If you had told me 45 years ago that I’d be living on a farm, wearing boots covered in soil from morning chores, and spending my days monitoring cattle water lines instead of insurance market trends, I would have been surprised by how life can take unexpected turns.
My career in insurance was fulfilling. I built a successful business and formed meaningful relationships with clients who became lifelong friends. I worked with presidents and CEOs of my clients and those of insurance companies — people who have become close friends who visit our home, who we still travel together with and enjoy dinner conversations with to this day.
But as retirement approached, I began to consider what the next chapter might hold. And what I discovered was a rich, purposeful life woven together by three essential threads: philanthropy, farming, and faith-centered community.
How ‘Beds for Kids’ Became My Mission
It all started with a conversation over 30 years ago I overheard at the office. One of my colleagues was a counselor of Court Appointed Special Advocates for Kane County, and I happened to walk by as he was discussing their latest board meeting. Something caught my attention, so I stopped to ask what was going on.
I learned they had a request to fund beds for children in need — back then it wasn’t typically the kind of support they provided. When I inquired further, I discovered these three children were sleeping on the floor as their family couldn’t afford beds.
That made my heart ache. I have children of my own, and the thought of any child without a proper place to sleep was simply unacceptable. I immediately contacted the executive director, who I knew, and offered to purchase the beds for these children needed.
What began as a one-time gesture evolved into something much larger. Word spread, and organizations began reaching out with similar needs. I started wondering just how widespread this issue was, so I contacted other nonprofits that were clients in my office. Each confirmed that they regularly encountered families needing beds and cribs but lacked funding for furniture. I learned that while there were funds for food and clothing, that was not the case for beds.
In no time, I realized that each child needed a complete setup — a twin bed, frame, box spring, mattress, sheets, pillow, and blankets. These families couldn’t afford any of it. I discovered that kids were sleeping on pallets or directly on the floor. So, I committed to providing complete bed packages, working directly with nonprofits that would handle the logistics of delivery and setup for the beds purchased through the Beds For Kids Fund.
I formalized the process through the Community Foundation of Fox River Valley (CFFRV), and we were off to support a great cause. The nonprofits would submit requests, and through the fund, checks were issued to cover the costs. I never wanted to know the names of the recipients — that was confidential, and this wasn’t about recognition. However, the CFFRV created an “impact form” to assess how the program was working and to welcome photos of the children next to their new beds. Through the nonprofits, Beds For Kids received many wonderful photos and notes of thanks from the children’s mothers—hundreds over the years. Some of these kids could easily be in their 30s and 40s now.
Those images and the notes from grateful parents, mostly single mothers, were profoundly moving. Many children received their very first bed through this program. It served newborns through 18-year-olds, providing beds and cribs as needed.
What began in the Fox Valley area of Illinois eventually expanded to Wisconsin and Florida. Each month, we averaged about 10 beds, consistently meeting needs as they arose. Over the years, Beds For Kids provided over 3600 beds and cribs for these children.
Immersing Myself in Farming
Farming runs in my blood. My ancestors from southern Italy were farmers, and I have countless cousins in Australia who farm to this day. During college, my roommate managed the school’s farm, and I’d join him plowing, planting, and harvesting — learning skills I would use decades later.
After graduation, I briefly worked on a farm, but quickly realized I couldn’t support myself and pay off my student loans on a farmhand wage. Reluctantly, I put on a suit and headed to Chicago, launching a 45-year career in insurance.
But that passion for farming never faded. When my wife Barb and I were approaching retirement, we discovered we shared this dream. Barb grew up on a farm where her family raised Black Angus cattle. Though she left at 18 for college and never returned to that life, she always harbored a desire to raise cattle again someday.
When retirement finally arrived, we purchased a farm and transformed it into a certified organic operation — a three-year process requiring rigorous stewardship of the land. We eliminated fertilizers and sprays, focused on sustainable practices, and raised our cattle on natural grass and alfalfa rather than grain.
This approach takes twice as long to raise an animal but produces beef of exceptional quality. We upgraded the fields, put up new fencing, and tended to our hundred head of cattle herd with dedication, but just as we were beginning to establish relationships with restaurants in Chicago and Madison, COVID-19 hit, shutting everything down overnight.
With 6,000 pounds of beef in storage and no way to sell it, we made the decision to donate it all to local food pantries. It disappeared within days — a stark reminder of the need in our rural communities, where many work multiple jobs just to make ends meet.
After seven years and being in our late 60’s, we acknowledged that the physical demands of daily farm work were becoming challenging. We turned operations over to a younger couple who now manage about 250 head of cattle and 100 head of sheep on our original property.
Today, we live on “Villaggio di Isabella” (Village of Isabella), named for both our grandmothers. This 200-acre property includes woodlands, fields, gardens, ponds, and even a cabin built in 1865. We’ve created a haven for pollinators with 10 acres of wildflowers that draw butterflies, bees, and birds — especially the bluebirds that nest in the houses we’ve placed throughout the property.
Faith, Community … and Learning To Slow Down
Work had always been a steady drumbeat in my life — stepping away from it felt like trying to dance without music. But in small towns, people move to a different rhythm, one set by the sway of corn stalks in the wind and the way a simple hello by the roadside turns into a long, winding story.
Initially, I struggled with this pace. I had lists of projects and felt compelled to keep moving. But gradually, I embraced this different rhythm of life. Now, I cherish those four-hour breakfast conversations with my friend who lives down the road and the afternoons spent by the pond, fishing poles in the water, talking with another friend. Ice fishing with neighbors in the winter and gathering around a campfire on a cool summer evening with family just can’t be beat. We have plenty of visitors and love every minute of our time together.
My faith has been my anchor through storms of illness and hardship. I’m blessed to be part of two Bible study groups — one with young professionals in their 30s, other insurance and non-insurance young folks who seek my mentorship and with friends my own age who’ve walked life’s path alongside me for years. We meet weekly for scripture study and maintain a group text where we share insights and reflections.
After retirement, I initially felt like “nobody needs” me anymore. But these connections—with young business professionals seeking advice, friends sharing their journeys, and a community that values presence over wealth—have shown me how much we all need each other, no matter our stage in life.
This is the life I always knew I wanted, but now I can’t imagine living without—one centered on giving back, tending the land, and nurturing the relationships that truly matter.
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
