High School Classmates to Lifelong Adventures – Resident Spotlight on Ken & Elaine Boltz

Ken and Elaine’s journey together began with a small-town connection. They were classmates in high school and Ken knew Elaine’s brother. Years later, life brought them back together in an unexpected way. Elaine was visiting home to see her brother’s band perform and Ken happened to be there. Soon after, Ken called to ask her out for New Year’s Eve—but Elaine thought she was talking to a different Ken from her workplace! That mix-up didn’t last long. After their first date, Elaine knew she had met the man she wanted to marry. They tied the knot in 1974.

Ken’s early years were marked by determination and hard work. While attending school full-time in Philadelphia for apparel manufacturing, he also worked full-time at his family’s sewing factory. The business specialized in sleepwear and Ken spent 25–30 years there, eventually transitioning from production manufacturing to managing computers and database systems. That expertise opened the door to his next career as a database consultant.

Elaine’s path was equally inspiring. She began as a secretary while raising her five-year-old daughter from her first marriage—a daughter Ken later adopted. After their son was born, Elaine joined the family business before moving to the Intermediate Unit (IU) as a secretary, hired by Barry Free (another Cornwall Manor resident!). While working at the IU, Elaine pursued her bachelor’s degree in psychology at Lebanon Valley College, attending classes in the evenings. Her dedication paid off when she joined a behavioral health firm, where she provided employee assistance programs, critical incident services and corporate trainings. She specialized in therapeutic laughter programs, presenting as far away as Anchorage, Alaska.

Adventure has always been part of their story. When a colleague’s spouse offered scuba lessons, Ken and Elaine jumped in—literally. Ken excelled underwater, eventually becoming a certified scuba instructor and teaching for 21 years. His passion for diving took them to breathtaking destinations. As an instructor, we ran trips with up to 25 divers in Australia, Papua New Guinea, the Galápagos Islands, Central America, Honduras and Belize. Each dive revealed a world of beauty beneath the surface.

Their sense of adventure extended beyond the water. At one point, after traveling for six years in the motor home, Ken and Elaine sold their home in Lititz and most of their possessions to live in a motor home for four years. This bold move allowed them to work remotely while traveling across the U.S. and Canada. They crossed the country three times, visited every state, and even explored Canada—all while following their “40/80 rule”: if temperatures dipped below 40 degrees, they headed south; if they climbed above 80, they traveled north. Elaine’s favorite stops included Glacier National Park and the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, while Ken loved exploring national parks, especially Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

In 2020, Ken and Elaine moved to Cornwall Manor as the first residents of The Pines neighborhood in The Woods. Moving during the pandemic was challenging, but they quickly bonded with their new neighbors before heading to Florida for the winter. Today, they are deeply involved in community life. Ken spends time in the Woodshop, crafting beautiful marble boards for residents, while Elaine enjoys exercise classes and is serving as the President of the Cornwall Manor Residents Association this year. Together, they share their love of ballroom dancing—a passion they’ve enjoyed for 30 years—bike the Rail Trail and enjoy game nights. They even introduced marbles to the community and served as Ambassadors for Wellzesta, Cornwall Manor’s new resident portal that was introduced in October 2025.

Travel remains a shared passion. In recent years, they’ve visited Africa, the Netherlands, Paris and Normandy and they look forward to resuming their adventures after Elaine’s RA term ends.

What do they love most about Cornwall Manor? The peace of mind that comes with a continuum of care, the freedom to travel without worrying about their home and—above all—the people. “You won’t find a friendlier community around.”