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essentials HOMEI am The Heisers

By Mary Jane Bogle

Longtime Pennsylvania residents find a new home in the heart of Fort Wayne.

Imagine spending most of your adult life in one place, only to move halfway across the country in early retirement. Imagine further that this move isn’t to sunny Florida or arid Arizona. Instead, the trek lands you squarely in Fort Wayne, Midwest winters and all.

That’s exactly what Rich and Judy Heiser did when they relocated to Fort Wayne in 2016. “We wanted to be pro-active with a move while we were still younger senior citizens,” said Judy.

Desiring to live closer to family, they could have chosen New York City or Philadelphia, where their two older children, respectively, reside. They opted for Fort Wayne instead, not just to be closer to their youngest daughter and her son, but because Fort Wayne offered multiple benefits over the two larger metropolitan choices.

One primary reason for the Midwest move was cost. “Fort Wayne was attractive from a cost-of-living standpoint,” said Rich. “We enjoy visiting New York and Philadelphia,” he continued, “but we didn’t want to retire there.”

Judy agreed “Fort Wayne is really an affordable town.”

Convenience was another factor. “You can literally get to anywhere in the city within 15-20 minutes,” said Rich.

And with all the wonderful parks and festivals to explore, easy travel was a big bonus — especially with so many smaller towns around Fort Wayne just waiting to be discovered. “It’s the best of both worlds,” said Judy.

Perhaps the primary reason the Heisers chose to relocate to Fort Wayne was the people. They loved the diversity of the city during their periodic visits to see daughter Courtney and her young son, and the Heisers continued to develop rich relationships after their move.

“We’ve met so many supportive and wonderful people,” Judy said. Certainly, they’ve enjoyed seeing their grandson’s music recitals and participating in special days at school. A Marine Corp. veteran, Rich especially enjoyed the school’s special Veterans Day presentation.

Rich and Judy Heiser

In many ways, however, the move has given the Heisers an opportunity to learn more about themselves, as well. For example, they purchased bikes and have enjoyed cycling adventures throughout their neighborhood and along the many parks and trails throughout the city.

“Considering we were moving from mountainous Pennsylvania to relatively flat Indiana,” said Judy, “biking is much more appealing here.” Rich has also developed new talents, participating in various theater and video productions.

In fact, exploration is a great way to describe the Heisers’ last five years. Even purchasing their home in Blackhawk Forest was something of an adventure, since they bought it sight unseen.

“We looked at several different places,” said Rich, “but none of them hit what we were looking for.” So when a home that seemed to fit their criteria came available, they were quick to take the plunge. “We put in an offer long distance,” he said. “Four months later, we moved in.”

Whether they’re enjoying time with family, developing new talents and opportunities or exploring parks, trails and festivals, the Heisers are loving all that Fort Wayne has to offer.

“We love it here,” said Judy. “It really is home.”