For Mike and Christy Faase, moving to Cedar Community wasn’t the beginning of their connection here.
Mike’s parents called Cedar Community home for more than 12 years. His grandmother lived here before them, and his aunt is also an independent living resident.
After seeing how much his parents enjoyed their retirement years at Cedar, Mike and Christy decided it was where they wanted to begin their own next chapter.
Since moving in 2022, they have filled that chapter with friendship, faith, volunteering, outdoor adventures, and plenty of ways to stay involved.
A Shared Love of Travel and the Outdoors
Mike and Christy met while working in the marketing department at Rockwell Automation.
Their relationship began as a friendship built around shared interests, especially travel, camping, hiking, and exploring the outdoors.
They married on September 12, 2009, in Telluride, Colorado, exchanging vows in the woods near Bridal Veil Falls.
Colorado continues to hold a special place in their hearts, and they return whenever they can.
That love of nature would eventually become one more reason Cedar Community felt like the right fit.
Three Generations Connected to Cedar Community
Cedar Community was already familiar to Mike long before he became a resident.
His parents, Bert and Jimmy Faase, lived at Cedar Community for more than 12 years.
Mike’s grandmother, Sophie Eckstein, also lived at Cedar Community and reached age 105. His aunt, Judy Koeppl, is an independent living resident as well.
Together, they represent three generations of Mike’s family with ties to Cedar Community.
Careers Filled With Creativity and Travel
Christy grew up in Milwaukee and earned an associate degree in business administration from Stratton College.
During her career, she worked with Rockwell Automation’s events team and distributor training programs.
Mike studied at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Milwaukee School of Engineering, earning a degree in electrical engineering.
His creative interests developed alongside his technical career. A high school art teacher encouraged Mike’s talent for three-dimensional art, and during college he spent summers painting murals for Milwaukee-area businesses.
Mike ultimately spent 43 years at Rockwell Automation, traveling extensively for global marketing, sales events, and promotions throughout North America and internationally.
Christy was able to join him for many of those extended trips.
Travel remains an important part of their lives. Together, they have also participated in mission trips to Guatemala and Mexico and hope to continue exploring in the years ahead.
A Life Centered on Faith and Service
Volunteering has long been important to both Mike and Christy.
Christy previously participated in Cedar Community’s hospice volunteer training program and later became involved with the Friendly Visitor program and Cedar Closet resale shop.
Outside Cedar Community, she volunteers through church programs that support people experiencing illness, new mothers, and others in need.
Mike is also active in faith-based service, including prison ministry and several Bible study groups.
Together, Mike and Christy have volunteered with Repairers of the Breach, a nonprofit serving people experiencing homelessness in the Milwaukee area, and completed disaster relief training through their church.
Finding New Ways to Get Involved at Cedar
Mike and Christy brought that same desire to serve with them when they moved to Cedar Community.
Mike volunteers at Cedar Closet, serves on the maple syrup team, captains the pontoon boat, and serves as secretary of the resident council.
His other interests include golf, downhill skiing, boating, camping, hiking, motorcycle riding, woodworking, and mechanical projects.
Christy has also embraced opportunities to volunteer, socialize, explore the lake area, and spend time on Cedar Community’s hiking trails.
Their lives at Cedar reflect the same things they have always enjoyed: staying active, serving others, spending time outside, and building relationships.
Inspired by the Life Mike’s Parents Found at Cedar
Mike’s parents were an important influence on the couple’s decision to move.
Bert and Jimmy Faase thrived at Cedar Community and became a meaningful part of the community during their years here. They are both buried in Cedar Community’s Memorial Garden.
Their happiness during retirement left a lasting impression on Mike and Christy.
That experience was one of the reasons the couple chose to move from Hubertus to Cedar Community in May 2022.
Rather than wondering what life at Cedar might be like, Mike and Christy had already seen it through people they loved.
A New Sense of Joy
Since moving, Mike and Christy say they have been struck by how welcoming the community feels.
Christy enjoys sharing with others how many opportunities there are to socialize, volunteer, explore Big Cedar Lake, and enjoy the surrounding trails.
She is especially grateful for the friendships she has made and the experiences she has had since arriving.
Christy has always considered herself a happy person, but says living at Cedar Community has brought a new sense of joy.
Mike and Christy also feel they still have plenty to give.
They continue looking for new opportunities to volunteer, connect, and contribute to the community their family has been part of for generations.
Continuing a Family Story
For Mike and Christy, Cedar Community is both familiar and new.
It is a place connected to Mike’s grandmother, parents, and aunt, but it is also where he and Christy are creating experiences that are entirely their own.
Their story is a reminder that the next chapter does not have to mean giving up the things that already bring life meaning.
At Cedar Community, Mike and Christy have found more ways to enjoy them.Originally published in the Spring 2024 issue of Live More magazine.
