Margo
Have you ever looked for something without a clear picture of what it was you were looking for, but then, when you saw it, said that — that’s what I want? For Margo, cohousing was that thing. “I want to live in a place that feels like family,” she says, “I’m very interested in living in an intentional community. Working together with common goals is very appealing to me.” The beauty of the Anacortes area doesn't hurt Skagit Commons’ appeal in the least.
A self-described “people-loving introvert,” Margo currently lives in the heart of West Seattle in the Junction. She was married for 20 years and has been single for seven, and plans to retire from her accounting job in about a year. In addition to that strong background in accounting, she ran a pet service for thirteen years, mainly dogs and cats. She estimates she’s rescued approximately 150 cats, and would like to continue to foster dogs.
She lists gardening (especially pollinator gardening), birds and bird-feeding, improv, storytelling, day hikes, horses, and puzzles as some of her hobbies. Oh, and Scrabble. “A good Indicator of what I'm like is that I love Scrabble and I very much like winning,” says Margo. “At the same time, I will happily help my opponent create words that may very likely result in my defeat — because it’s not about winning, it’s about the experience and the sharing of that experience.” She looks forward to participating in community life and all it has to offer, to learning about dynamic governance, and more!
Have you ever looked for something without a clear picture of what it was you were looking for, but then, when you saw it, said that — that’s what I want? For Margo, cohousing was that thing. “I want to live in a place that feels like family,” she says, “I’m very interested in living in an intentional community. Working together with common goals is very appealing to me.” The beauty of the Anacortes area doesn't hurt Skagit Commons’ appeal in the least.
A self-described “people-loving introvert,” Margo currently lives in the heart of West Seattle in the Junction. She was married for 20 years and has been single for seven, and plans to retire from her accounting job in about a year. In addition to that strong background in accounting, she ran a pet service for thirteen years, mainly dogs and cats. She estimates she’s rescued approximately 150 cats, and would like to continue to foster dogs.
She lists gardening (especially pollinator gardening), birds and bird-feeding, improv, storytelling, day hikes, horses, and puzzles as some of her hobbies. Oh, and Scrabble. “A good Indicator of what I'm like is that I love Scrabble and I very much like winning,” says Margo. “At the same time, I will happily help my opponent create words that may very likely result in my defeat — because it’s not about winning, it’s about the experience and the sharing of that experience.” She looks forward to participating in community life and all it has to offer, to learning about dynamic governance, and more!
Annette
When Annette was learning about cohousing and the various forms it can take, Skagit Commons remained high on her list because of her particular fondness for the Anacortes area; she is also drawn to community gardening and the idea of embracing shared interests.
Annette grew up in the Pacific Northwest, in the Portland Metropolitan area, though at age 18 she left to explore other states and other countries. She made her way back to the PNW just a few years ago and landed in Seattle where her children had relocated while she was working abroad in Southeast Asia. She has made her living as an educator, teaching in public schools in California and Nevada and in international schools, specifically in Malaysia and Morocco. She is transitioning her career focus from education to coaching, interweaving her expertise in yoga, Reiki and meditation.
Traveling and living in other countries has broadened Annette’s perspective and deepened her commitment to community and green living, while embracing diverse ways of being. She still enjoys travel and can’t wait until we are able to move about the planet safely once again. She has a playful spirit that takes her hiking, kayaking, snowshoeing and twirling the hula-hoop when no one is watching. Frisbee, anyone?
When Annette was learning about cohousing and the various forms it can take, Skagit Commons remained high on her list because of her particular fondness for the Anacortes area; she is also drawn to community gardening and the idea of embracing shared interests.
Annette grew up in the Pacific Northwest, in the Portland Metropolitan area, though at age 18 she left to explore other states and other countries. She made her way back to the PNW just a few years ago and landed in Seattle where her children had relocated while she was working abroad in Southeast Asia. She has made her living as an educator, teaching in public schools in California and Nevada and in international schools, specifically in Malaysia and Morocco. She is transitioning her career focus from education to coaching, interweaving her expertise in yoga, Reiki and meditation.
Traveling and living in other countries has broadened Annette’s perspective and deepened her commitment to community and green living, while embracing diverse ways of being. She still enjoys travel and can’t wait until we are able to move about the planet safely once again. She has a playful spirit that takes her hiking, kayaking, snowshoeing and twirling the hula-hoop when no one is watching. Frisbee, anyone?
Sally and Michael
Sally was born in Chico, California and was fortunate to live abroad on two occasions as a child — once in Germany and another time in France. She has lived in Berkeley, California since 1991 and will retire from UC Berkeley this year after 26 years in student advising. She has two grown children – a 29-year-old daughter who lives in Brooklyn, and a 24-year-old son who lives in Seattle. Sally enjoys cooking, walking, writing (poetry and prose), reading literary fiction, as well as working in collage and book arts. She began exploring cohousing when she was going through a divorce in 2016. She looks forward to this new phase of life with great enthusiasm and curiosity! She shares a deep interest in travel and other cultures with Michael, whom she met in 2019.
Michael is a third culture kid / military brat who spent his early childhood in Japan. He is a gregarious introvert and a world-traveling homebody. He is passionate about cooking and photography, speaks French and, with varying degrees of fluency, Japanese, Russian, Swedish, Spanish, and Italian. His willy-nilly path took him via mathematics and linguistics to cybersecurity, which is his day job. A former motorcycle racer, he is not 100% biodegradable, and he might be persuaded to explain why he is listed in the International Directory of Primatologists. He is a longtime practitioner of Zen, and has a daughter, 21.
Sally was born in Chico, California and was fortunate to live abroad on two occasions as a child — once in Germany and another time in France. She has lived in Berkeley, California since 1991 and will retire from UC Berkeley this year after 26 years in student advising. She has two grown children – a 29-year-old daughter who lives in Brooklyn, and a 24-year-old son who lives in Seattle. Sally enjoys cooking, walking, writing (poetry and prose), reading literary fiction, as well as working in collage and book arts. She began exploring cohousing when she was going through a divorce in 2016. She looks forward to this new phase of life with great enthusiasm and curiosity! She shares a deep interest in travel and other cultures with Michael, whom she met in 2019.
Michael is a third culture kid / military brat who spent his early childhood in Japan. He is a gregarious introvert and a world-traveling homebody. He is passionate about cooking and photography, speaks French and, with varying degrees of fluency, Japanese, Russian, Swedish, Spanish, and Italian. His willy-nilly path took him via mathematics and linguistics to cybersecurity, which is his day job. A former motorcycle racer, he is not 100% biodegradable, and he might be persuaded to explain why he is listed in the International Directory of Primatologists. He is a longtime practitioner of Zen, and has a daughter, 21.
Jenney and Charlie
Jenney and Charlie couldn’t be more excited about moving to Skagit Commons. Married three decades ago at the Findhorn Foundation in Scotland, they have been exploring intentional communities, cohousing, and aging-in-place options ever since. When a friend introduced them to Skagit earlier this year, they felt as if the stars had suddenly aligned. The combination of perfect timing, compelling and accomplished community members, stunning location, and thoughtfully designed living quarters is the best fit they can imagine.
Both are originally from the East Coast -- Charlie from New York and Jenney from Massachusetts – and, while they cherish their deep roots in the east, the West Coast is where they’ve chosen to spend their lives. They met in the Bay Area, where Charlie was working in fine-art book production in Asia and Jenney was a technical writer and production coordinator at the University of California. When the chance came along for them to work together co-managing the US sales office for an overseas book printer, they opted for Portland, Oregon, where they’ve lived since the early 1990s.
Now retired, Charlie is returning to his original love, fine-art photography, and Jenney is just beginning to relax after two decades of long-distance elder care. He’s looking forward to long walks with his camera and to continuing his Enneagram studies and teaching, while she’s looking forward to planting a New England-style herb garden and learning how to sail.
Move-in day can’t come soon enough!
Jenney and Charlie couldn’t be more excited about moving to Skagit Commons. Married three decades ago at the Findhorn Foundation in Scotland, they have been exploring intentional communities, cohousing, and aging-in-place options ever since. When a friend introduced them to Skagit earlier this year, they felt as if the stars had suddenly aligned. The combination of perfect timing, compelling and accomplished community members, stunning location, and thoughtfully designed living quarters is the best fit they can imagine.
Both are originally from the East Coast -- Charlie from New York and Jenney from Massachusetts – and, while they cherish their deep roots in the east, the West Coast is where they’ve chosen to spend their lives. They met in the Bay Area, where Charlie was working in fine-art book production in Asia and Jenney was a technical writer and production coordinator at the University of California. When the chance came along for them to work together co-managing the US sales office for an overseas book printer, they opted for Portland, Oregon, where they’ve lived since the early 1990s.
Now retired, Charlie is returning to his original love, fine-art photography, and Jenney is just beginning to relax after two decades of long-distance elder care. He’s looking forward to long walks with his camera and to continuing his Enneagram studies and teaching, while she’s looking forward to planting a New England-style herb garden and learning how to sail.
Move-in day can’t come soon enough!
Jenny
Jenny grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1970s and moved to Washington, DC, as a young adult for an internship with an environmental organization. One thing led to another, and she stayed for over three decades. She held jobs on Capitol Hill, did a turn in the White House, and finished up serving as a Congressional Liaison between Capitol Hill and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Yet the West Coast always felt like her true home, and she finally returned for good a couple of years ago during the last months of her mother's life.
Growing up in a big family — she's one of eleven — there was always someone or more likely someones nearby — and so cohousing feels like a natural and reassuring fit for Jenny. She most recently lived in Grass Valley, California, a beautiful part of the lower Sierra Nevada mountains where she hiked, biked, and swam in the local river during the summer months. With the heightened risk of wildfire in the area, however, she didn't see it as a permanent home. Happily, the Salish Sea region also has an abundance of water and beauty, and Jenny is delighted to explore the possibilities that Skagit Commons presents.
Jenny grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1970s and moved to Washington, DC, as a young adult for an internship with an environmental organization. One thing led to another, and she stayed for over three decades. She held jobs on Capitol Hill, did a turn in the White House, and finished up serving as a Congressional Liaison between Capitol Hill and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Yet the West Coast always felt like her true home, and she finally returned for good a couple of years ago during the last months of her mother's life.
Growing up in a big family — she's one of eleven — there was always someone or more likely someones nearby — and so cohousing feels like a natural and reassuring fit for Jenny. She most recently lived in Grass Valley, California, a beautiful part of the lower Sierra Nevada mountains where she hiked, biked, and swam in the local river during the summer months. With the heightened risk of wildfire in the area, however, she didn't see it as a permanent home. Happily, the Salish Sea region also has an abundance of water and beauty, and Jenny is delighted to explore the possibilities that Skagit Commons presents.
Mike
Mike was born in Seattle, raised in Omaha, Nebraska, and from there lived a number of different places. But he came full circle twenty-plus years ago when he returned to Seattle and made it his home. Although he likes his place in West Seattle, he has been pondering a move to a smaller town for quite some time. He is glad to have joined the community at Skagit Commons.
Mike has two kids in their twenties, both of whom are independent and self-sufficient, so the nest has been empty for a while. (His dog hasn’t left yet!) He has been a cabinetmaker in recent decades and was a teacher of English as a Second Language prior to that. He enjoys the "simple" pleasures of hands-on arts and crafts, boating, gardening, not-too-arduous sports (if tennis qualifies), taking in music or a good book, and exploring the great outdoors…all activities he'll continue after joining his neighbors at Skagit Commons.
Mike was born in Seattle, raised in Omaha, Nebraska, and from there lived a number of different places. But he came full circle twenty-plus years ago when he returned to Seattle and made it his home. Although he likes his place in West Seattle, he has been pondering a move to a smaller town for quite some time. He is glad to have joined the community at Skagit Commons.
Mike has two kids in their twenties, both of whom are independent and self-sufficient, so the nest has been empty for a while. (His dog hasn’t left yet!) He has been a cabinetmaker in recent decades and was a teacher of English as a Second Language prior to that. He enjoys the "simple" pleasures of hands-on arts and crafts, boating, gardening, not-too-arduous sports (if tennis qualifies), taking in music or a good book, and exploring the great outdoors…all activities he'll continue after joining his neighbors at Skagit Commons.
Kathy and Alec
Kathy is a native Idahoan who started moving northwest after high school: first to Whitworth in Spokane, then Southeast Alaska for several years, and finally to Seattle after she graduated from law school at UC Berkeley. After a dozen years as a civil litigator, Kathy seized on the opportunity to teach, and is now in her 25th year as a professor at University of Washington School of Law. When she’s not working, she is a serial hobbyist, but sewing is her superpower. She loves making quilts, clothes, and household objects. She thrives on projects like home renovations, building a campervan, and wedding planning. The outdoor life calls to her, and she hopes to get outside more when she retires.
Alec grew up in Tacoma and went East for college, then worked in western Africa, New York, and eventually, Seattle. His resume runs the gamut from truck driver to elected official. Since retirement, Alec has travelled extensively, relying heavily on the excuse that he’s researching his latest book. So far, two books have grown out of his interest in medieval history and the relationship of Islam to European culture; he strives to debunk the myth of an East-West divide. Walking, skiing, and boating are other favorite pastimes.
Kathy and Alec have a grown son and daughter who miss home and return often. The couple loves Seattle, but they are ready to explore a life where they can be more connected to community, so they were excited to discover Skagit Commons. Alec thinks the setting will be a great antidote to Kathy’s hermit tendencies, and Kathy looks forward to making new friends and starting new projects.
Kathy is a native Idahoan who started moving northwest after high school: first to Whitworth in Spokane, then Southeast Alaska for several years, and finally to Seattle after she graduated from law school at UC Berkeley. After a dozen years as a civil litigator, Kathy seized on the opportunity to teach, and is now in her 25th year as a professor at University of Washington School of Law. When she’s not working, she is a serial hobbyist, but sewing is her superpower. She loves making quilts, clothes, and household objects. She thrives on projects like home renovations, building a campervan, and wedding planning. The outdoor life calls to her, and she hopes to get outside more when she retires.
Alec grew up in Tacoma and went East for college, then worked in western Africa, New York, and eventually, Seattle. His resume runs the gamut from truck driver to elected official. Since retirement, Alec has travelled extensively, relying heavily on the excuse that he’s researching his latest book. So far, two books have grown out of his interest in medieval history and the relationship of Islam to European culture; he strives to debunk the myth of an East-West divide. Walking, skiing, and boating are other favorite pastimes.
Kathy and Alec have a grown son and daughter who miss home and return often. The couple loves Seattle, but they are ready to explore a life where they can be more connected to community, so they were excited to discover Skagit Commons. Alec thinks the setting will be a great antidote to Kathy’s hermit tendencies, and Kathy looks forward to making new friends and starting new projects.
Larry
Larry has been living and working in the Fredericksburg, Virginia area for the last 26 years. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in his twenties he travelled the road west across Canada (thanks to Kerouac and the Beach Boys) before settling in California. He decided to get his doctorate, and graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic, where he met his beautiful life partner, Nora. The couple lived and practiced together for over 30 wonderful years. They have two children living independently in Portland, Oregon and Richmond, Virginia. Sadly, Nora passed away in 2018.
It was in the early 1990s, while living in Santa Cruz, California, that Larry first became aware of cohousing communities, and has been interested in learning more ever since. Sharing, caring and working in community with a diverse group of passionate and thoughtful folks is the way many of us have striven to live our lives. In his heart and mind, Larry believes: this is life well-lived.
Larry has always had a passion for music and art. He enjoys photography, reading, his animal friends, and bookstores with good coffee on a rainy, misty morning. He hikes and appreciates the naturally beautiful places that call us to the Pacific Northwest.
Sight unseen, Larry has chosen to take a leap of faith and join Skagit Commons; meeting his new community is an exciting adventure that awaits him.
Larry has been living and working in the Fredericksburg, Virginia area for the last 26 years. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in his twenties he travelled the road west across Canada (thanks to Kerouac and the Beach Boys) before settling in California. He decided to get his doctorate, and graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic, where he met his beautiful life partner, Nora. The couple lived and practiced together for over 30 wonderful years. They have two children living independently in Portland, Oregon and Richmond, Virginia. Sadly, Nora passed away in 2018.
It was in the early 1990s, while living in Santa Cruz, California, that Larry first became aware of cohousing communities, and has been interested in learning more ever since. Sharing, caring and working in community with a diverse group of passionate and thoughtful folks is the way many of us have striven to live our lives. In his heart and mind, Larry believes: this is life well-lived.
Larry has always had a passion for music and art. He enjoys photography, reading, his animal friends, and bookstores with good coffee on a rainy, misty morning. He hikes and appreciates the naturally beautiful places that call us to the Pacific Northwest.
Sight unseen, Larry has chosen to take a leap of faith and join Skagit Commons; meeting his new community is an exciting adventure that awaits him.
Julie
Julie is a native Pacific Northwesterner, originally from Corvallis, Oregon. She spent most of her childhood in Oregon and then the Bay Area, after which, against her wishes, her family moved to Bloomington, Indiana.
She attended Kalamazoo College and Indiana University to get her BA. She finally got back to the West Coast when she began law school at the University of Oregon. In between undergraduate and law school, she served as a VISTA volunteer in rural Iowa. She is proud that Senator Chuck Grassley used her as an example of why the type of work that VISTA volunteers do needs to be more circumscribed.
After law school she worked with the state of Washington to establish and enforce child support obligations. She then took time off for the birth of her daughter, Natalie, and her son, Sam. Natalie is currently in law school at the University of California, Davis. Sam got a degree in aviation and hopes to be a commercial pilot. COVID has prevented him from doing his final check ride with the FAA.
Shortly after Sam’s birth, Julie returned to work in the corporate world for several years. Eventually she began to feel that the work she did was not sufficiently meaningful to her, so she enrolled in Seattle University’s Masters of Nonprofit Administration program. She then worked in the nonprofit field in a variety of roles.
She feels, though, that her career as a volunteer involved the most meaningful work she has every done. It runs quite the gamut, and includes coaching a math Olympiad team, helping children with disabilities ride horses, coordinating construction of a “peace garden” to honor a teacher and survivor of an internment camp, serving as president of the board of directors for a nonprofit that provides support to families with new children, and driving for seemingly thousands of field trips.
Julie spent many summers at Holden Village, as a guest and then as volunteer staff member. This was her introduction to living in an intentional community. For years, she’s been trying to find such a community near Seattle, and was thrilled when she learned about Skagit Commons.
Julie is a native Pacific Northwesterner, originally from Corvallis, Oregon. She spent most of her childhood in Oregon and then the Bay Area, after which, against her wishes, her family moved to Bloomington, Indiana.
She attended Kalamazoo College and Indiana University to get her BA. She finally got back to the West Coast when she began law school at the University of Oregon. In between undergraduate and law school, she served as a VISTA volunteer in rural Iowa. She is proud that Senator Chuck Grassley used her as an example of why the type of work that VISTA volunteers do needs to be more circumscribed.
After law school she worked with the state of Washington to establish and enforce child support obligations. She then took time off for the birth of her daughter, Natalie, and her son, Sam. Natalie is currently in law school at the University of California, Davis. Sam got a degree in aviation and hopes to be a commercial pilot. COVID has prevented him from doing his final check ride with the FAA.
Shortly after Sam’s birth, Julie returned to work in the corporate world for several years. Eventually she began to feel that the work she did was not sufficiently meaningful to her, so she enrolled in Seattle University’s Masters of Nonprofit Administration program. She then worked in the nonprofit field in a variety of roles.
She feels, though, that her career as a volunteer involved the most meaningful work she has every done. It runs quite the gamut, and includes coaching a math Olympiad team, helping children with disabilities ride horses, coordinating construction of a “peace garden” to honor a teacher and survivor of an internment camp, serving as president of the board of directors for a nonprofit that provides support to families with new children, and driving for seemingly thousands of field trips.
Julie spent many summers at Holden Village, as a guest and then as volunteer staff member. This was her introduction to living in an intentional community. For years, she’s been trying to find such a community near Seattle, and was thrilled when she learned about Skagit Commons.
Sarah
Since Sarah left Massachusetts and landed in San Francisco some years after college, she’s been slowly making her way up the West Coast. She stopped in Portland for a time before settling in Redmond, Washington where she and her two girls have now lived for the past decade-and-a-half. Anacortes is in line with that northwest arc, it occurred to her one day recently when she pulled into her driveway and a Skagit Commons ad came on the public radio station. Calling seemed the natural thing to do.
Though Sarah hesitates to call herself a crafter, she definitely enjoys making kombucha, and has in the past dug into vegetable gardening with relish. She loves the coastal region for its water and mountains, and for the many opportunities for hiking and other pleasures to be found outdoors. She has spent much time volunteering with organizations like the Girl Scouts, the library, and, most recently, at a shelter focussed on providing emergency overnight housing for women.
Sarah has been intrigued by the idea of cohousing since her girls attended a camp at Songaia in Bothell, where the family took part in shared meals and the other friendly aspects of the program on offer. But she learned that most locally-based cohousing communities were already full by the time she heard of them. She is happy to find a community in the process of becoming, and looks forward to learning more.
Since Sarah left Massachusetts and landed in San Francisco some years after college, she’s been slowly making her way up the West Coast. She stopped in Portland for a time before settling in Redmond, Washington where she and her two girls have now lived for the past decade-and-a-half. Anacortes is in line with that northwest arc, it occurred to her one day recently when she pulled into her driveway and a Skagit Commons ad came on the public radio station. Calling seemed the natural thing to do.
Though Sarah hesitates to call herself a crafter, she definitely enjoys making kombucha, and has in the past dug into vegetable gardening with relish. She loves the coastal region for its water and mountains, and for the many opportunities for hiking and other pleasures to be found outdoors. She has spent much time volunteering with organizations like the Girl Scouts, the library, and, most recently, at a shelter focussed on providing emergency overnight housing for women.
Sarah has been intrigued by the idea of cohousing since her girls attended a camp at Songaia in Bothell, where the family took part in shared meals and the other friendly aspects of the program on offer. But she learned that most locally-based cohousing communities were already full by the time she heard of them. She is happy to find a community in the process of becoming, and looks forward to learning more.
Joyce
Joyce grew up in Minnesota, lived in the Boston area, and spent many years in eastern Pennsylvania. For the last quarter century she’s made her home in Boise, Idaho. After a career “at the edge” of higher education, she retired from academia a number of years ago and is still discovering the wonders of retirement.
She has always loved the outdoors and continues to swim, paddle, bike, hike, backpack, camp, cross country ski, bird, and garden, all while appreciating the physical, aesthetic and spiritual delights of these activities. She’s an avid reader, cook, traveler, and dabbler in various creative pursuits. As the mother of two adult children and grandmother of one, family is important to Joyce, but she very much leads — and values — her own life. Trained as a vision quest guide, she has been following the “thread” of death and dying, leading the Death Café movement in Boise, teaching death-mask- making workshops, and facilitating family discussions centered around death and dying.
When a Boise cohousing project in which she was involved fell apart over divergent goals, Joyce continued her search for shared, sustainable, collaborative living, and she hopes she has found it in the Skagit Commons community. She loves to cook and eat with others, share a good discussion over a glass of wine or a cup of coffee, and work on projects — whether garden, fix-it or you-name-it — in community.
Joyce grew up in Minnesota, lived in the Boston area, and spent many years in eastern Pennsylvania. For the last quarter century she’s made her home in Boise, Idaho. After a career “at the edge” of higher education, she retired from academia a number of years ago and is still discovering the wonders of retirement.
She has always loved the outdoors and continues to swim, paddle, bike, hike, backpack, camp, cross country ski, bird, and garden, all while appreciating the physical, aesthetic and spiritual delights of these activities. She’s an avid reader, cook, traveler, and dabbler in various creative pursuits. As the mother of two adult children and grandmother of one, family is important to Joyce, but she very much leads — and values — her own life. Trained as a vision quest guide, she has been following the “thread” of death and dying, leading the Death Café movement in Boise, teaching death-mask- making workshops, and facilitating family discussions centered around death and dying.
When a Boise cohousing project in which she was involved fell apart over divergent goals, Joyce continued her search for shared, sustainable, collaborative living, and she hopes she has found it in the Skagit Commons community. She loves to cook and eat with others, share a good discussion over a glass of wine or a cup of coffee, and work on projects — whether garden, fix-it or you-name-it — in community.
Carol
Carol’s life path has taken many an unexpected twist over her 63 years. Growing up in Indiana as the oldest of seven presented its own challenges. While in law school, she developed a macular condition resulting in the loss of most central vision. She has practiced employment discrimination law, and took leadership roles in combatting domestic violence and sexual assault. When she relocated to the Bay area in the ‘90s, she took on a leadership role in peer-based disability organization, and thirteen years ago, she became the Disability Compliance Officer for a large healthcare system.
Carol was recently widowed, having lost her wife, Teresa, to leukemia in 2018. She is a Unitarian Universalist—she and Teresa were married in the labyrinth in a ceremony that included “participation” from their cattle dog, Magpie. An avid reader, Carol is also passionate about spending weekends walking with Magpie along the various river paths to be found in Sacramento and environs. She is a foodie who especially savors collaborative cooking. She enjoys music and travels to the Midwest for the National Women’s Music Festival often.
In the next phase of her life, Carol is seeking new adventures, community, and good conversation. She wants to live in an intentional community, and, to that end, is excited to have joined Skagit Commons!
Carol’s life path has taken many an unexpected twist over her 63 years. Growing up in Indiana as the oldest of seven presented its own challenges. While in law school, she developed a macular condition resulting in the loss of most central vision. She has practiced employment discrimination law, and took leadership roles in combatting domestic violence and sexual assault. When she relocated to the Bay area in the ‘90s, she took on a leadership role in peer-based disability organization, and thirteen years ago, she became the Disability Compliance Officer for a large healthcare system.
Carol was recently widowed, having lost her wife, Teresa, to leukemia in 2018. She is a Unitarian Universalist—she and Teresa were married in the labyrinth in a ceremony that included “participation” from their cattle dog, Magpie. An avid reader, Carol is also passionate about spending weekends walking with Magpie along the various river paths to be found in Sacramento and environs. She is a foodie who especially savors collaborative cooking. She enjoys music and travels to the Midwest for the National Women’s Music Festival often.
In the next phase of her life, Carol is seeking new adventures, community, and good conversation. She wants to live in an intentional community, and, to that end, is excited to have joined Skagit Commons!
Trina
The great outdoors is Trina’s favorite place to be. Her family home, in the Shoreline area of north Seattle, backed up to woods and a creek. Growing up there fed her love of nature. For five years she was a Forest Steward for Forterra, Washington State’s largest land conservation organization.
With a deep interest in the arts, Trina served on the board at the Gage Academy of Art for over two decades. She has found gallery walks a great way to connect with both artists and gallery owners and looks forward to meeting a new tribe of people in Anacortes this way, as well.
After 30 years as a financial advisor, Trina retired and enthusiastically engages in day-hikes and perennial gardening, downhill skiing. She has visited 37 countries so far and plans to travel to Sicily and the Cinque Terre.
Her daughter she raised as a single parent is now a junior at Simon Fraser University near Vancouver, B.C.
In the early 80’s, craving a start-from-the ground-up experience, Trina lived with an eclectic mix of neighbors in Pike Place; they were all eager to pitch in and their experiment in urban living worked! She lived there for twelve glorious years. She feels co-housing offers a similar potential for growing a community.
The great outdoors is Trina’s favorite place to be. Her family home, in the Shoreline area of north Seattle, backed up to woods and a creek. Growing up there fed her love of nature. For five years she was a Forest Steward for Forterra, Washington State’s largest land conservation organization.
With a deep interest in the arts, Trina served on the board at the Gage Academy of Art for over two decades. She has found gallery walks a great way to connect with both artists and gallery owners and looks forward to meeting a new tribe of people in Anacortes this way, as well.
After 30 years as a financial advisor, Trina retired and enthusiastically engages in day-hikes and perennial gardening, downhill skiing. She has visited 37 countries so far and plans to travel to Sicily and the Cinque Terre.
Her daughter she raised as a single parent is now a junior at Simon Fraser University near Vancouver, B.C.
In the early 80’s, craving a start-from-the ground-up experience, Trina lived with an eclectic mix of neighbors in Pike Place; they were all eager to pitch in and their experiment in urban living worked! She lived there for twelve glorious years. She feels co-housing offers a similar potential for growing a community.
Susan and Carl
Susan and Carl live in the Lake City neighborhood of Seattle under the watchful eye (supervision?) of their 5-year-old corgi, Elly.
Hailing from the Plains states, Susan has made her home in Seattle for the past 34 years. After getting a masters in social work, but prior to having daughter Saige, she worked primarily as a medical social worker. She now works part time as a host at a drop-in hygiene center in northeast Seattle that serves people who live outdoors or who are otherwise marginalized. Life has been complicated since Susan received a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis over 30 years ago. She enjoys studying the Enneagram (an arrangement of nine personality types), cooking and baking gluten-free, and cycling with Carl on their tandem bicycle.
Originally from Eugene, Oregon, Carl settled in Seattle in 1989. He has worked in various woodworking and construction trades since 1994, and is now a partner in the residential remodeling firm that he founded in 2010. He has dabbled over the years with wooden canoes, kayaks, and sailboats, and in recent years uncovered renewed interest in cycles and cycling—acquiring and tinkering with bikes, and randonneuring (a sport in which riders attempt courses of 200 km or more). In 2019, the family’s trip to Europe included a 6-day cycling tour in Northern Spain, a few days in Barcelona, and another week in Paris — during which time Carl joined 6500 other cyclists in the quadrennial Paris-Brest-Paris ride.
Carl and Susan and Saige have enjoyed escaping often to Holden Village, which is off the grid in the North Cascades. The whole family enjoys cycling together. Saige is now a freshman at Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana.
Susan and Carl live in the Lake City neighborhood of Seattle under the watchful eye (supervision?) of their 5-year-old corgi, Elly.
Hailing from the Plains states, Susan has made her home in Seattle for the past 34 years. After getting a masters in social work, but prior to having daughter Saige, she worked primarily as a medical social worker. She now works part time as a host at a drop-in hygiene center in northeast Seattle that serves people who live outdoors or who are otherwise marginalized. Life has been complicated since Susan received a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis over 30 years ago. She enjoys studying the Enneagram (an arrangement of nine personality types), cooking and baking gluten-free, and cycling with Carl on their tandem bicycle.
Originally from Eugene, Oregon, Carl settled in Seattle in 1989. He has worked in various woodworking and construction trades since 1994, and is now a partner in the residential remodeling firm that he founded in 2010. He has dabbled over the years with wooden canoes, kayaks, and sailboats, and in recent years uncovered renewed interest in cycles and cycling—acquiring and tinkering with bikes, and randonneuring (a sport in which riders attempt courses of 200 km or more). In 2019, the family’s trip to Europe included a 6-day cycling tour in Northern Spain, a few days in Barcelona, and another week in Paris — during which time Carl joined 6500 other cyclists in the quadrennial Paris-Brest-Paris ride.
Carl and Susan and Saige have enjoyed escaping often to Holden Village, which is off the grid in the North Cascades. The whole family enjoys cycling together. Saige is now a freshman at Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana.
Peg and Lucia
Though born in different countries and decades, Lucia and Peg converged upon Washington State within a year of each other. Lucia came from the Philippines in 1981, immigrating with her parents and seven out of eleven siblings. She has lived in the Seattle area since then, and has worked as a visual designer for many years.
Raised and educated in Northern California, Peg first settled in the San Juan Islands in 1982, where she learned to kayak, read between the lines of a ferry schedule, and appreciate the difference between a crow and a raven. She relocated to Seattle in 1987 to find work in graphics, which she did for some years at Verizon Information Services. She was happily ensconced for the last 17 years as a sort of curio wrangler for Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, a 120-year-old, family-run business on the waterfront. Lucia and Peg met 25 years ago; for the last 15 of those years it feels as if they’ve been constantly renovating a 1927 bungalow in West Seattle. They are delighted to have found Skagit Commons, a community where the work of fixing the roof and weeding the garden will blend with the pleasure of shared meals and warm camaraderie.
Though born in different countries and decades, Lucia and Peg converged upon Washington State within a year of each other. Lucia came from the Philippines in 1981, immigrating with her parents and seven out of eleven siblings. She has lived in the Seattle area since then, and has worked as a visual designer for many years.
Raised and educated in Northern California, Peg first settled in the San Juan Islands in 1982, where she learned to kayak, read between the lines of a ferry schedule, and appreciate the difference between a crow and a raven. She relocated to Seattle in 1987 to find work in graphics, which she did for some years at Verizon Information Services. She was happily ensconced for the last 17 years as a sort of curio wrangler for Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, a 120-year-old, family-run business on the waterfront. Lucia and Peg met 25 years ago; for the last 15 of those years it feels as if they’ve been constantly renovating a 1927 bungalow in West Seattle. They are delighted to have found Skagit Commons, a community where the work of fixing the roof and weeding the garden will blend with the pleasure of shared meals and warm camaraderie.
Jen
Jen hails from Adams, Massachusetts, but has lived in many locales, including Vancouver, British Columbia, Salt Lake City, Friday Harbor and most recently, Sedro Woolley. She’s always loved being in nature and loves hiking and walking. She is a long-time meditator. Knitting, sewing, as well as other types of handiwork offer her much enjoyment. Also a studio artist, she works in mixed-water collage.
Her interest in cohousing dates back many years. In fortuitous fashion, the opportunity to join Skagit Commons landed in her lap. She’s excited to participate in building and developing community with others of shared values. Hers has been a lifetime of service and she appreciates how cohousing offers a setting to serve in community!
Jen hails from Adams, Massachusetts, but has lived in many locales, including Vancouver, British Columbia, Salt Lake City, Friday Harbor and most recently, Sedro Woolley. She’s always loved being in nature and loves hiking and walking. She is a long-time meditator. Knitting, sewing, as well as other types of handiwork offer her much enjoyment. Also a studio artist, she works in mixed-water collage.
Her interest in cohousing dates back many years. In fortuitous fashion, the opportunity to join Skagit Commons landed in her lap. She’s excited to participate in building and developing community with others of shared values. Hers has been a lifetime of service and she appreciates how cohousing offers a setting to serve in community!
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Libby and Rusty
Libby is a naturalist, artist and teacher. She is on the Board of Skagit Audubon and leads field classes in natural history for Audubon, North Cascades Institute and Padilla Bay Foundation. A biologist for The Nature Conservancy’s Skagit River Bald Eagle Preserve for 23 winters, she also illustrated books on birds, brown bears and wildflowers. She worked for 9 years for the National Park Service as a backcountry ranger in Washington and Alaska. Libby is happiest when experiencing the wonders of the natural world with binoculars around her neck and a nature journal in her hands. When not in the field, Libby enjoys knitting, playing ukulele, and traveling throughout the Americas. |
After graduating from law school in New Hampshire, A. J. “Rusty” served as a VISTA attorney in Alaska for 2 years before moving to Skagit Valley. He worked for the Swinomish Tribe for 25 years as a Reservation attorney and Chief Judge of the Tribal Court. Since retiring, Rusty has been a longtime Board member of Skagit Land Trust, assisted in training inmates with Summit Assistance Dogs’ Prison Program and currently volunteers with Hospice of the Northwest. A longtime Zen practitioner, Rusty regularly rows with the Old Anacortes Rowing Society, and enjoys biking, pickleball, traveling and wandering through the natural world. Rusty and Libby live on their 23 acre forest and fen “Wren Ridge” on Padilla Bay in Bay View, Washington.
Jerry and Frank
Jerry met and fell in love with Frank during a volunteer trail service trip to Holden Village near Lake Chelan almost 20 years ago. As she approached the “downsizing” part of life, she noticed that options included places limited to seniors or ordinary condos with no guarantee of being a community with some shared values. Then she saw a notice for Skagit Commons. As she aspires to live in a multi-generational, diverse community, cohousing is a great option. Jerry retired from a career in urban planning. She enjoys working on the planning and design aspects of Skagit Commons.
Earlier in his life, Frank lived in a shared community similar to cohousing. As he looks forward to downsizing from his large rural property for the next phase of his life, he would like to again experience the benefits of community. He looks forward to being part of a diverse group that has mutual goals. Sharing common resources and living light on the land are important to him and he believes, to the earth’s future. Cohousing provides a way to live his life with others in an environment of mutual values and respect. Frank is passionate about the North Cascades. He loves natural history, children, gardening, and he volunteer as a trail-builder.
Jerry met and fell in love with Frank during a volunteer trail service trip to Holden Village near Lake Chelan almost 20 years ago. As she approached the “downsizing” part of life, she noticed that options included places limited to seniors or ordinary condos with no guarantee of being a community with some shared values. Then she saw a notice for Skagit Commons. As she aspires to live in a multi-generational, diverse community, cohousing is a great option. Jerry retired from a career in urban planning. She enjoys working on the planning and design aspects of Skagit Commons.
Earlier in his life, Frank lived in a shared community similar to cohousing. As he looks forward to downsizing from his large rural property for the next phase of his life, he would like to again experience the benefits of community. He looks forward to being part of a diverse group that has mutual goals. Sharing common resources and living light on the land are important to him and he believes, to the earth’s future. Cohousing provides a way to live his life with others in an environment of mutual values and respect. Frank is passionate about the North Cascades. He loves natural history, children, gardening, and he volunteer as a trail-builder.
Tom and Marina
Tom and Marina have been Seattle residents since 1992. Originally from Dallas, TX and Cincinnati, Ohio, respectively, they arrived in Seattle after spending seven years in Washington D.C.. In D.C., Tom finished his law degree and worked for a non-profit law firm called Government Accountability Project, while Marina worked for Prince George’s County, Maryland, as a Historic Preservation Planner. In 1992 they piled their 3 year-old daughter into the car and headed to Seattle so that Tom could open a West Coast office of his Washington, D.C. law firm. They have been in Seattle ever since, raising their daughter Zoe, and son Sam. Tom founded and steers the non-profit organization, Hanford Challenge, which focuses on worker health & safety at the Hanford Nuclear site. Marina is involved in their South Seattle community in a number of ways, and currently works with elders in an assisted living/memory care residential community. Tom and Marina have enjoyed widening their circle of friends and experiences by joining Skagit Commons. They are looking forward to moving into this new community they are helping to design.
Tom and Marina have been Seattle residents since 1992. Originally from Dallas, TX and Cincinnati, Ohio, respectively, they arrived in Seattle after spending seven years in Washington D.C.. In D.C., Tom finished his law degree and worked for a non-profit law firm called Government Accountability Project, while Marina worked for Prince George’s County, Maryland, as a Historic Preservation Planner. In 1992 they piled their 3 year-old daughter into the car and headed to Seattle so that Tom could open a West Coast office of his Washington, D.C. law firm. They have been in Seattle ever since, raising their daughter Zoe, and son Sam. Tom founded and steers the non-profit organization, Hanford Challenge, which focuses on worker health & safety at the Hanford Nuclear site. Marina is involved in their South Seattle community in a number of ways, and currently works with elders in an assisted living/memory care residential community. Tom and Marina have enjoyed widening their circle of friends and experiences by joining Skagit Commons. They are looking forward to moving into this new community they are helping to design.
Kathy and Randal
Randal and Kathy have been considering cohousing for some time and we couldn’t be happier that, after much looking, they chose Skagit Commons!
Kathy is a musician performing around Seattle and teaching private lessons. While she likes to play lead guitar in rock-n-roll bands, Kathy has also performed musical theater with numerous choruses and in theater settings; she recently played guitar in a theater show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.
Randal considers himself a dabbler and a team player. He was a small cog in the large Microsoft machine for 17 years and also owned and operated a pub in the Roosevelt neighborhood – Pies & Pints – for 13 years. We are thrilled to have Kathy and Randal join us!
Randal and Kathy have been considering cohousing for some time and we couldn’t be happier that, after much looking, they chose Skagit Commons!
Kathy is a musician performing around Seattle and teaching private lessons. While she likes to play lead guitar in rock-n-roll bands, Kathy has also performed musical theater with numerous choruses and in theater settings; she recently played guitar in a theater show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.
Randal considers himself a dabbler and a team player. He was a small cog in the large Microsoft machine for 17 years and also owned and operated a pub in the Roosevelt neighborhood – Pies & Pints – for 13 years. We are thrilled to have Kathy and Randal join us!
Debra
Debra is a West Coast native, drawn to all of its “big water,” whether the Pacific Ocean, the San Francisco Bay, the Puget Sound, or the Straits of Juan de Fuca. She has lived in Seattle since 1980, and looks forward to moving north to the smaller town of Anacortes.
Debra has worked in maternal-child health for the past 25+ years, first as an out-of-hospital midwife and OB Coordinator at a community clinic and more recently, as a nutrition assistant in the federal WIC program, serving low-income families from around the world. She has also worked as a medical photographer, ophthalmic technician, Metro bus driver and more.
Her interests include knitting, cooking, walking and visiting with friends. She was first introduced to the idea of communal living, when she spent time on kibbutz in her teens and early twenties. The draw of such a community, where individuals intentionally create a neighborhood has always appealed, so she's thrilled to have joined Skagit Commons.
Debra is a West Coast native, drawn to all of its “big water,” whether the Pacific Ocean, the San Francisco Bay, the Puget Sound, or the Straits of Juan de Fuca. She has lived in Seattle since 1980, and looks forward to moving north to the smaller town of Anacortes.
Debra has worked in maternal-child health for the past 25+ years, first as an out-of-hospital midwife and OB Coordinator at a community clinic and more recently, as a nutrition assistant in the federal WIC program, serving low-income families from around the world. She has also worked as a medical photographer, ophthalmic technician, Metro bus driver and more.
Her interests include knitting, cooking, walking and visiting with friends. She was first introduced to the idea of communal living, when she spent time on kibbutz in her teens and early twenties. The draw of such a community, where individuals intentionally create a neighborhood has always appealed, so she's thrilled to have joined Skagit Commons.
Shelly and Charles
Shelly is a native Washingtonian having been born and raised in Eastern Washington. In 1979/80 she spent a life-changing year in Denmark, coincidentally at the same time Kathryn McCamant and Chuck Durrett were in Denmark studying cohousing. For most of her career she worked in the CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community) industry, but more recently, she has a consulting business, CoVision Consulting. You can often find Shelly heading out for a bike ride and you can always find her with a knitting project. Shelly is married to Charles and they share three grown children and two grandchildren together. She is excited about Skagit Commons because she truly believes that we are much better together than we are alone. Charles grew up in Delaware and came to Washington with Shelly nearly 30 years ago. He was drawn to the mountains, the water, and the Eastern Washington landscape. Anytime Charles can get up high and have a view, he is happy and Cap Santé, in Anacortes, is one of his favorite places to hang out. Charles has experienced living in both isolated areas and hearts of cities and has decided that living in Anacortes is just right. He’s planning his retirement to coincide with moving into Skagit Commons.
Shelly is a native Washingtonian having been born and raised in Eastern Washington. In 1979/80 she spent a life-changing year in Denmark, coincidentally at the same time Kathryn McCamant and Chuck Durrett were in Denmark studying cohousing. For most of her career she worked in the CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community) industry, but more recently, she has a consulting business, CoVision Consulting. You can often find Shelly heading out for a bike ride and you can always find her with a knitting project. Shelly is married to Charles and they share three grown children and two grandchildren together. She is excited about Skagit Commons because she truly believes that we are much better together than we are alone. Charles grew up in Delaware and came to Washington with Shelly nearly 30 years ago. He was drawn to the mountains, the water, and the Eastern Washington landscape. Anytime Charles can get up high and have a view, he is happy and Cap Santé, in Anacortes, is one of his favorite places to hang out. Charles has experienced living in both isolated areas and hearts of cities and has decided that living in Anacortes is just right. He’s planning his retirement to coincide with moving into Skagit Commons.
Milly and Bob
Milly and Bob are longtime San Francisco Bay residents and boating enthusiasts. Last year they decided to bring their boat, “Veronica,” up to the San Juans, in order to enjoy the wide cruising grounds there. Bob had passed through Anacortes several times over the years and always thought he'd like to live there. An ad for Skagit Commons caught his eye.
A year later they decided to apply to be community members. The idea of co-housing speaks to them. They’ve been encouraged by the friendly members and the mix of skills and hard work that goes into a project of this scale. Milly’s professional background is in tax and financial planning. Bob’s is also in taxes, as well as computers and technical instruction. They love to go boating with Gracie, the black poodle. They are avid readers and love to discuss ideas, over coffee or something stronger, or as they walk.
Milly and Bob are longtime San Francisco Bay residents and boating enthusiasts. Last year they decided to bring their boat, “Veronica,” up to the San Juans, in order to enjoy the wide cruising grounds there. Bob had passed through Anacortes several times over the years and always thought he'd like to live there. An ad for Skagit Commons caught his eye.
A year later they decided to apply to be community members. The idea of co-housing speaks to them. They’ve been encouraged by the friendly members and the mix of skills and hard work that goes into a project of this scale. Milly’s professional background is in tax and financial planning. Bob’s is also in taxes, as well as computers and technical instruction. They love to go boating with Gracie, the black poodle. They are avid readers and love to discuss ideas, over coffee or something stronger, or as they walk.
Suzanne
Suzanne was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, but spent years living in Seattle, Ann Arbor, Michigan and Lawrence, Kansas, where her only daughter, now an adult, was born. Her working career has been in library management from the University of Washington to the Salt Lake County Library System. In addition to getting to see new books every day, one of the things she has loved most about her work is creating welcoming and interesting spaces for people to visit. She loves the Pacific Northwest and is eager to return to join with others in creating a caring and vibrant community in Anacortes.
In her free time, Suzanne serves on a local arts council organizing music and arts events. She sings in a choir, helps immigrant kids with their homework and fosters dogs for Rescue Rovers. She also hikes with the two rescue dogs she failed to give up. She loves arts and crafts and has a lot of books and enthusiasms that she would love to share with others.
Suzanne was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, but spent years living in Seattle, Ann Arbor, Michigan and Lawrence, Kansas, where her only daughter, now an adult, was born. Her working career has been in library management from the University of Washington to the Salt Lake County Library System. In addition to getting to see new books every day, one of the things she has loved most about her work is creating welcoming and interesting spaces for people to visit. She loves the Pacific Northwest and is eager to return to join with others in creating a caring and vibrant community in Anacortes.
In her free time, Suzanne serves on a local arts council organizing music and arts events. She sings in a choir, helps immigrant kids with their homework and fosters dogs for Rescue Rovers. She also hikes with the two rescue dogs she failed to give up. She loves arts and crafts and has a lot of books and enthusiasms that she would love to share with others.
Janice and Alan
Alan and Janice are nine-year residents of Issaquah, WA. They relocated from Texas in 2010 for Janice’s job as an actuary for Regence BCBS in Seattle. Janice has since joined Alan in retirement, having launched two kids into college and beyond. Now they share their home with two cats and two dogs and enjoy gardening, hiking, and volunteer work. Their goal for joining Skagit Commons is to resize their home and enhance relationships with new neighbors.
Alan and Janice are nine-year residents of Issaquah, WA. They relocated from Texas in 2010 for Janice’s job as an actuary for Regence BCBS in Seattle. Janice has since joined Alan in retirement, having launched two kids into college and beyond. Now they share their home with two cats and two dogs and enjoy gardening, hiking, and volunteer work. Their goal for joining Skagit Commons is to resize their home and enhance relationships with new neighbors.
Teri and Bob
Teri was born and raised in Eastern Washington. Bob was born and raised in San Diego, where they met 40 years ago. Bob has worked in the aerospace industry for the past 40 years and Teri has worked at the Everett Public Library for the past 27 years. They both love to read; Bob especially enjoys reading non-fiction and biographies. He also loves to bake bread and pastries and enjoys attending cooking classes. Teri loves to sew and do a variety of crafts. She especially enjoys repurposing felted wool.
Both Bob and Teri love to travel and garden. Currently they have a suburban garden that includes raspberries, blueberries, a fig tree, plum tree and a pie cherry tree. Bob is looking forward to learning to play the ukulele when he retires in a couple of years. They are both excited about moving to Anacortes and having the opportunity to live in a cohousing community.
Teri was born and raised in Eastern Washington. Bob was born and raised in San Diego, where they met 40 years ago. Bob has worked in the aerospace industry for the past 40 years and Teri has worked at the Everett Public Library for the past 27 years. They both love to read; Bob especially enjoys reading non-fiction and biographies. He also loves to bake bread and pastries and enjoys attending cooking classes. Teri loves to sew and do a variety of crafts. She especially enjoys repurposing felted wool.
Both Bob and Teri love to travel and garden. Currently they have a suburban garden that includes raspberries, blueberries, a fig tree, plum tree and a pie cherry tree. Bob is looking forward to learning to play the ukulele when he retires in a couple of years. They are both excited about moving to Anacortes and having the opportunity to live in a cohousing community.
