Third Chapter Curious: Spotlight Interview, Segment 1 “Un-Retired”

Frank Swinehart

Celebration Ambassador, KIRE Realty Group

Former Executive Director, The Woodlands of Shaker Heights, LLC

We’re evolving our interview formats to include snapshots of people’s experiences for a more casual take on their background and relationship with retirement. Our first segment features Frank Swinehart, a recent Traverse City transplant who moved from Ohio after decades in the corporate world. Frank is a great example of someone who wanted to step back but not step away from work, and certainly not step away from engagement with the world around him. He is a natural social butterfly and connector who quickly found his community after moving up North, and is a fantastic addition to the area. We’re so grateful that he took the time to share his Third Chapter story with us and agreed to be the first interviewee for this new series. 

INTERVIEWER:

What did you want to be when you grew up? How and why has that changed over the years?

FRANK:

I wanted to be a Lutheran pastor. I attended a Lutheran College, got married to my high-school girlfriend, had children, and then attended seminary for 6 months. I did not have the aptitude for the discipline I felt required. I felt that my service could be in other areas. Life events lead you down a path that you don't anticipate, and you think this is what you should be doing. I knew from a young age that I was different, and unfortunately, I am a people pleaser and want to be liked. I don't regret getting married as I have two wonderful daughters and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

 INTERVIEWER:

What does the word curious mean to you? Does staying curious about the world apply to lifelong learning?

FRANK:

Curiosity is wanting to know what's around you and exploring. Yes, it is lifelong learning and does not have to be in a formal setting. Over the years, I have spent many years learning with 52 years in healthcare. First in the field of respiratory with onsite training for a couple of years, then to a hospital-based tech school to become certified. The school was based in an intercity 900-bed hospital where I went to school during the day and worked the second shift as a relief supervisor due to my experience already in the field. Later, I returned to college to get a degree in Gerontology. I was working full-time and also managing a non-profit for people with HIV/AIDS. I learned time management. I became a licensed Nursing Home Administrator, where I spent the second half of my healthcare career. The multiple changes I saw over 50-plus years in those two fields were fast and furious, so curiosity certainly helped.

INTERVIEWER:

What comes to mind when you think of retirement? Does it have positive or negative connotations for you, or both?

FRANK:

Retirement is not doing. Only a concept in the last century and only for those who can afford it. One needs to stay engaged in life on some level. Do good vs. do nothing. Maybe retirement is doing what you like ( I did like healthcare), but without the pressure that working for a large company may entail. Maybe we are "retired" as putting new ones on the old car to go on a new journey, which seems the right thing for me.

INTERVIEWER:

What are a few things you do to stay connected and active in your community?

FRANK:

Church, friends new and old, part-time work, social gatherings, and family. And recently protest! Moving to this new city was unsettling and a bit scary. I have never lived outside of Ohio, and all my support, friends, and family are still there, except for my oldest daughter, who convinced me to make the move to be close to her. So, I am in the process of building my new community.

INTERVIEWER:

What was your experience with retirement like? Was it a difficult transition, or did you find it to be freeing? What plan did you make for yourself?

FRANK:

I so do not like the concept; I want to stay active to the best I can and continue to contribute to my community. Unfortunately, I did not have a plan but just lived each day, so I have not transitioned to retirement. I realize that one day I will not be able to do it, but for now I am free of the 9-5 and calls during the middle of the night 7/365, so I guess I am retired!

Written and edited by Cameron Thompson for Third Chapter Curious, LLC, 2025