Page 4   Own Arcadia ’ s T rying to uncover the history of your family tree can sometimes feel like putting together a puzzle where some of the pieces are missing and others are bent and broken. Fuzzy, faded memories blended with stories passed down from aging relatives construct a loosely woven narrative, while old photographs, documents and film offer more clarity – but often only glimpses into moments of time. Then, with each generation, a few more pieces of the puzzle disappear, leaving many stories gone forever. For Arcadia resident Cameron Quick, remembering and uncovering some of those stories means looking no further than – literally – his own backyard. “Every tree out there, I can tell you who planted it and the story behind it,” Cameron said. In 2010 when Cameron’s grandmother became unable to live alone in her home, the now 31-year-old man and his wife, Ashley, purchased the 1957 house first built by his great-grandparents, who moved from Oklahoma to Arizona during the Dust Bowl. The home has remained in Cameron’s family since it was constructed, and the Quicks are the fourth generation to live there. Like rummaging through an old attic, the Quicks find stories and fragments of their family history inside their home and Cameron recalls memories from his time spent there as a youngster. And what they don’t find inside, they often learn from next-door neighbors Gaylord and Elizabeth Horter, who have lived there since 1960. “My grandfather served in World War II and didn’t tell anything to anyone,” Cameron said, “but he made friends with the neighbor next door and told him everything.” He added, “We’ve learned a ton of stories that would’ve been lost if Mr. Horter hadn’t lived next door the entire time.” Over the years, the Quicks have discovered everything from old WWII documents belonging to their grandfather to dishes and platters stashed away by their grandmother. “Those little things that are left behind are important,” said Ashley Quick. “I use her platter every time I host anything in this house.” For the past four years, the Quicks have been renovating the 1,155 square-foot, ranch-style house on a spacious lot near 40th Street and Indian School Road, but they are careful to preserve the memories by keeping important features intact. Shiny new stainless steel appliances, off-white subway tiles and fresh laminate flooring provide current updates to the kitchen, but the vintage rotary dial telephone remains on the wall, along with the original cabinets Cameron built with his grandfather when he was a boy. “They believed in hard work, that family,” Horter said. “Cameron is a hard worker too.” In the property’s sprawling backyard, various mature fruit trees planted throughout the generations offer shade as well as reminders of stories from the past. Some trees date back to Cameron’s great grandparents who first lived on the property in a trailer before even building the home. And others are newer – like the tree Cameron’s grandfather planted when Cameron was just a boy. The baby pecan tree started as a small twig and Cameron accidentally ran over it one day with the driving lawn mower. “I didn’t tell him, but he noticed it,” Cameron recalled. “It was a whole learning experience of owning up to things you’ve done wrong.” The tree is huge now, and when Cameron sees it, he remembers the important lesson he learned from his grandfather. Today, the generations-old home is clean and updated in an inviting contemporary, farm style designed by Ashley and constructed by Cameron. From custom barnyard pantry doors, to a handcrafted wood and steel entertainment center, and even a metal sculpture light fixture with hanging vintage bulbs, Cameron and Ashley did almost their entire renovation themselves. As a former teacher and teacher’s assistant, the pair said they did not have a large budget, so do-it-yourself work was essential. “As teachers, we never thought we would even be able to afford to own our own home,” Ashley said. “Now, to live in a home that we were able to make our own...in one of the greatest neighborhoods in Phoenix, I wake up every day and pinch myself.” In addition to owning their dream home, Cameron said he also values the special connection he feels through living in his family’s beloved house. “As a kid growing up, this is where we’d come visit my grandparents and it was just a sweet place and comforting home,” Cameron said. The home is also a place of faith and community, as Cameron’s great-grandfather was a Christian pastor and his family served the community out of the home.“ They were always reaching out into the community to serve one another,” Cameron said. The Quicks, who first met at an African orphanage while volunteering with the Christian ministry group, Young Life, continue this tradition as they often volunteer with local charitable groups, practice their faith and gather their friends in the home. “I always said, ‘If we ever have a house, I want it to be an open door and here to serve,’” Ashley said. And, of course, the Quicks also enjoy the camaraderie of friends, many of whom Cameron attended high school with in Arcadia. “There’s a community here that’s just awesome at doing life together,” Cameron said. Whether it’s help with the renovation or assistance with an emergency flood – which they faced early on when their hot water heater broke – the Quicks have relied on the help of their friends in the Arcadia community to get them through the challenges. Even their neighbors are supportive. The Horters often keep an eye on the Quicks’ house when they aren’t home, and in turn, the Quicks are available to help the Horters if needed. “I was glad when Cameron bought this house,” Horter said. “It’s been a very good neighborhood.” And the Quicks couldn’t agree more. “To get to live in my husband’s family house, where it was a home full of love, is priceless,” Ashley said. “We’ve made it our own home and continue to make it our own, but I feel that it’s still in alignment with the home that has been made through the generations,” Cameron said. “We may change the color of the tile, but the mission of this house and the love in this house is still carrying on long term.” By Katie Mayer The Heritage Happy Home of a

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