Member Spotlight

Ken and Linda are happy to call Hampton Hall home! They moved to their home on Marchmont Ave. from Peachtree City, GA during the peak of the pandemic after Ken’s retirement from Georgia Pacific.

Ken was born and raised in Hong Kong where his siblings and their families still reside. He left home to attend University of Windsor in Canada, where he received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering and later attended Penn State University for his graduate studies. Upon receiving his M.S. in Chemical Engineering, he went to work for an engineering firm that designed and manufactured equipment for the pulp and paper industry in Muncy, PA. Ken spent his entire career in operations and management with various paper companies. In 2019, he decided to retire after serving as VP of Operations for Georgia Pacific’s Containerboard Division.

Linda is from Pittsburgh, PA and has her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Education from Penn State University. She taught elementary school and has served as an interim principal. Although many people think Ken and Linda met at Penn State, they actually met in Williamsport, PA when they were both working and got married there in 1984. Upon returning from their honeymoon, Ken was offered a job from a customer of his in Augusta, GA. For two newlyweds, it was a tough decision to make the move. Linda ultimately supported Ken’s career and they relocated to the south after they were married for only 3 months. This meant they had to postpone a summer trip to Hong Kong to celebrate their marriage with his family. After spending 16 wonderful years in Augusta, Ken took on leadership positions with various paper companies and moved around the country. Linda continued to support Ken’s career and together they have moved 17 times prior to settling in Hampton Hall.

Living in Augusta meant Ken and Linda were fortunate enough to obtain tickets to the Masters Tournament every year. There were many fond memories, but one in 1986 stands out. Ken and Linda vividly remember standing under the CBS announcers’ (Ken Ventura and Pat

Summerall) booth at the 18th green on Sunday afternoon. As Jack Nicklaus moved up the leader board on the back 9, the roars were deafening. We all remember the historic outcome and its significance. It still gives the Li’s goose bumps when they talk about it.

Moving to Hampton Hall during the pandemic was challenging as all the social events were suspended. Ken tried the Discovery golf membership, where he met many friendly golf members. The Li’s became full golf members shortly after. As the pandemic improved, Ken and Linda joined various groups and began participating in club events, which allowed them to meet many wonderful folks. Ken and Linda play on a Bocce team, and Linda participates in fitness classes, Mahjong, Bunco and has started learning how to play golf. Outside of Hampton Hall, Ken and Linda have joined the Penn State local alumni chapter and they are amazed to learn so many Penn Staters settled in the Lowcountry. Ken and Linda also enjoy traveling. When they lived in Oregon, they enjoyed spending time in Palm Desert to escape the rain and vacationed in Maui every year. During their years living in Augusta, they vacationed on Hilton Head Island, which became one of the Li’s favorite destinations and certainly contributed to them choosing Hampton Hall. Since living here, they continue to spend time on the island as often as they can.

Like many other Hampton Hall residents, Ken and Linda researched a number of popular locations for their retirement before they focused their search in Bluffton, SC. Fate might have something to do with this decision. A year prior to Ken’s retirement, they were vacationing in Aruba. They ran into a man wearing a Hilton Head Island tee shirt in a local grocery store. After striking some casual conversation, the man shared with them that he and his wife were building a house in Hampton Hall. He suggested to check out the community and even offered a local Realtor contact. The Li’s followed his advice and the rest is history. Hampton Hall has turned out to be a very inviting community to live in. Its beauty and scenic surroundings, golf course, as well as many amenities make Ken and Linda feel like they are on vacation every day. However, they believe the biggest asset is truly the many wonderful and friendly people here.