Living Memories

Back from Todd
Edsel Cooke

He embodies joy. A little grin spreads across his face in the late morning sprawl of light. Leaning back in his chair, he eyes me carefully but listens intently as my questions and opinions spill out. He laughs as he recalls a story from long ago when he was farming, smiles again and then looks out the window as he downs the next question. Then a wider grin breaks forth, bursting into a cackle as he recalls a conversation with his mother that he had earlier in the day. It is readily apparent that Edsel Cooke is a man that finds great pleasure in the simple day-to-day intake of life.

They talk everyday, he and his mother. She's 103 years old and lives just up the hill from him in Homestead Hills Assisted Living. She's sharp, much sharper than most folks 90 years younger than she is. She enjoys her life, as much as he does his and takes every day with the same steadiness and peace. This morning the telephone conversation was about a snow and ice storm they had in Winston in 1918 that was so bad the horses couldn't maneuver on the farm. Edsel had never heard that one before, but she knew the details clearly as if it'd happened yesterday afternoon. Judging by the great care he takes in retelling the story, it's evident how much happiness he gets from seeing his mother have a high quality of life into her 100s.

Edsel was born in Westfield and retired to Todd, North Carolina in 1961. He and his wife bought property there in '60 and developed a farm the following year. The mountains proved a wonderful place to enjoy their retirement years, even after his wife was stricken with Parkinson's. Despite the advance of the disease, it didn't stop the Cooke's from moving and living.

"We traveled a lot. I bought a van with a lift in it. We circled the United States twice. We went into every state except three: Wisconsin, North Dakota and Minnesota." He grins again, "We were headed there, but I got home sick." After his wife passed away, Edsel spent another year in Todd before finally deciding to make one more move. Despite loving the slow life of the mountains, he felt like he needed to be back near home. His mother still lived on the family farm and his sisters were in Winston as well. The need to be closer to them finally became enough to make him move off the Todd farm.

"I went to several retirement communities. But the folks at Homestead had such a good personality and the prices.the prices are close to the same no matter where you go. It just depends on the service." He continues, "I liked the location. By going to school at Clemmons, I knew a lot of people that lived around here. I mean I remember when this was a cornfield. I've seen this place grow and develop. I felt closer to the location by knowing so many people here and between here and Clemmons." After that initial visit, Homestead Hills became an easy choice for him. "I picked out this lot and there were no houses around here when I came. So I sold my house on the mountain and moved down."

"I enjoy it out here. Like I say, you can go out the back gate and be in the country in two minutes. But downtown is close by, too," Edsel adds. "Everybody that lives here.they just join together and associate. Most of that is done in the dining room. I mean your neighbors don't walk in and sit on you all the time. But it's the people, like we say, 'we're all in the same boat.' I didn't think it'd be as much fellowship as it's turned out to be. "

Like many of the residents at Homestead Hills, Edsel considers it a good investment for his retirement years, "When I started work, I said 'I'm going to save a little money every payday' and that's what the wife and I did. All money that was spent was just on what we needed. It paid off. I can afford to live the life I am living now and I'm enjoying it. I travel now and I play golf."

Edsel Cooke has truly enjoyed his life at Homestead Hills because it affords him the time and ability to do the things he loves and with the grand opening of the Clubhouse and Villa Apartments, you can have those same opportunities. Call and schedule a lunch and tour today.