Following the death of his wife, John Tighe traded his 1.5 acres in New Jersey for a Tuller Ridge Drive townhouse in Dublin.
Along with the absence of lawn maintenance, the move allowed him to be closer to his three children and nine grandchildren.
“There’s plenty of room for them to run around,” Tighe says of his grandchildren, who range in age from 2-18.
Though Tighe and his wife, Joyce, had talked about moving to the region, Tighe says he doubts it would have actually happened.
When Joyce died in June 2011 from lymphoma, Tighe started working toward making the move to central Ohio.
The move made sense to Tighe. He and Joyce had been visiting their kids – Jim, Michael and Karyn, who live in Hilliard, Westerville and Maineville, respectively – once a month. The trek had been more manageable when handled by two drivers.
Aside from being closer to his family, relocating would also allow Tighe to relinquish the maintenance he had been responsible for at his New Jersey home.
The two-story house had a sizable lawn, which Joyce used to tend.
“I didn’t enjoy it as much as my wife did,” Tighe says.
Colder weather brought its own set of challenges. In the fall, the lawn required frequent maintenance to deal with fallen leaves. Winter meant cleaning ice and snow off the driveway, which stretched over 100 feet long.
In contrast, the Dublin townhouse requires little from Tighe in the way of maintenance. Lawn care is done for him, and he’s responsible for just a few flower pots on his porch. The driveway is cleaned for him in the winter.
Karyn helped Tighe look for homes in the area. Tighe signed his contract for the Dublin home in fall 2011, and moved in May 2012. He was able to select cabinetry in the kitchen, and he also opted to extend the first floor’s hardwood floors to the kitchen and family room.
Tighe’s bedroom is on the first floor. On the second floor are three bedrooms, one of which he converted into an office.
While Tighe had a chance to see Dublin grow and change as he visited his children over the years, he actually spent several years living in Upper Arlington with his family in the 1980s.
Before retiring in 2003, Tighe worked for CPA firm Deloitte & Touche. A project brought him to Upper Arlington in 1980, and he transferred back to New York in 1987. Since Jim was a senior at Upper Arlington High School, the family stayed in Upper Arlington until Jim went to college. Tighe rented a New Jersey apartment and flew back to Ohio every weekend for that year before the family moved back to New Jersey.
Now in Dublin, Tighe likes his location near the junction of State Rt. 161 and Sawmill Road. The AMC Theatre in Dublin is close enough to walk to.
“Everything is convenient,” he says.
Tighe walks outside every day. If the weather is bad, he stays inside on his treadmill. A football and baseball fan, he enjoys watching the Buckeyes and the New York Yankees on TV. When he’s walking on his treadmill, he likes to pop in a history course DVD.
An avid reader, Tighe enjoys mysteries and thrillers, but he likes to diversify.
“I read one nonfiction book every month, at least,” he says.
Sarah Sole is an editor. Feedback welcome at hbealer@cityscenecolumbus.com.
Related Reads
