fall 2004 backup 0815 205pm - Austin Peay State University

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fall 2005 9/19/05 11:03 AM Page 20 By: Dennie B. Burke Executive Director of Public Relations and Marketing Photo: Bill Persinger Ken and Amy Landrum at the Pace Alumni Center at Emerald Hill Austin Peay/Fall 2005 18 Austin Peay/Fall 2005
fall 2005 9/19/05 11:03 AM Page 21 Slumming? Then avoid Southside Boulevard, which cuts through prime Jacksonville, Fla., real estate. On either side of the wide boulevard, smaller roads turn off, right and left, disappearing into secluded residential areas, shielded from view by tall brick or marble walls. Two curving slabs of marble, both inlaid with a bronze image of a majestic stag, mark the entry to Deercreek Club Road. For a few hundred feet, the road winds through palm trees and manicured flowerbeds, coming to a halt at a guardhouse. The guard verifies the visitor’s name, license plate number and destination within the gated community before reaching into the house to push a button. The long-armed gate lifts slowly. The road continues back and back—passing through the shade of a natural preserve before reaching the heart of the community. Like a layout from “Better Homes and Gardens,” most of the homes are set well back from the winding road on plush cushions of grass, their backyards abutting a fairway or ending at the edge of a manmade lake. Deercreek is a peaceful, pastoral and privileged neighborhood. At first glimpse The leaded-glass front door opens, and Amy Landrum (’65) walks down the wide steps and out onto the curved driveway, offering a warm smile. Any reservations she has about her guests or their mission are hidden under the warm blanket of Southern hospitality. It’s cool inside the one-story house. The great room—with its wall of windows and 12-foot ceiling—is spacious and inviting. Through the back window, beyond the shaded lanai with its wicker furniture, plants and bright flowers, the backyard slopes down to a small lake. The great room itself speaks volumes about the couple that built this house. It’s cheery, neat and functional, a comfortable blend of family heirlooms and art along with a massive plasma TV screen where the Landrums say a fireplace ordinarily would be. Quite simply, the room is a reflection of two people who know who they are and what they value in their home—and lives. When the Landrums retired to Florida eight years ago, they decided to downsize. Seldom-used rooms were eliminated or transfigured. The living room and family room became a great room. Just off the foyer and adjacent to the open kitchen, a formal dining room was transformed into Ken Landrum’s (‘64) super-neat, high-tech office where he reads online news, studies the stock market and e-mails friends. Speaking of Landrum, he suddenly appears, gently closing a door behind him, and strides forward, a welcoming hand outstretched. Whimpers from behind the door indicate Gracie, the black cocker spaniel who generally has the run of the house, is indignant. With a reassuring smile, Landrum Austin Peay/Fall 2005 19
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fall 2004 backup 0815 205pm - Austin Peay State University

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