Ford’s Colony neighbors S Bill and Jo-Ann McMillan are celebrating 60 years of marriage on October 19th! They are loving Ford’s Colony life after many years in California, sharing adventures and enjoying their retirement in a beautiful home in the neighborhood. 

The McMillans met in Van Nuys, California, when they lived in the same apartment building and married at the Little Brown Church of the Valley in nearby Studio City in 1964. They lived throughout California, including the Napa Valley, where they developed an appreciation of the region’s wines. Bill and Jo-Ann have enjoyed collecting art during their travels, including an expansive glass art collection displayed in their home. Bill enjoyed a long career in healthcare administration, retiring as a COO of a healthcare consulting firm, while Jo-Ann retired as a textbook buyer for a community college. 

Upon retirement, Jo-Ann and Bill sought to move somewhere with four seasons. “It was time for a change,” they agreed. Their son, Lance, had recently moved to North Carolina and suggested they look at Williamsburg for a home that would put them within a few hours’ drive of his own. They fell in love with Ford’s Colony and moved to the neighborhood in 2015. One feature that led them to choose their home was a screened-in porch that overlooks their backyard, including a garden Jo-Ann tends. “We enjoy spending time out here,” says Jo-Ann. “We love the beautiful natural surroundings and all the wildlife that seems to put on a perpetual show.” 

Looking back at their 60 years together, they both agree, “It seems as though we got to a point where we could read each other’s thoughts, which helped greatly with communication.” Their hobbies are shared just like their thoughts—Jo-Ann and Bill love to travel, cook, listen to music, and birdwatch together. Bill is an avid reader who is often found picking up books at the library, and Jo-Ann is a member of several clubs, including the Garden Club and the Herb Society of America. They love visiting their grandchildren, Logan and Fletcher, in North Carolina and enjoy living in an environment with four seasons, as they always dreamed of. Congratulations on 60 years of marriage, Jo-Ann and Bill!