Retire VA 24 - 12

Bob and Carolyn Warren: " We encourage
everyone to get a financial advisor involved
in your plans. "
seem to just sail right into retirement
easily. I didn't. I missed my purpose, the
structure of a schedule, my office, my
technology and my employees.
" I was used to introducing myself as
what I did and where I worked. It was weird
after retiring. I didn't want to say who I
had been. Saying just my name should be
enough but for me that was the start of
feeling lost. I struggled. The few women I
have found that felt the same way tended
to be in demanding careers and in positions
of authority. I found many more men
who felt like I did. I think their career and
position may be a factor in adjusting. "
Bob and Carolyn Warren, both 73, are
living the best of both worlds. He is a district
magistrate working four days a week
and she has been retired from Allstate
since 2013. " The adjustment was easy, "
she says, because she " has been blessed
to spend [time with] our three sons' families "
and " both of us are actively involved
in church, pickleball, friends, travel and
home projects. "
They hope to " keep our current lifestyle
Judy Fulcomer: A daily workout, a sofa, a
good book.
through retirement - perhaps a little
more travel - working on staying healthy
and making an impact on others as long
as the Lord allows. "
And a piece of advice for those thinking
Nancy Harvey: " I enjoy reconnecting with
my husband. "
about retirement: " We encourage everyone
to get a financial advisor involved in
your plans. We were around 50 when we
did and were blessed with a lot of great
advice. "
Peggy Garland retired five years ago
on Social Security widow's benefits. " I
was lucky that I had health insurance, "
she says. " Having health insurance was
a big part of retiring at 62. I planned for
retirement by living small. My house was
too big but made it work by renting rooms
to travel nurses. I worked jobs that fit my
family schedule.
" I taught public schools and then
retired from being a qualified mental
health professional. I work part-time as
a QMHP now. I love this time of my life.
Retirement is what I expected. I did spend
years reinventing my life. After many
12 Retire-VA.com / RETIRE-VA 2025
family members passed, it was hard and
there have been lots of changes. "
Judy Fulcomer hadn't thought much
about retiring until COVID-19 changed
everything for her. She had evolved
from emergency room nurse to nursing
instructor at Virginia Western Community
College. COVID created a different world.
" The combination of having to transition
to on-line teaching, worrying about contracting
COVID and caring for an aging
family member made me realize it was
time to retire " at 70.
She and her husband Randy (retired
from The Hartford) had a financial plan,
but no real plan " for how to spend [our]
days. Fortunately, it's all worked out and
I am never bored or at a loss for something
fun, relaxing or meaningful to do.
My favorite retirement activity is going to
group exercise classes four to five days a
week at the YMCA. I knew that exercise
would help me with balance and strength,
but what I didn't know is how much fun
I'd have or how many friends I'd make. "
For the couple, " A typical afternoon will
find me on the sofa reading a book and
my husband in the recliner working on
a crossword puzzle. Exciting? Not really.
Perfect? Definitely! "
Nancy Harvey retired two years ago
from Carilion, where she was a family
nurse practitioner. Her retirement " was
definitely planned. I became a yoga
teacher in 2013 and got an MS in yoga
therapy in 2018 with the plan to make
teaching and yoga therapy my encore
vocation. "
She continues running the yoga business
and is " in a flex position with the
Carilion resource pool. My main problem
is that I am probably busier now than
when I was working full-time. "
And there are added benefits: " Outside
of work, I enjoy reconnecting with my husband
[retired dentist Wayne Davis] after
so many years of busy professional lives.
Books, hiking, cats, gardening all fill any
other time I might have. "
Evolution or retirement? You choose. I
COURTESY OF BOB & CAROLYN WARREN / DAN SMITH / COURTESY OF NANCY HARVEY
http://www.Retire-VA.com
Retire VA 24

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