In working on our annual Senior Living advertorial (September-October issue of Lancaster County Magazine), we met some interesting residents of local retirement communities who have incredible talents, interesting hobbies and creatively designed living spaces. We hated to see all of Nick Gould’s wonderful photographs go unseen, so we are sharing them through online blogs.
– Sue Long
Stop by the Cross’s home at Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community (QPRC) and you’re in for a treat! Who knew that English tea and Amish-made cookies make for a perfect pairing!
The Crosses have lived in QPRC’s residential community, Great Rock, since 2022. Until that time, the retired missionaries had spent their married life working in Australia (1970-1981), Carlisle, Cumberland County (1981-1992 and 2011-2022), and England (1992-2011). Needless to say, the two had become pros at downsizing and moving.
Along the way, they gained an appreciation for the culture, art, food, traditions and people of the places where they served. As a result, their home is filled with mementos of their travels. Those include Aboriginal weapons and art from Australia, teacups/saucers, tea pots and serving pieces from England, and a collection of figurines that take the shape of quaint or historical buildings and landmarks that define the British Isles. (David says he always knew what to get Barbara for Christmas, birthdays and other occasions.)
While Barbara did downsize her collection of teacups/saucers before moving to Quarryville, what remains is a delightful display of colorful pieces that all have stories behind them. The Crosses have also continued their acquired love of afternoon tea. For their afternoon break on the day we visited, Barbara set the table (we all got to choose a cup and saucer), while David brewed the tea. A plate of Amish-made cookies, purchased at a nearby farmstand, completed the menu.
Conversation led me to ask the Crosses if they were in England when Princess Diana passed away on August 31, 1997. They were there and David shared that during that morning’s church service, he had the sad duty of breaking the tragic news to unknowing congregants, explaining that 27 years ago, people weren’t in the habit of turning on the television or radio before heading for Sunday services. “It came as a shock for some of them,” he says. Barbara recalled being impressed by the manner in which the English mourned their princess and shared that she and David signed some of the condolence books that would eventually make their way to the Royal Family.
The conversation only verified what Karen Dickerson, director of marketing and communications, says about QPRC’s residents: “Quarryville is home to people who have led fascinating lives.”
For more information about Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community, visit Quarryville.com. QPRC will be a stop on this year’s Explore Retirement Living Tour, which is being held October 19, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For details, visit exploreretirementliving.org.
We are so very privileged to both know and regularly visit the Crosses. They’ve been a great blessing to us and no visit is without a cup of tea (prepared the “correct” way!) and cookies! Their stories are endless and each of them captivating! We regularly invite them to our home for holiday meals and they both make those meals more than memorable!