Marty and Pat Pope
Marty
and Pat Pope are constantly reinventing themselves.
“We believe it’s important to learn a new skill every five years,” says Pat. “If we kept repeating the things we know, we’d miss out in the end. Life is a free-form process.”
Right now Pat’s passion is painting. “It’s something I’m working at – in fact, I’m playing with abstract to force me away from the usual,” she laughs. “I’m also having fun with photography with the help of a friend who’s a real guru. I admit I still have a lot to learn!”
When their youngest child attended college, Pat went back to work. “I wanted to move on with my life. I didn’t want to sit at home,” she admits. First, she worked with a research company, and then with an industrial training firm, writing technical skills manuals.
“I left this position when the projects became less interesting to me,” says Pat. “I yearned to go back to something I really loved.” She took classes in landscape design at the Ohio State University extension and eventually opened a small design firm. “It was a labor of love.”
“I’m intrigued by how plants make visual statements,” says Pat. “I had an Aunt who was a landscape architect and I loved to see how she shaped spaces – it spoke to me as a child. It’s also why I’m excited Oehme, van Sweden will landscape South Franklin Circle – they’ve redefined landscaping of public spaces.”
Marty
worked as an electrical engineer for Reliance Electric, which led to his
volunteer work for Habitat for Humanity. “Reliance sponsored
a house on the east side of Cleveland, so I retired early to work on it,” he
says. Later, Marty joined an affiliate closer to home in Chagrin Falls
Park. “I got involved to help others and there’s great camaraderie
among the workers,” says Marty. “I’ve also learned dry-walling
and rough carpentry. I built a woodworking shop behind our garage and
I’ve moved and replaced walls in our home. We transformed our
garage into Pat’s studio.”
Pat and Marty don’t plan to give any of this up once they move to South Franklin Circle. In fact, they plan to do more.
“I
see the move as a freeing thing,” says Pat. “I can pursue
more of what I want to do. And I’m sure we’ll be learning
many new things from our new neighbors! There will be lots of information
sharing!”
When considering a move the Popes admit they did not want to go to Florida to live in a stereotypical “retirement community.” They knew Judson and were impressed with the plans for South Franklin Circle. “It’s very forward thinking,” says Pat.