Learning to Hear the Music When you find that one person you click with, it’s that much easier to click your way through life together. Martin and Betty Chavira have lived and worked in Denver since 1980, spending much of their careers as engineers inside the Denver Federal Center. But before that, they were just two kids who met by chance.
MARTIN AND BETTY STRIKE A CHORD WITH RETIREMENT
“It was 1969, and social consciousness was seeping into people,” Martin remembers. “We were both hippies who had just dropped out of college, and it was random fortune that brought us together.” After a happenstance meeting outside a library in Wenatchee, Martin and Betty have walked through life together in near tandem. “We worked for the Bureau of Reclamation for a long time before walking out of that building together on the same day 10 years ago and retiring,” Betty says. “We enjoyed our work, but had no regrets heading into retirement. We were ready to live life.” And so they did. “We traveled a lot at first,” Betty says. “We went on cruises to the Mediterranean, Alaska, and Hawaii, visited Italy and Greece, and explored hidden corners of many states.”
explore new instruments. “We’ve been taking lessons for years now because we finally have the time!” Betty says. “Martin plays guitar, electric bass, and mandolin. I’ve tried out a variety of instruments and love singing lessons and music theory, too.” On one trip to Hawaii, Betty purchased a ukulele, setting off a lifelong love for the instrument. Denver has its very own Rocky Mountain Ukulele Orchestra, and it’s everything you picture it to be. “We’re an orchestra of 80 ukulele players who put on three concerts a year, and they sell out every time,” Betty says. “It’s really a lot of fun.”
Coronavirus has postponed concerts and classroom gatherings for music lessons, but that hasn’t stopped the Chaviras. “Swallow Hill Music has been incredible with their online classes, so we haven’t missed a beat,” Martin says. “In fact, I’d say we’re playing our instruments more than ever!” Martin used to joke that his retirement plan was to sit on the couch, drink beer, and watch “Gilligan’s Island” for the rest of his life. To Betty’s relief, that hasn’t been even close to
But the real passion that has blossomed in retirement is music. “I’ve always loved music and playing guitar,” Martin says. “That love never went away, but for decades we were just too busy to play. Then Swallow Hill Music changed things for us.” Swallow Hill is a concert hall, school, and community in Denver for music lovers of every kind. They helped Martin and Betty tap into their love of music and
the case. “At first, we were worried we’d miss the camaraderie of our jobs,” Betty admits. “But we’ve discovered there’s a whole world out there, and we’ve met so many wonderful people. We have this whole new musical tribe that we love.” Making the most out of retirement comes in many shapes and forms, but it’s always about turning it into something you love and doing so with people you love. It seems that Martin and Betty have been doing that their entire lives.
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