Meet our Residents: Tom & Bonnie Burrell

Living and Aging Well at Porters Neck Village

To put it simply, Tom and Bonnie Burrell are planners and preparers. They met in grade school and have been married for 50 years.

*Tom and Bonnie Burrell have been married 50 years.*

Tom graduated from The United States Military Academy, spent 22 years in the Army and then worked for a consulting firm for 23 years. Bonnie taught elementary school before staying home with her children; she then returned to work as a Department of the Army Civilian for 25 years.

The Burrell’s spent 10 years researching CCRCs before deciding to call Porters Neck Village home. They visited communities all over the east coast, looking for a place with an engaging and vibrant environment with a high level of service for cost in a prime location.

“You can wait too long, but you can’t move in too early,” Tom said.

*Bonnie Burrell high fives another P.V. resident during our Summer Olympics 2021.*

The Burrell’s moved to Porters Neck Village in May 2021 after living in Northern Virginia for 33 years. They currently live in a villa home. Their brand new village flat is being built as part of our ongoing expansion project, which they’ll move into in early 2023.

Tom and Bonnie immediately found activities and opportunities for engagement they could enjoy together as well as individually. He participates in the Men’s Coffee group, the PV Civic Affairs Committee, Strategic Planning Committee and he participates in regular exercise classes.

*Tom and Bonnie Burrell stand at the site where their future Village Flat is being built.*

Bonnie has fallen in love with circuit training classes. She helped launch a new book club at PV (there are several!) and participates in our women’s group called “Women on the Move.”

The Burrell’s wanted to connect with their new neighbors and so they began a weekly gathering they dubbed “Villa Vino.”

They gather to share wine, community news and fun.

*Bonnie Burrell throws a bag in the Summer 2021 Olympics Cornhole Tournament.*

They wanted resort-style living with a relaxed lifestyle and they found it. PV offers a “maintenance-free lifestyle” by taking care of the upkeep and cleaning of both the inside and the outside of homes. The Burrells say these services have proven to be even better than they expected.

Bonnie calls Tom “Mr. Fix It” but at Porters Neck Village, he has an entire team of associates to depend on. Bonnie and Tom now have the freedom to not have to take care of things themselves — and they love it!

Bonnie says to live well is to maintain a level of freedom to do what she wants to do. As they age, they believe that living well will lead to aging well.

At Porters Neck Village, the Burrell’s have found the freedom to define their own future — and to know them is to know that they are living well!