ELDER VALLEY: REFLECTIONS FROM TWO OLDER RESIDENTS
Along with our standard poodle, Abba, we recently moved to the beautiful Comox Valley from Burlington, Ontario. As entrepreneurs for most of our lives, we truly believe it is never too late for a big life change. We are incredibly grateful to now call this wonderful community home, with its majestic trees, views of the stunning mountain range, and peaceful ocean walks.
Why we chose the Comox Valley
Many factors contributed to the monumental decision to leave our hometown, where we had lived for over half of our lives. As we have aged—as gracefully as possible—our priorities have gently shifted to two main areas; our health and our proximity to family. The excellent health care, fresh air, mild climate, and community feeling in the Comox Valley all contribute positively to our mental and physical well-being. In addition, our daughter, son-in-law, two beautiful granddaughters, and their dog, Kahlúa, also live here, and it has been wonderful being close to them again and involved in their lives.
Our entrepreneurial journey over the decades
We have always been entrepreneurs at heart, drawn to new opportunities. During our time in Ontario, we created several businesses. It began in 1979 with a chain of pet food stores called Ryan’s Pet Foods. After 10 wonderful years, we sold the chain and followed our new interest into the health food sector by opening three vitamin stores. After retiring from those occupations and spending time travelling the world, we ventured into real estate, where we created many lasting relationships while helping people find the right home. We also enjoyed volunteering with the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides as foster parents of young puppies going through the program.
Embracing retirement in our new community
This new chapter in our lives is an exciting one. As we are officially retired from real estate, we look forward to living at a slower pace and integrating ourselves into this lovely community. Since moving here in November 2024, we have found the people to be extremely welcoming, helpful, and kind. The heavy rain in November and December was a little challenging; however, having the gorgeous sunshine for the month of January felt like a true gift, and we appreciated every minute of it!
We have thoroughly enjoyed discovering the Valley since our arrival and have taken day trips to Campbell River and Hornby and Denman Islands. Ann loves to paint, and has recently joined the Pearl Ellis Gallery in Comox. She will soon be displaying some works of art—an exciting creative endeavour! We are also planning to check out the local Probus club [for retired and semi-retired professionals and businesspeople – Ed.] so we can connect with more people at a similar stage in life.
We look forward to continuing to explore the gorgeous surroundings that our new community (and the rest of Vancouver Island) has to offer. Our motto remains: the sky’s the limit!
