Originally posted here: https://citylifestyle.com/atlanta-ga/articles/home-services/love-joy-and-friendships
These folks know love and life!
We talked to the crew at The Mansions at Alpharetta Senior Independent Living for this special Valentine’s Day report. We asked about the love of their lives and where they find joy these days.
Linda Garyantes:
LOVE: As you live your life, the love of your life changes. When I was young, I lost my husband Joe at 57. I had to revamp my life and find new love! I moved back to Atlanta to be near my children and now I have grandchildren (8 of them) and great-grandchildren (3), so now, they’re the loves of my life! The newest isn’t quite 3 months old and my grandson moved all the way from Seattle to be near family, so we’re blessed.
JOY: The group I sit and eat breakfast with every morning always make me laugh. Laughter is your best medicine. We have people from both political parties plus independent, so our discussion can get quite animated. There are six in my group, and they have made me feel so comfortable and at home since moving to The Mansions in October.
Eloise Cowart:
LOVE: My husband, Fred. He was postmaster of our little town. We had two beautiful daughters eight years apart and we had a beautiful life. We knew each other very young in life. We had a good time together. My oldest brother married Fred’s oldest sister, so we were no strangers. We were 15 when we met.
JOY: I have so many friends. I’m the oldest in my group of friends and they are always there for me. We drink a little wine once in awhile and have a good time.
Ron Queen:
LOVE: As a divorced man, I have to talk about my daughters. My oldest daughter was born in the Panama Canal zone while I was in the Army. She left us three years ago. She was a wonderful person while she was here. My youngest daughter works for a “little” company (Price Waterhouse), lives in Milton and has two kids, a 13-year-old daughter and a 11-year-old son.
JOY: Miss Charlotte is a very nice lady. She and I have had an awful lot of fun. We met when she asked me to sit at her table and I’ve been sitting at her table ever since!
Jean Gaddis:
LOVE: Well, I have eight of them – my eight grandchildren. I couldn’t even pick a favorite out of the bunch. I’ve lived in Atlanta since I was two years old and both of my children married people who were local, so I have been able to see all of my grandchildren grow up. They are the light of my life. I don’t know God could have loved me so much as to give me perfect kids and grandkids – wait, no I shouldn’t say that – nobody’s perfect but they’re as good as they come!
JOY: It’s hard to narrow down who brightens my day the most at The Mansions! The reason I moved was because I was in a 5,000 square foot house by myself. I wanted companionship, camaraderie, and the people here (both staff and residents) are so friendly. Don’t get me wrong – I have my own privacy, or if I want company, I just open the door and walk out. I love my friends, but the staff have sure been great too.
