Resident Reflections: Pat Hime Looks Back at 15 Years of Longhorn Living

When Pat and Paul Hime became Longhorn Village’s very first villa residents 15 years ago, their only challenge was mastering the University of Texas’ hand sign — everything else was a breeze.

After Paul retired from Celanese Chemical Company in Dallas, he and Pat moved to Austin in 1991 to build a home in The Hills of Lakeway, right by the third green. It was a perfect spot for their golfing lifestyle; however, maintaining the house became increasingly burdensome as they grew older. They began searching for a retirement community that offered less home upkeep and an easier, more relaxed way of life.

It took a few tries before Pat and Paul hung their hats at Longhorn. The Himes’ initially heard about a proposed retirement community in Lakeway and made a deposit to secure a spot, but the project fell through. They reserved a residence at another community, but after a walk-through, they decided to cancel the agreement, feeling they weren’t quite ready for senior living.

Shortly after, they were invited to attend a luncheon sponsored by The Texas Exes and realized it was the right time to move to a retirement community — they just needed to find the right one. “We were so impressed with what they planned to build as Longhorn Village that we went to their office that afternoon and signed up for a villa,” Pat said.

As the villas were being built, the couple eagerly monitored progress by taking Sunday drives to the construction site. “We were interested in the quality of work being done because we built three homes from our own plans and were experienced with construction,” Pat said. “We were impressed with what we saw.”

In March 2009, the Himes listed their Lakeway house, sold it in just 10 days, stored their belongings and spent a brief period in a furnished rental apartment not far from their home. At 9 a.m. on Wednesday, July 22, Pat and Paul stepped into their brand-new residence on the campus of Longhorn Village. Greeted with a warm welcome and a gift basket from the staff, they were all smiles as they became the community’s very first villa residents.

The Early Days of Life at Longhorn

With a still-shaky economy and new apartment home construction still underway at the community, it took some time for Longhorn Village to begin filling up. Within a few days, about a dozen new villa residents moved in, and it didn’t take long for this group of early-adopting seniors to bond.

“Longhorn’s general manager at the time, organized social activities and dining experiences for those who lived in the villas so we could connect. We enjoyed getting to know each other and became good friends,” Pat said.

Longhorn’s apartment homes opened on August 17, welcoming several more residents.

“It was before the kitchens were open full time, so everyone met in the Hill Country café and sat at tables set up end to end for our dinner meal,” Pat said. “Those who lived in villas and those who lived in apartments got to meet. As more residents moved in, the tables got longer.”

Though amenities weren’t nearly as robust as today, Pat and Paul embraced the early days of community life. “We enjoyed the aquatic classes, and on the days the instructor wasn’t here, we’d go early in the morning and exercise together,” she said. “I also loved taking walks several times a week around our beautiful campus, surrounded by open spaces and lovely landscapes.”

Pat also connected with other residents who shared her love for bridge, and competitive bridge games soon became a regular event. Meanwhile, Paul and his sister, who had moved to Longhorn Village from Lafayette, Louisiana, connected with others through lifelong learning.

“They gave a fantastic talk about growing up in rural Arkansas,” Pat said. “They shared stories about their single mom, who played a huge role in helping them both earn college degrees.”

An Enduring Love for Each Other and for Life

Pat first met Paul during college, when they both attended Southern State College in her hometown of Magnolia, Arkansas. The young veteran needed civilian clothes, so he went with a friend to the department store where Pat worked as a cashier to buy a suit.

“I told my friend that I would like a date with Paul. He arranged for us to meet, and 18 months later, we married in a little Baptist church out in the country near Magnolia,” Pat said. “I always told Paul that I married him for his brain. He was brilliant, but I found that out after only wanting to meet him because he was so handsome.”

The couple shared nearly 65 wonderful years before Paul passed away in 2016. Today, Pat is still a bridge enthusiast, still loves getting to know interesting people and still loves life at Longhorn Village. “We have the best people in Austin working here. They will try to accommodate you in any way possible,” she said.

“Living here is similar to being on a cruise or spending time in a five-star hotel. As my husband said when we moved here, all we had to do was learn the Hook ‘em Horns hand sign and everything else was taken care of.”

Interested in finding out more about what Longhorn Village has to offer? Give us a call. 512.503.8288.

Featured Image: Paul & Pat Hime