The Hudson Family
Moved from Montana and Arizona (Sunbirds for life!)
St. George, Utah
Our January 2020 move to St. George marked the second time that we have been Southern Utah residents. Larry’s career with the United States Forest Service led us to a four-year stay in Richfield, Utah, from 1975 to 1979. Our sons were in elementary school then and Diana taught for the local school district. In the 1970s, Southern Utah was sleepy and isolated. As outsiders, we were not a part of the dominant culture, but made lifelong friends with other federal employees and found fellowship in a multi-denominational faith community. We loved the beautiful surrounding area and had adventures in the Fishlake National Forest and nearby national forests. After many more career assignments, we’ve had 28 addresses, including Washington, D.C. and Alaska. Larry retired from the forest service in 1997 and we became *sunbirds,” splitting our time between two homes. One in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and one in Ennis, Montana. Our two-times-a-year migration route took us straight up through Utah. We quickly noticed that 30 years have made a huge difference in Utah culture. We are live theater enthusiasts and started stopping in St. George each fall to see the musicals performed at the stunning outdoor red rock Tuacahn Theatre. For a time, family obligations kept us in Lake Havasu. But in 2020, we sold both homes and made St. George our single retirement nesting place, as have many other retirees.
*Sunbirds: Someone who chases the sun and relocates based on warm weather.
Making Utah Home
What is your family’s story behind making Utah your home?
When we moved in four years ago, we immediately felt warmly welcomed by the kind and friendly community of St. George. This area is vibrant, thriving and growing, with both Utah Technical University here and Southern Utah University just up the road in Cedar City enriching the culture. We stay busy with activities in our Sun River 55+ community, but appreciate, benefit and support the wider community with its outstanding entertainment, medical resources, multicultural food choices, and varied art and cultural opportunities. A social support organization that has touched our hearts is the Encircle House, a local home for local LGBTQ youth. We volunteer at Encircle each week doing grandparent chores, including cookie baking, sandwich making, snack restocking, cleaning and yard work. We also support the Switch Point homeless programs as well as the Southern Utah Habitat for Humanity. This summer we will again do a bit of sunbirding when we attend Utah State University Summer Citizens Senior Program in Logan, about as far north as we can go in Utah, relocating to a student housing unit for a 10-week stay. Our summer will also include a month’s stay living in an 1890s farmhouse in tiny Loa, Utah, where we will again enjoy Capitol Reef National Park, the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument and the Dixie and Fishlake National Forests. You might say we have become senior citizen Utah enthusiasts, south and north.
Building the Next Generation
What hopeful message would you like to share with others as a first generation Utahn?
Utah offers countless opportunities for its citizens to continue to be active and productive, no matter their age. There are local resources to support and encourage health and vitality in young and old alike. There are stunning natural resources to explore. The state and local governments support cultural, educational, and artistic events to participate and delight in. Anyone considering relocation for retirement would be wise to put Utah high on their list.
“Utah offers countless opportunities for its residents to continue to be active and productive, no matter their age.”
DIANA AND LARRY HUDSON