Our Members
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Deborah
Deb's family has lived in Whatcom, King and Kittitas counties for generations, so she's been aptly described as a Washington State deep-seeded apple. She's originally from Bellingham, having graduated from Western Washington University a couple times, and now that the nest is sufficiently vacant she looks forward to a return to her beautiful hometown. Currently, Deb's embracing her second career as an academic librarian with teaching and consulting. She enjoys hearing about what people are reading, and keeps a list of what to find next. Deb has a small fleet of bikes so cycling about is as fun as can be along with hiking and walking. When out meandering in the woods she enjoys identifying PNW native plants, and often carries her Pojar reference book just to make sure she's correct.
Deb has had her eye on co-creating a cohousing community in Bellingham for many years, so this opportunity to be part of the genesis of 4th Corner Commons is simply a dream come true. And in true librarian form, it was all because of a book that hooked her on cohousing communities.
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Bill, Diane and Debra
Bill is a semi-retired social worker who enjoys the active life of running, backpacking, pickle ball, bike riding and any outdoor adventure that comes his way. Diane is also a social worker assisting low-income folks in the Seattle downtown area. During her much-deserved downtime, Diane enjoys reading a good novel, gardening, and developing her birding skills. Debra is a high school sophomore with her sites on attending an HBCU upon graduation. She is an avid video gamer, loves true crime podcasts and enjoys hanging out with her dogs (Ruby and Ali) when not working at Trader Joe’s or attending school. Family time includes watching favorite movies and tv series, as well as collaborating on the NY Times Spelling Bee, Connections or Wordle.
Living in an intentional community is a long-held dream for the Carmel-Wilson family and Bellingham is the perfect location. The city has provided many wonderful family memories beginning 12 years ago when toddler Debra and Diane met Bill during his Seattle-to-Vancouver bike tour. Having returned many times, they continue to enjoy the natural beauty, small restaurants and outstanding bookstores of Bellingham and nearby Fairhaven. They look forward to joining a community of members from a variety of backgrounds that are invested in knowing and supporting their cohousing neighbors.
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Don and Suze
Suze is a Washington native, first arriving in Bellingham in 1983 to attend Western Washington University. After some bicycle travel, meeting Don, and moving to New Jersey while he finished his undergrad, her favorite education was a vegetarian/natural foods culinary school in New York City. Suze spent the next two decades in the restaurant industry, until reaching her mid-40s. After that, she did bookkeeping work for the Unitarian Fellowship and various local non-profits.
Suze has enjoyed 30+ years of yoga, including a stint at an ashram. She loves working with her hands, be it knitting, gardening, making pressed-flower cards, Swedish weaving, or scraping/sanding/ painting projects. Suze wishes she still loved cooking as much as she once did. However, she will admit to enjoying it when cooking with others.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Don grew up with a strong sense of community. He remembers playing games in the street while his parents strolled up and down the block visiting neighbors. It seemed everyone knew everyone.
Suze and Don have consciously looked for community since they moved to Bellingham in 1991, and have found it in different places: Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, music, crafts, neighborhood emergency preparation, contra dancing, and friend groups.
Don retired from teaching high school math and science several years ago. He has enjoyed leading song circles since the early 90s and, now retired, he finds purpose in encouraging people to sing in elder care environments. He also takes interest in hiking, biking, reading, traveling, and finding out how other people think.
Don and Suze met at a youth hostel in Florida in the late '80s, and it was love at first sight. They traveled together, lived together in New Jersey, moved to Bellingham, did a bit of couples counseling and married in 1993. Their son, Jamie, became a part of their life journey in 1995.
Don and Suze said to us as they joined 4th Corner Commons, "We look forward to continuing this journey with you in our new community."
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Tricia and Lee
Lee was born and raised on a cattle ranch in Eastern Oregon. She spent 10 years in Japan, teaching English and studying the Japanese language, martial arts, and meditation. She returned to the US in 1981 and moved to Bellingham in 1988.
Lee runs a medical writing business, focused on Japanese clients. She enjoys walking, kayaking, and meditative movement, and is an enthusiastic member of the Unitarian Fellowship, with particular interest in community-building.
Tricia was raised in the Seattle area. She started teaching Special Education in 1992, earned her doctorate in 2007, and spent 15 years as the Director of Special Services for the Hoquiam School District. She lives in Bothell and serves the Shoreline School District as an itinerant educator for students whose disabilities make them too dangerous, too disruptive, or too medically fragile to participate in standard school-based programs.
Tricia has two children. Elizabeth just graduated from high school and is starting college this fall, and Caroline continues her high school adventure as a junior at Lynnwood High School.
After college, Tricia participated in a Catholic lay ministry service program, similar to a locally-based Peace Corps, that focused on building and living in intentional community.
In addition to raising two teenage daughters and commuting regularly to Bellingham, Tricia enjoys kayaking, biking, and (blissful thought!) the occasional mid-afternoon nap. Tricia looks forward to moving to Bellingham.
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Henry and Constance
Henry is the 6th and last child of a large, loving family. It was always his goal to recreate that and to that end had 4 children of his own. Parenting occupied all of his time for many years. That and volunteer work – some political and some "kid's related", i.e. Campfire Boys and Girls, Scouting, religious education, etc. He was raised as a Unitarian Universalist and continues to find a home in that community.
Henry continues to be active and committed to issues that affect us all – climate change, war, and marginalized communities such as the BIPOC communities, poor people, disabled folx, women and the LGBTQIA+ community. Bellingham has been his home for more than 25 years.
Constance has called Whatcom County home since 2017. She grew up in the building trades and eventually became a Master (Mistress!) Carpenter and Plumber. She owned a design/build construction company for 25 years. She is very at home behind a drafting table and she also has a love of tools! Blue collar is in her blood. She is an avid gardener and loves growing the food she eats. In the time between volunteering for many social groups she paints using watercolor techniques.
Henry and Constance feel fortunate to have found love later in life and both have found they energize each other. They are excited to be part of this dynamic group.