Pebble Creek Newcomers Marilyn and Russell
For some people, it takes a while to get right. Maybe even four decades. “I moved to Miami, and Russell moved to Seattle,” says Marilyn. “We hung out with the same group in high school, but lost track until a few years ago, thanks to the Internet.”
Last July, they moved from Florida to Durham. They rented in Pebble Creek after seeing a Zillow ad online. In February, they bought their Constitution Drive unit. “We didn’t have to move again,” says Russell. “The space is ideal for two people working from home. I have my office upstairs, and she has hers downstairs.”
Russell is a software developer who once turned down the chance to be employee No. 21 at Microsoft. Long story! Later, he helped develop websites for Office 365, Xbox, Starbucks, City of Seattle, and WA State. He was also a computer security expert for Microsoft, T-Mobile, and Visa. Now employed as a VP of information security at national bank, he helps prevent its apps from being hacked.
Marilyn was a newspaper reporter, editor of a Miami magazine and author of travel guides on Florida. If you’re walking the parking lot on Constitution, you’ll probably see her hunched over her computer, writing Google ads and meeting online with digital advertising clients. Her employer is Gannett, which owns 200 newspapers, including USA Today.
Back to the story of Marilyn and Russell together. For 40 years, they pursued separate lives on opposite ends of the country. In 2017, Russell took a fateful trip to Fort Lauderdale and looked her up online. A long-distance relationship ensued. Who knows? When the pandemic ends, there might be a wedding in the Pebble Creek Clubhouse.
By Marilyn and Russell
