Kansas Native Finds the Perfect Place to Settle When the Time Comes to Retire

(Fairway, KS) – The next time you head to the grocery store, it's quite possible that you will recognize a long-lost friend standing in the checkout lane. After several years living on the East Coast, Kansas City native Gayle Maurin, 75, has returned home; and she's not alone.

According to MakeMyMove.com, an online marketplace that helps remote workers find incentivized relocation programs, the trend these days is for people who once lived far away to return home to their roots. The study finds that 51 percent of people who had once moved away from their hometowns eventually decide to return.

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In Maurin's case, the decision was a no-brainer. She had moved to the East Coast shortly after graduating from college, and spent the next several years working for PBS stations in Washington, D.C. and New York. "I did pretty well financially," she said.

Maurin thought she'd be retiring in New York, but her situation changed dramatically when she was diagnosed with State 3 Endometrial cancer. "They (doctors) saved my life, but they really threw the book at me with all that they did. It was tiring. It was very tiring. I didn't have the whereto all to work fulltime anymore after that," she said.

After coming close to running out of money and no longer able to afford to live in New York, the 4th generation Kansas native decided to return home in 2020. Not only is Kansas City a familiar place, according to Rent Café, the cost of living is about nine percent lower than the U.S. average.

Life was beginning to settle down for Maurin, and then the COVID pandemic struck. "That really made me sedentary. I didn't really do much. I just stayed in my apartment," she said.

Maurin's sister and brother-in-law became concerned about her wellbeing. "They encouraged me to move into an active community for people who are 55 plus. They didn't want me to be alone," said Maurin, who moved into The Fieldston of Fairway in November 2025. She's glad she did.

"This place offers a lot of activities you can participate in if you want. It has attached parking which is lovely. It has a beautiful, heated pool. It has a full gym, exercise classes every day of the week, and there are all kinds of clubs forming. I just joined the grilling club," said Maurin, who also enjoys playing Mahjong and bridge, and doing crafts.

"And I go to every party," she added. "I go to at least one thing a week. It's nice to have activities available that are so organized."

In addition to enjoying all the activities she can participate in, Maurin says she has also made a lot of friends at the community. Friends she hopes to have for years to come.

The Fieldston of Fairway is a 209-unit 55 plus community, located at 4210 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Fairway, Kansas 66205. The building is within walking distance of the Fairway Shops shopping center as well as a grocery store, pharmacy, and coffee shops and restaurants. Downtown Kansas City is just eight miles away. Country Club Plaza, Kansas City's premier retail center, is nearby too.

The community features one, two and three-bedroom apartments. Each home has stainless steel appliances, kitchen islands and designer finishes, as well as an in-unit washer and dryer, a balcony or patio and generous storage space.

Maurin has a one-bedroom apartment on the 4th floor. "My balcony overlooks the dog park, and I have treetops and sunsets to look at. It's wonderful," said Maurin.

The Fieldston of Fairway offers maintenance-free living in one, two and three-bedroom apartment homes. In addition, there are plenty of on-site activities to keep residents busy, including a heated swimming pool, state-of-the-art fitness center, a tranquil yoga studio, a pub and golf simulator, a spa, sauna and hot tub, an upscale bar/lounge and more.

For more information about the community, go to Thefieldston.com

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