Published: August 27, 2025
Kendal at Oberlin is home to more than 300 people in their 60s and well beyond. They come from near (Oberlin and Cleveland) and far (Hawaii, Canada and elsewhere). The residents share many common values, such as sustainability and lifelong learning, and many have ties to Oberlin College. But each resident has his or her own unique story.
Meet Kathy Hazelton
Moving to Kendal from the nearby Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights gave Kathy Hazelton the opportunity to hold onto places and people she cherishes. That was six years ago, which means she has also had ample time to expand her “cherish” circle.
And she has, adding many new friends, activities and destinations.
An avid hiker, her weekly 4-mile walks with the Cleveland Hiking Club led by her husband Richard take her throughout Oberlin, where she has discovered many of the city’s historic spots and architectural gems. And the couple are frequent concert-goers at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music.
She also has found special spots in surrounding Lorain County.
“Richard and I have enjoyed many of the Lorain County Metro Parks, including a hidden gem -- beautiful Schoepfle Gardens along the Vermilion River, with its acres of woodlands and flowers. Orchards and produce markets are plentiful in the area, and we love making the trip to Krieg’s Farm Market for the sundaes and shakes they make with their own fresh fruit! Just north are Lake Erie beaches, and I especially like Main Street Beach in Vermilion and Lakeview Beach in Lorain” she says.
Sometimes plans change
One activity Kathy was excited to join when she moved to Kendal was the Oberlin Musical Union, which brings community members and Oberlin College musicians together for choral concerts. But within a few months of joining, the pandemic hit and gatherings became remote.
She put singing on hold and returned to her beloved flute, an instrument she enjoyed playing in high school but had put aside for decades. Now she takes private lessons from flutist Kelly Wilson at the Community Music School, plays with Kendal’s The Occasional Band and plays occasionally with accompanist Betsy Baumbach at resident recitals in Heiser Auditorium as well as the Stephens Care Center.
“It feels great to be playing the flute again,” Kathy says.
Kathy also got involved with “Creative Movement,” an Oberlin College course that brings together Kendal residents and college students. As a result of that collaboration, Kathy and Kendal resident Mary Joy Leaper performed in a dance showcase at Oberlin College last year. “We use our minds a lot here at Kendal, so it was great fun to express ourselves through movement,” she says.
Though she had to put creative movement on hold for several months because of hip and back issues, she is back to taking three classes in Kendal’s Fitness Center and swimming two or three times a week.
Kathy and Richard were both foreign language teachers and are active in two of Kendal’s three language groups. Having taught French for five years before moving into a career in business communications, Kathy enjoys sharing meals and programs with friends at the French table. She also attends Spanish table, which is convened by Richard, who taught Spanish in high school and college for many years. (Kendal also has a German language group.)
The Spanish language lovers adopted two of their three children from Colombia, South America, and Kathy helped found a weeklong day camp in Cleveland Heights for Latino adoptees, known as Mi Pueblo, where their own children and hundreds of others have taken classes in Spanish language and Latin American music, dance, and culture over the last 33 years. Kathy is thrilled that their grandchildren now attend Mi Pueblo camp.
Having retired as a writer, editor, and trainer, Kathy now uses her skills in her role as secretary for the Kendal at Oberlin Residents Association (KORA). She also was part of a team that wrote an internal report on the experience of Kendal Independent Living residents during the pandemic. “Our goal was to address what we learned and make recommendations for any future pandemic,” she says, adding that “although it was a very difficult time, Kendal can be proud of its success in protecting the health of its residents.”
Back to Cleveland
Kathy and Richard like to introduce new Kendal residents from outside the area to things they love in Greater Cleveland. The list includes Playhouse Square and University Circle, especially the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, and the annual summer “Parade the Circle.”
“Because we’re familiar with public transportation in Cleveland, we especially enjoy introducing interested Kendal residents to the Regional Transit system,” she says.
