All in the Family: Second Generation Residents Move into The Palms

Bev and Andy Anderson are brand-new residents at Holiday Retirement’s The Palms. But the Palms isn’t new to Bev and Andy. Bev’s parents, Hank and Ruby Fitzgerel, were the first residents to ever move into the community back in October 1989.

A man who knew his way around a toolbox, Hank visited the property every day while The Palms was being built, and as soon as the framing went up, he and Ruby picked their dream apartment. True pioneers in the building, Hank and Ruby moved in even before the kitchen was set up or staffed, but they wasted no time in making their mark. Today, you can still see a windmill on the property that Hank built, just outside the dining room. From that early project, Hank essentially became the community’s first handyman, setting up shop on his balcony.

Just outside the front doors of The Palms is a testament to Hank’s legacy. There’s a plaque that reads: “Hank Fitzgerel. Started the Whole Mess.” Inside the building, the wing that Ruby and Hank called home is now known as the Ruby Fitzgerel Wing.

Today, Bev and Andy live in that wing, across the hall from the apartment Bev’s parents called home. The Fitzgerels celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary at The Palms, and the community is thrilled to welcome their daughter and her husband back to a place that has already been host to so many happy family memories.

Bev and Andy are still in their early days at The Palms, but their arrival has already inspired the community to revisit its past and document some of its present for future residents. The community’s resident experience coordinator, Paula Wilson, has plans for the residents to bury a new time capsule for future generations at The Palms to enjoy.