With COVID in full swing, Maria Jolley was looking for a fresh start that would bring her closer to her grandchildren. Little did she know that a sun-filled view to the Rockies would tip the scales in her decision to become the very first resident at Painted Prairie. With a pioneer spirit, she weathered many of the early challenges that come with life in a brand new community – it wasn’t always easy. But that Rockies view kept Maria going, and five years (and more than 900 homes) later, she knows she’s right where she belongs.
Maria’s journey to Painted Prairie began when she followed her daughter and family to the Denver area in 2020. After retiring from her 34-year career as a Federal IT manager in New Orleans, this so-called “baby chaser” wanted a home that would put her within a short drive to her two grandchildren—Adelaide (10) and Alexander (7). When a friend-turned-realtor introduced her to the future site of Painted Prairie, she was intrigued. She had always enjoyed living close to nature with access to beautiful scenery and wildlife, but the community itself was more a vision than a reality then. Maria forged ahead anyway – confident that this would be her forever home.
When Maria moved into Painted Prairie, she and her son Chris were literally the ONLY Painted Prairie inhabitants. Like the original pioneers before them, they endured the hardships of being first. Their modern-day challenges included non-existent internet service and daily (if not hourly) calls with Xfinity, USPS and Republic, convincing them that “yes, there WAS proof of life at Painted Prairie!” Area wildlife curiously visited regularly, and future homes’ basements were dug all around. Those holes were a potential hazard for her grandkids, who visited frequently. Fortunately, a swift landscaping plan approval by the HOA meant a fence could go up pronto. “It was ALL worth it,” Maria chuckles. “We had 360º panoramic mountain and prairie views, but the best view was a moving van that meant we would have neighbors!”
Facing challenges was not new to Maria. In New Orleans, she’d lived through many tiresome annual hurricane drills. When Katrina hit in 2005, these drills saved her life. Although her company immediately relocated her to the office in Philly for 18 months, she returned to New Orleans, where she witnessed the absolute worst that nature could do and the very best of humanity. This life changing experience taught Maria to accept change and to always have gratitude.
Over the past five years, Maria has been witness to Painted Prairie “growing up” all around her. Those mountain views and sunrises have remained a constant, but what’s changed is the people who’ve moved in. “Painted Prairie welcomes all,” she said. “Whether you love nature, want physical activity, social experiences and clubs, going to the dog park or simply relaxing by the fire pit —it is our neighborhood to be enjoyed by everyone. We have something very special, and I look forward to many more years of calling this home!”
