Meet New Residents Larry and Kathy Vanderleest

As most residents of St. James Place will tell you, this community is an incredibly warm and welcoming place to live. But what happens when new residents move in, hailing from a distant land known as Washington state? And what if a couple who resided on Whidbey Island in Puget Sound for years never had the chance to visit the community in-person before making the cross-country trek?

This is the exact situation Larry and Kathy Vanderleest found themselves in when they moved to St. James Place in September.

“The reason we moved to St. James Place is both my wife and I developed health issues. I had a debilitating blood clot during the summer,” says Larry. “Our four children—one in Washington state, one in Boise, Idaho, one in New Jersey, and one here in Baton Rouge, said, ‘Mom and Dad, you’ve got to sell the house. You’ve got to get rid of all these things and downsize by a huge amount.’ And it was hard. We were a little depressed when we first got here.”

Kathy explains, “I was really emotional, and I felt like I was jerking myself away from something. I think for me, I didn’t have much time to think about it.”

But it didn’t take long for that initial reluctance to evolve into contented joyfulness.

“We looked at retirement communities in the Pacific Northwest and New Jersey,” says Larry.   “Compared to St. James Place, they were considerably more expensive. We realized we could get more bang for the buck here.”

“Now it’s just working out very well,” says Kathy.

While cost-savings surely contributed to their decision to move to Baton Rouge, Larry and Kathy explain that their eldest child, Carissa, also lives in the area with her husband and three children. Knowing they have family close by, in addition to St. James Place’s offerings, made the decision to move South that much easier.

“In fact, just today, this afternoon, I had to go pick up my two granddaughters from school and bring them to the dentist and then bring them back to school,” says Larry. “Our son-in-law is part of a large family, so we’re also mixing with his family. So, we do have other things that keep us occupied here as well.”

The Vanderleests also make sure to note how charming the South can be.

“Neither Kathy nor I have lived in the South, but we’ve heard the term ‘southern hospitality’ and it's a real thing,” says Larry. “People are very friendly. Coming down here, people were welcoming us with open arms. I don't know if this is just St. James Place policy or southern culture, but everybody always waves and smiles. They say, ‘How y'all doing?’ I've had to start learning that term, ‘y'all.’” 

Kathy points out, “it's not only welcoming but also a good way to live. You make friends right away. They have so many activities lined up I’m kind of amazed. We’ve also gone to some concerts at the Baton Rouge Symphony. And it's good to have LSU nearby.”

Social events and a welcoming community aside, St. James also provides Larry and Kathy peace of mind through its continuum of care.  

“We know we’re going to decline, and it’s comforting to know when that happens, our affairs are taken care of,” says Larry. “We'll just go from independent living to assisted living. And if the time comes and we need it, we’ve got memory care. And with it all, we get to stay right here. We're taken care of for life.”

When asked about their favorite things about being at St. James Place, the Vanderleests agreed that they couldn’t say enough about the dynamic 52-acre campus, vivacious populace, and helpful staff.

“There's just a plethora of activities going on all the time, every day,” says Larry. “We do not make use of nearly all those activities—there are trivia games, bingo, card games, Tai chi, and yoga—but some time we might. We’re newbies here.”

Beyond trying new activities, St. James Place also empowers Larry to continue his love of building beautiful Adirondack chairs.

“Building chairs was something I started years ago,” says Larry. “I like to work with my hands, and they have this woodshop here with an abundance of tools.” 

In fact, Larry proudly recalls making 50 Adirondack chairs over the years—not including his latest creation, an Adirondack chair painted in LSU colors.

“They’re scattered across Washington state, two of them are in New Jersey by my one son, two are in Boise, and we've got five here now here in Baton Rouge,” says Larry.

Ready to redefine the retirement lifestyle? See why the Vanderleests made St. James Place their new home by scheduling a private tour or calling (225) 215-4510.