning the annual Club Championship Tournament at Houston’s Oakwood Golf Club.
“I made the playoffs,” Wade said. “I played Roger Tune – who always wins it all – and it took him 18 holes to beat me.”
Wade said golf helps him remain active.
“It’s good to be able to hit the ball pretty well,” he said, “and everybody knows ‘Mr. Consistency,’ as they call me, is going to hit it right down the middle.”
When Wade’s HHS class met for a reunion last year, the master of ceremonies asked attendees who the best athlete was who played all four major sports during their high school days.
“My name was brought up,” Wade said. “I didn’t think I had any fans still alive.”
Being as good as he was, Wade’s baseball and track coaches didn’t mind letting him split his practice time during spring months.
“One day I would do track and the next day baseball,” he said.
Wade loves recalling when he and Lloyd Elmore helped lead HHS teams in several sports to success during the late 1940s and early 1950s.
“It was always ‘Lloyd and Floyd’ in those days,” he said. “We had a great time being Tigers.”
As a speedy running back for the HHS football squad in the 1950 season, Wade scored five touchdowns in a 38-0 win over West Plains and was nicknamed “The Halfback Flash” in a newspaper article. He was also a top-notch bowler for years and won several tournaments.
Wade humbly recognizes himself as a natural athlete.
“I don’t want to brag,” he said, “but everything I’ve ever touched in any sport went really well.”
Wade has been leading the exercise class for about six years (sharing duties with Linda Loman).
“It helps me stay in shape and really helps me with golf,” he said. “I don’t think I could play golf as well if I didn’t exercise. It keeps me loose and limber.”
Wade and his wife, Jane, have been married 60 years. She also volunteers at the senior center.
What’s Wade’s secret to his longevity?
“Just staying busy,” he said. “My motto has always been, ‘if you want to get a job done, get a busy man to do it, because if he’s not busy, he’s not going to do anything anyway.'”