Ron and Hilda Ball took a leap of faith with then smaller operator Ryman Healthcare, when they moved more than quarter of a century ago into Beckenham Courts Retirement Village.

The change up – into village life – has certainly worked out for the very best, especially for Hilda’s health. The couple has enjoyed decades of kindness and care.

On September 19, Ryman is celebrating its 40th birthday and Ron and Hilda are two of the longest-residing residents in Ryman’s network of 48 villages across New Zealand and Australia.

The decision to move into the Beckenham Courts complex, now known as Essie Summers Village, came partly because Hilda faced significant health problems. It also suited Ron who had just entered his retirement years. 

 The pair thrived in the new setting, and put aside their health worries. Their move in 1997 was more than a decade before the disruptive and damaging Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011, which resulted in a major rebuild of the village centre.

After the earthquakes, the village underwent a complete transformation and was renamed Essie Summers, after the renowned Christchurch-based romance writer.  This was in line with a new tradition Ryman was establishing of naming its villages after great New Zealanders.

Ron and Hilda are now some of Ryman’s longest-residing residents in a single village, and have plenty of stories to share from their 27 years at Essie Summers. They still fondly recall moving into townhouse 24 in November 1997. 

It was in that very townhouse that the February 22, 2011 earthquake shook things up. Widespread damage occurred throughout Christchurch, with brick garden walls collapsing and cracks appearing in the village walls and window frames.

Luckily, their townhouse survived relatively intact. “The biggest damage was the door to the pantry had opened and everything spilled off the shelves,” Ron remembers. The couple happened to be doing tai chi in a separate building in Sydenham when the 12:51pm tremor hit more than 13 years ago.

Village Manager Rosemary Deane says she started in her role in November 2006 and the quake sequence that started four years later was a defining moment for her.

She was at the top of the South Island on holiday with family at the Totaranui Beach campground on February 22. It just so happened that also at the campground was the plumber who serviced Beckenham Courts. The pair speedily made their way back to Christchurch. “It was just by pure coincidence and serendipity really, and so we jumped in his van and drove back the next morning,” she remembers.

For the next couple of years residents, including Ron and Hilda, watched on as a village centre was reconstructed. Trucks and workers were constantly on the move, busy with a rebuild that included driving deep support piles into the ground to ensure the village would be stronger than ever.

The post 2011 earthquake rebuild at Essie Summers

Since February 2015 the couple have lived in a serviced apartment, benefitting from the extra level of care provided. Earlier this year Ron made the move into a care room at the village. He often visits Hilda in their apartment where she keeps mementos from their busy life together. The couple has three children, Reynold, Fiona, and Denise.

While raising a family and working, Hilda faced significant health challenges. Despite serious issues, including strokes in her 30s and 40s, she made the most of life. She jokes, “St Peter didn’t want me. I went down that tunnel and saw them all... so they (the medical team) got me back again.”

After recovering, the couple followed medical advice and moved to a retirement village. Despite her initial doubts, Essie Summers has been a great fit for them both. They’re now looking forward to the village’s 40th celebrations on September 19.