John and Susan Hoover on making moves and Living Forward
Susan and John Hoover
Parkview Charter Members
Is it accurate to say that your decision to become a Charter Member emerged from deep consideration?
Yes, that would be accurate. It’s hard to say that one is both intellectually and emotionally ready to give up the home where you’ve raised your children and the neighborhood where you’ve lived for more than thirty-five years. We’ve experienced a blend of anxiety and a lot of excitement – both of those emotions fluctuating depending on the day. However, it’s important for us to be realistic with ourselves and adjust the image that we have in our head of who we are to the facts of life. That’s a process that everyone needs to go through. We hold on to a self-image of what we care about, what we need, and our values. As you begin to age, these notions may become more and more in conflict with day to day needs and considerations. Parkview fits with what we imagine the next step should be as we consider the reality of aging.
You both had enriching careers, can you talk more about the journey to now?
I was a physical therapist and spent most of my career at the Providence Portland Medical Center. For 25 years I worked in the inpatient rehabilitation unit and loved being part of the team, working with many types of therapists and creating programs to help people regain their physical mobility and skills for independence in daily life. Being a physical therapist was an important part of my self-identity. I primarily worked with people with neurological deficits caused by strokes, brain, or spinal cord injuries and loved giving people back the movement they needed to allow them more independence. I always liked medicine and caring for and helping people. I received my undergraduate degree in Biology from Willamette University and did my graduate work in Physical Therapy at Pacific University.
And John, you served as a Deputy District Attorney. Can you tell us more about your path?
After I received my law degree from Willamette University, I worked as an appellate attorney in the State Public Defender’s Office writing briefs and arguing before the Oregon Court of Appeals and the Oregon Supreme Court. Susan and I relocated to Portland, and I began working in the Multnomah County District Attorney’s office. For 22 years I tried homicides, robbery, fraud, and drug cases. I transitioned to what turned out to be a challenging area of prosecution for the next 14 years. I was the office appellate coordinator, public records point person, and represented the State on post-conviction and Federal and State habeau corpus. Every day I explored and articulated the underlying structure of the law – the nuances of process and procedures in the evaluation of facts and policy.
I’ve heard that you purchased an Aliner pop up camping trailer and have begun exploring the Pacific Northwest and plan on visiting National Parks.
We have had the good fortune of visiting interesting and incredibly enriching places around the world. We took our children, Kathryn and Paul, to Alaska, the British Isles, Italy, and Costa Rica. We bicycled with friends in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as the Czech Republic and Austria. We were also able to explore Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands, Sweden, Spain and Portugal. Trips to Turkey, Vietnam, Cuba, and India opened our eyes to other cultures. We’ve taken a boat through the water system Stalin created where we witnessed the Russian White Nights above the Arctic Circle on the longest day of the year. We had the excitement of a safari in three southern African countries.
Now we are ready to stay closer to home. Recently we took our camping trailer and our bassedoodle, Willie, to the Olympic National Park where we backpacked on our honeymoon in 1972.
What made you decide to become a Charter Member and commit to this future move to Parkview?
The demographics of Portland are changing, and we knew that eventually, as senior housing became an increasing priority, there was going to be something that appealed to us. Parkview is that place.
There were a lot of considerations for us. We were looking for a community that had easy access to services and shopping without the necessity of a car. We have season tickets to the Oregon Symphony, Portland Center Stage, and we belong to the Portland Art Museum. John used to work downtown and our daughter went to Saint Mary’s Academy. We know and love downtown Portland.
We acknowledge that it will be a change. We love our neighborhood, especially its multi-generational vibrancy. We will miss our house and our garden, the pleasure of sitting outside, visiting with friends, and eating a meal on the back patio. Our garden is a special place with many memories. Our courtyard space was once featured in Better Homes and Gardens. At Parkview there will be opportunities to engage with the Terwilliger Plaza community and the location will allow us to continue downtown activities important to us. We won’t be far from current neighbors and friends, our volunteer activities such as Meals on Wheels, or our church where John sings in the choir.
We selected our unit at Parkview in part because of the balcony. It’s a square and nearly the same dimensions as our front courtyard. We’ll be able to create a space that is an extension of our home where we can sit outdoors and enjoy a city view. Having this two-year timeframe allows us to be very intentional about our move, to tie up loose ends, and go through the process of letting go and embracing the excitement and anticipation of something new.
It seems you are moving forward through the process.
We all know intellectually that it’s the right thing to do, but emotionally, it’s much more challenging. In August we will be celebrating our 49th wedding anniversary. We are making this move for ourselves and for our children. When the Parkview information arrived, we made a relatively quick decision. Yes, we were ready to act on this transformational decision and eager to “Live Forward” at Parkview. We love that motto!