From college years to senior living, Harmony at Reynolds Mountain residents, Cyndi and Pere Saltzgiver have enjoyed a love story that has spanned over six decades.  The journey has brought them two children, multiple careers, and eventually a move from New England to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina.                                  

Pere Saltzgiver and Cyndi Billings met at a local bar while in college in Amherst, Massachusetts. Pere's friend dared him to ask Cyndi to dance.  Although Pere was not a fan of dancing, he wouldn't turn down a dare.  Cyndi laughed that it was probably the last time they ever danced again.  That dare paid off in ways that Pere could not imagine.  He was enchanted by his polka-dancing partner and asked to take her on a date. 

"He told me to call my sorority sister to make sure I'd know he was safe to go out with, but she was on vacation.  So, I asked him to double date because my roommate was going out and her date didn't have a car." Cyndi shared. "Pere didn't have to say much," she laughs. "I talked the whole time!"  The rest, as they say, is history.

Pere, an engineer who later became a dentist and was a pilot for the Air National Guard, impressed Cyndi from the beginning. "He was always brilliant," she beamed. "He could fix anything - and if he didn't have the tool he needed then he'd make one." 

During the summers, Pere visited Cyndi at her family's blueberry farm. Those visits turned into a lifelong bond.  They married, raised their two children - Sharon and Steven - mostly in Connecticut. Cyndi was a fourth-grade teacher who later stayed home to raise their children. "When we got married, we didn't have a clue what we were doing," she laughs. "We were lucky - we've always gotten along so well." 

When it came time to retire, they wanted to be near their daughter, Sharon, in Asheville, NC.  They agreed the mild North Carolina weather was another appeal.  Initially, they lived together in the same level of care at Harmony.  As Pere's memory needs increased, he moved into Harmony Square, marking the first time in 65 years that Cyndi and Pere were apart. Cyndi said, "It's hard to see someone who was always so brilliant face memory challenges. But, he's happy in Harmony Square and that makes me happy." 

Pere, even in memory care, continues to be a helper and problem solver. "He looks after everyone," Cyndi says. "He checks on his friends and helps out in any way that he can. He's still the same man he's always been - just in a new way."

One of the things Cyndi values most about Harmony at Reynolds Mountain is it offers Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care all under one roof. "It means we're not truly separated," she says. "I simply go downstairs to see him every day."

Cyndi speaks glowingly about the Harmony staff. "They're amazing in Harmony Square," she says. "They care, they pay attention, and they treat Pere with such dignity." 

But, more than anything, it's the people and community that make Harmony feel like home. "It's just the right size," Cyndi says. "You know everyone. It's a good group, we all click, and have fun. Everyone is welcoming to new residents when they move in."

After 65 years of love, laughter, and adventure, Cyndi and Pere Saltsgiver are still writing their story at Harmony at Reynolds Mountain. At Harmony, they've found not just a place to live - but a place to thrive, surrounded by friends, and a wonderful care team.

Learn more about Harmony at Reynolds Mountain or visit a Harmony location near you.