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Martha, who retired as Director of Engineering at Intuit (who you, and your accountant, can thank for developing Turbo Tax), and Bob, who was an Air Force pilot and then retired from a career at AT&T, knew New Mexico would be the only choice when it came time to leave San Diego two and a half years ago. Bob said, “Arizona was too hot and too crowded.” According to Martha, “We liked the Southwest, and we wanted a Southwest-style house.”
They arrived in Las Cruces and “bought a house the second day we were here,” Martha says. The house they bought was built by David Coyle of Coyle Associates Inc., and after a year or so in that house, they decided they wanted to expand. “We knew where we wanted to build, we just needed to find the right lot,” Bob explains. David’s mother, Laurel Coyle, a well-respected real estate agent in the Las Cruces area for many years, found a lot owned by Michael Floyd in the original phase of the Butterfield Ridge subdivision in Picacho Hills. Bob and Martha bought it, and started working on the plans with designer Gino Telles of Xtreme Design. “Gino did a great job fitting the house to the lot,” Bob credits. The lot, not originally meant to accommodate a house the size of the Potter’s, had to undergo a lot of site prep. Dirt, taken from a basement in adjacent Butterfield Ridge II, was relocated to the Potter’s lot, and the construction was officially underway.
From Bob and Martha’s mind, to Gino’s design, the Potters then took the next step in ensuring a truly Southwestern home. Tom Capron, a well-known builder in the community, collaborated with David Coyle, who would build Bob and Martha’s second house. “Tom framed the house and refined the design,” says Martha. “He created the curvy entryways, the bancos and the rounded corners in the house.” Bob continues with the other well-known names in the industry that helped create their piece of Southwest paradise. “Chris at Lights of Las Cruces was just incredible,” he says of Chris Warner. “He had great ideas, knew his stock, knew exactly what would work in the house, and just did a fabulous job.” Martha continues. “Georgette Malooly was wonderful, and helped us with the tile listellos and the floor coverings. Barry Stout came in and did the wood floors, and Judy McMillen did a fantastic job matching the stained glass in the cabinetry to the stained glass in the light fixtures.”
But what could arguably be the best part of the house, depending on who you ask, isn’t Southwest at all. Down the hall, through the main garage is (Motor Heads rejoice!) another garage. “I designed this garage specifically for the car,” Bob says, referring to his replica 1965 AC Shelby Cobra. “All my life I’ve wanted a lift in the garage, but couldn’t justify it. Now that I’m retired it’s a requirement, not a luxury,” he chuckles, referring to the oftentimes-difficult task of crawling around on the floor under cars. “The garage was built with the idea that it would be a place for four or five guys to stand around and talk about cars, a clubhouse of sorts.”
As Bob stays busy with his car, his car club, poker group, lunch group or just keeping the gates working at Butterfield Ridge, Martha is finding retirement to be busy as well. She has enjoyed volunteering, with the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce for a couple of years and currently in the office for the Las Cruces Symphony, and is the Treasurer for their homeowners’ association. She also works out at Luv2Workout, where the social camaraderie is as stimulating as the exercise. Their grown sons, Robert Jr., a lawyer in Manhattan, and Rich, who is working on a doctoral degree at the University of Illinois, visit often and they also find solace in doing nothing at all. Martha likes to spend time outdoors in the morning, doing yoga and meditating, and Bob prefers to keep his schedule wide open. “The best thing about retirement,” he says, “is getting up in the morning and asking yourself, ‘What do I want to do today?’ and if at the end of the day it’s not done, that’s okay.”
or just keeping the gates working at Butterfield Ridge, Martha is finding retirement to be busy as well. She has enjoyed volunteering, with the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce for a couple of years and currently in the office for the Las Cruces Symphony, and is the Treasurer for their homeowners’ association. She also works out at Luv2Workout, where the social camaraderie is as stimulating as the exercise. Their grown sons, Robert Jr., a lawyer in Manhattan, and Rich, who is working on a doctoral degree at the University of Illinois, visit often and they also find solace in doing nothing at all. Martha likes to spend time outdoors in the morning, doing yoga and meditating, and Bob prefers to keep his schedule wide open. “The best thing about retirement,” he says, “is getting up in the morning and asking yourself, ‘What do I want to do today?’ and if at the end of the day it’s not done, that’s okay.”
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