Photos: Heather Armstrong
Story: Melissa Mendonca
All in the Family L I F E O N T H E M Y E R S ’ FA M I LY ‘ CO M P O U N D ’
Family
When your business has the word “marine” in it, it makes sense to have a home on the river. That’s just what Myers Marine and RV owners Gary and Judi Myers had, and they were quite content. “I didn’t really think he would leave the river, but he fell in love with those cows,” says daughter Jennifer with a chuckle. Heeding a call of cows and – more accurately – kids, Gary and Judi have joined their daughters Jennifer Smith and Mandye Cortopassi and their respective families in developing what they affectionately call “the compound,” a 37-acre north Redding patch of land that houses three custom homes for three families and three generations. The river view is gone but a creek runs along the fence line, and registered Angus cattle can be seen from picture windows. “We call them lawn art,” says Mandye with a sly smile. Most importantly, the whisper of the river has been replaced by a cacophony of voices of six grandkids, one of the youngest of whom states that the best thing about living on the compound is the opportunity to “feed the cows with papa.” continued on page 74
September 2011 Enjoy 73