What do you do when you’ve spent a lifetime immersed in the energy of classrooms, conversations, and community, and then suddenly, it all goes quiet?
“It was a weird feeling,” says Jennice Murray, a former school principal, with a warm chuckle. She sits beside her husband, Cedric, as they gently recall the unexpected shift into retirement.
The pair met while working at Don Buck School in Massey, and it’s clear their lives have always revolved around people, purpose, and connection.
“We were always surrounded by voices and energy. Then one day, it just… stopped,” Jennice reflects. “We didn’t feel like our better selves without that interaction.”
Their countryside home in Whenuapai, once the perfect retreat, started to feel more isolating than idyllic.
So, they began thinking differently. “We realised we’ve still got another beginning in us,” Jennice says. “Why not start something new while we’re still up for it?” That spark led them to Waterford Retirement Village.
“It just felt right,” Cedric says. “Calm, friendly, not too big. People smiled when we walked in. That meant a lot.”
