a Natural Experience: Taking Lifelong Skills to Fulfilling Retirement

Walter and Marie Hussey's habits of scrutinizing, planning, organizing, andmaking better things happen continued to flourish when they retired. Lifetimecareers had been dedicated to intense involvement and responsibilities as civilianemployees of the United States Navy. She a chemist-turned environmentalist,he a self-professed geek engineer in nuclear submarines and NASA, their pathshad fortuitously converged late in their lives when they discovered the preciousrarity of true soulmates. Their joy in being together for the next 25 years wasinterspersed with painful times requiring mutual strength when dealing withcancer. But their lives continued to be invigorated by their involvement withthe Fluvanna Chapter of Extension Master Gardeners, the Rivanna MasterNaturalists, and a nearly 1,000-acre park in rural Virginia. Shortly after relocating,it didn't take long for them to envision physical and educational embellishmentsthat could make the park even so much better than it already was. Then they justnaturally stepped in to bring new concepts about. This is the story of Walter andMarie creating a legacy within the historic setting of Fluvanna County's PleasantGrove Park.