John and Ellen Wells have many interests – traveling, playing golf, bridge, books, gardening, enjoying the company of good friends.
One thing they weren’t interested in, however, was the yardwork and upkeep of their home in Old Lyme. As they considered area retirement communities, Essex Meadows was already at the top.
Several of their friends live at Essex Meadows, and they wanted to stay close to their neighborhood in Old Lyme. When their name came to the top of the waiting list, the couple decided the time was right. They became residents in 2013 and haven’t looked back.
The couple – he’s English, she’s German – spent their professional lives around the world. He worked as a corporate executive in Africa, the U.S. and Hong Kong; her career was with TWA as a flight attendant on international routes.
So, it’s no surprise they’re continuing their globetrotting adventures well into retirement. Since moving here, the pair have been to Panama, Alaska, Canada, Ireland and the Caribbean, and are planning trips to Puerto Rico, a cruise down the Rhine River in Germany, and a few weeks in England.
“We can just lock up and go away whenever we feel like it. We travel more now than when we had our house,” Ellen said, “because we don’t worry about anything we leave behind.” – John and Ellen Wells