Some friendships grow up in a neighborhood. Others become part of the neighborhood’s story. For Jerry McHugh and David Larson, Crestmoor has been both the setting and the constant backdrop of a lifelong friendship that began in first grade and continues more than six decades later.

Jerry and David met as young kids at Carson Elementary School, where they attended kindergarten through sixth grade together. By second grade, they were already walking to school on their own, picking up friends along the way until there were always four boys in the group. That daily walk became a ritual, one that continued when they moved on to Hill Junior High. Crestmoor wasn’t just where they lived—it was how they grew up.

Their school paths stayed closely aligned: Carson, then Hill (grades 7–9), George Washington High School for tenth grade, and finally Manual High School for grades 11 and 12. While they had always been friends, their bond deepened during their Manual high school years.

Jerry was unmistakably a jock. He played for the football team as quarterback, kicker, punter, and special teams—he also played baseball. David describes his high school years as a period when he enjoyed social activities far more than academics or sports, adding with a smile, “Let’s leave it at that.” He wasn’t a jock, but he loved skiing, which became another shared interest between the two friends. They skied together often, and Jerry introduced David to Young Life during their sophomore year—connections that remain strong even today.

After high school, their paths briefly diverged. Jerry went on to Colorado College, whereas David was off to Arizona State University and finished up at University of Denver.  Yet even with different campuses and directions, their friendship endured.

Crestmoor, meanwhile, remained a constant—especially for David. Over the years, he lived in an impressive list of neighborhood homes: 225 Krameria, 421 Leyden, 26 Crestmoor, 308 Jersey, then back to 26 Crestmoor when he bought the house from his parents and completed a full renovation and addition. After that came 330 Leyden, first as a rental and eventually as an owner, followed by 350 Ivy. In 2013, David sold 26 Crestmoor to Jerry, who still lives there today with his wife, Stacy.

Jerry’s Crestmoor roots run just as deep. His mother’s family moved from Kansas to 421 Jasmine in 1939.   When Jerry was five months old, his mother and father moved to 311 Jersey, where he lived until leaving for college. Both of Jerry’s parents lived at 311 Jersey for the remainder of their lives.  

Jerry grew up at the Crestmoor Tennis and Swim Club, where his parents became members in 1959. He learned to swim and play tennis there, and the club became a second home. In 1966 his parents served as co-presidents and were instrumental in installing the tennis courts that still serve members today. Interestingly, despite having lived in Crestmoor nearly his entire life, David only joined the club last year—primarily so he could be with neighbors and enjoy it with his grandchildren.

Both men fondly remember neighborhood landmarks that have since disappeared. There was Aylard’s, the beloved drugstore and fountain shop at 3rd and Hudson, and Big Wheel, the bike shop once located where Basil Doc’s Pizza stands today. Even though bikes there were expensive, everyone bought them anyway—and went together just to watch. There was even a tennis court at 26 Crestmoor at one time, long before the house Jerry now calls home.

Today, Jerry is the founder of San Juan Resources, an independent oil and gas production operator focused on the San Juan Basin in northwest New Mexico. He and Stacy have five children ranging in age from 22 to 41 and one grandchild and a second on the way. 

David built his career in commercial real estate, co-founding Legend Partners in 2000 with several partners, specializing in shopping centers. He’s played golf his whole life, though he jokes that he’s “still not good.”(“He’s a great golfer”,  says Jerry!) David and his wife, Josi, have four children and four grandsons—all boys, ages four and two (twice over), with another on the way.

Through changing homes, careers, and seasons of life, Jerry McHugh and David Larson remain what they’ve always been: best friends shaped by Crestmoor’s streets, schools, and shared memories. Their story is a reminder that neighborhoods don’t just hold houses—they hold lives, friendships, and histories that continue to walk side by side.   In looking back over their early years, both Jerry and David are very grateful for growing up alongside each other in such a wonderful environment.