Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Featuring Joe Coyle

Welcome to “Won’t you be my neighbor?” a series of blog posts that introduces you to Judson residents and shares more about their respective journeys to Judson! This week, meet Joe Coyle, a resident of Judson Manor since 2020:

Paris, Santa Fe, and New York City: Retired journalist Joe Coyle has lived in some of world’s most glamorous locations. But at a certain age, he cautions, it no longer seems to matter what city you live in; what really matters is what building – and the quality of life it can offer. On this point, Joe says, Judson Manor ranks high.

“One of the things that absolutely stunned me when I moved here was that once you are here, you stay here, even if you run out of money,” he says, referring to Judson’s promise to provide all residents a place to live for life. “More and more, I have sensed the decency, and the ethical high ground that the Judson Foundations stands on. It’s one of the things that makes me feel secure here.”

Recruited from Paris to Judson Manor by retired Episcopal priest (and Manor resident) Tracey Lind, whom he encountered serendipitously in a Paris church, Joe admits he took a big risk in moving to University Circle.

“I didn’t know anything about Cleveland, or really even anything about Judson except what Tracey had told me. But I had a gut feeling that I belonged here, and it has turned out to be right.”

“There are plenty of places with beautiful rooms and beautiful surroundings,” Joe says. “But there aren’t a lot of places where you can interact with other bright, accomplished people and have your curiosity about life expanded. For me, that’s what it’s all about.”