When Ohio State alumni Jim and Ilona (Lonnie) Timko Puhger moved into The Spires at Berry College, they didn’t realize they were joining a very big family with students whose lives they would touch. But that’s exactly what they’ve done.
“Before we moved to The Spires, we only knew Berry through watching the Eagle Cam,” Lonnie said. “Then we started meeting the students who work here, and we fell in love. Each one is so unique and inspiring. They work hard and are so focused on their education.
Time and again, the couple recognized something of themselves in the Berry students they encountered: admiring their drive to get a college education and sensing their need for scholarship support. Their own beautiful life together was made possible in large part by their education: Jim graduated from the University of Notre Dame Law School and retired as a federal administrative law judge, while Lonnie earned a master’s degree in speech language pathology from Georgia State University and finished her lifelong career working with special needs students in the Cobb County School System.
It wasn’t long before they decided to extend a hand up by endowing a scholarship dedicated to Lonnie and her “Timko” sisters: Isabelle, Irene and Ilene, as all acquired undergraduate degrees with the help of generous scholarships.
The Puhgers aren’t alone. Scores of Spires residents, many with no prior connection to Berry, also have given generously, supporting everything from sports teams and academic departments to renovation projects and new construction. Individually and collectively, they’re funding numerous scholarships including The Spires at Berry College Student Work Scholarship – an effort spearheaded by Sam (76C, 78G) and Nancy Duvall (77C) Ratcliffe, proud alumni who have worked hard to share their love of Berry with Spires neighbors. Also, Roger and Elaine Estill, with son-in-law Dr. Gary Waters (80C, 89G, FFS), funded the Bambi Estill Waters (79c) Endowed Scholarship.
University retirement communities like The Spires have been part of the American college scene for more than a decade. Today, there are approximately 100 comparable communities nationwide. With the opening of The Spires in 2020, Berry joined the ranks of such prestigious schools as Duke University, Stanford University and Dartmouth College in recognizing the value of creating an environment in which college students and senior adults can interact.
At Berry, the creation of such intergenerational bonds has significantly enriched the lives of Spires residents and students alike. And isn’t that what family is all about?
