By Jeff Walker
Features Editor
San Marcos —
In the early 40s, Melba Holberg and her husband Dooley had an old hand-me-down truck that had to be hand-cranked to start. Dooley used to always warn her to keep the automobile running when she went inside the grocery store: If she let it turn off, she’d never get it started back up again.
The 92-year-old Horizon Bay Retirement Center resident says that’s about how she feels about her own life now.
“I just try to keep moving. I tell everybody I don’t want my motor run down because I could never start it again,” Holberg said.
And Holberg certainly hasn’t stopped. Dooley died in January of 2008, but Melba stays active by performing in her singing group “Paulani Pickers,” her dancing group “The Paulani Dancers” and various other groups she performs with regularly, including “The Golden Oldies” and “Generations.” Holberg plays about twice a week in assisted living communities, local schools and both the Wimberley and Kyle public libraries. She plays the ukulele and does hula dancing.
She also teaches chair hula for fellow residents at Horizon Bay, where she moved to two months ago.
“I turned 92 in February and I had to give up my set of wheels, for no other reason than to satisfy my nervous kids,” Holberg said. “After I gave up my car, I decided to check in here.”
The Paulani Pickers, a 10-member group with musicians from New Braunfels, Wimberley and San Marcos, have two gigs set up in August. Holberg dresses the part at the shows, trading time between her cowboy hat and bandanna and her lei and hula skirt.
“Everybody seems to love the band,” Holberg said. “We all got together originally at the Seniors Center in New Braunfels... We’ve got a six ukulele players, a bass player and piano player, a harmonica player and an accordion player.”
Performing comes naturally for Holberg. Growing up, Holberg’s mother said that Melba learned to walk in 3/4 time.
“I was probably just a show off as a kid. I loved performing from the time I was born. Momma said ‘just put a light in front of her.’ I always loved the bright lights,” Holberg said.
Holberg was born in Edna but after marrying Dooley, the couple moved to Houston where they ran a jewelry and watch repair shop called The Little Watch Shop for more than 40 years. A local Houston publication called the shop, which is still open, the “oldest mom and pop business in Houston.”
“I strung beads and put bands on watches. I also handled the customers, did the buy and selling and the book keeping. Dooley did the repair work for clocks and watches,” Holberg said.
Holberg says there was little time for dancing or singing in the early days.
“When we were young and making a living, my husband went into the service, I didn’t get to do too much performing,” Holberg said. “We were too busy making a living.”
The couple had three kids: Douglas, Cory and Donna. Douglas and Cory ended up in Wimberley, and that’s where Melba and Dooley moved after they sold their business in 1980. In 1987, Melba started arranging programs for seniors at their church and became acquainted with Buddy Griffin, a well known ukulele player who did shows for local churches and retirement centers.
“(After seeing Buddy perform), I just fell in love with the ukulele. I always played the guitar a little bit but not too well. I knew I could play the ukulele accompanying myself singing.”
She formed a group called the Strumming Saints, and has been singing and dancing with people since. Holberg’s even gotten family involved: her daughter-in-law Sandy and her neighbor Candy join her with the Paulani Dancers. When certain players can’t make a show, she calls on son Doug, Candy and their son Samuel to perform under the name “Generations.”
“We stay pretty busy,” Holberg said.
