7 minute read
Beyond the Listing
The Ray and Melissa Shofner home offers several levels to enjoy nature and the lakeside view.
FEATURES
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» ADDRESS: 20653 Ranger Road,
Fort Gibson. » ASKING PRICE: $585,000. » SQUARE FOOTAGE: 4,166. » PROPERTY SIZE: 1.12 acres. » BEDROOMS: 4. » BATHROOMS: 3 full, 1 threequarter, 1 half. » HEATING AND COOLING: Two units, heat pump, geothermal cooling. Fireplace with gas logs and Heatilator. » APPLIANCES: Dishwasher,
microwave, refrigerator, disposal, range/oven. » FLOORS: Tile, vinyl, wood, brick. » OTHER FEATURES: Vaulted ceiling, cable TV wired, deck, patio, balcony, covered porch, waterfront access, boat dock. » SCHOOL DISTRICTS: Norwood or Woodall elementary schools;
Fort Gibson High School. » CONTACT: Betty Blackwell, RE/
MAX & Associates, (918) 4413375.
‘ ‘ Very Peaceful
Spacious home includes private dock
Ray and Melissa Shofner savored the 17 years they lived in the sloping woods along Fort Gibson Lake.
“It’s peaceful, very peaceful,” Melissa Shofner said.
Now that their children have grown, the Shofners are ready to move on, leaving their two-story house, their private dock, their towering trees behind.
Part of the Ranger Creek gated community, the 4,166-square-foot house is on one of the winding arms of Fort Gibson Lake, just northeast of the Fort Gibson Dam.
By Cathy Spaulding • Photos by Mandy Corbell
Several terraces lead from the lake to the house.
The driveway safely slopes down to the house and swings to a two-car garage and adjoining carport.
The entry features a brick floor and opens onto a formal dining space surrounded by windows. The dining area features a wood floor.
Brick floor leads to the newly remodeled island kitchen featuring granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and a variety of white cabinets.
Circle L Cabinets of Fort Gibson did the cabinets.
“He utilized all the space we had,” Melissa said. “He figured out a way to make it all work.”
Ray said the cabinets have “some really cool built-ins,” such as lazy Susans in upper and lower corners, narrow vertical drawers for trays, huge drawers for pots, and vertical drawers with shelves for food. There’s even a triangular cabinet, tucked under the stairs, that’s just right for small jars.
Carpet One did the gray tile work, which includes a lattice pattern behind the kitchen sink.
A vaulted ceiling with two ceiling fans extends from part of the kitchen to the living room.
The Shofners replaced small
A wood floor adds elegance to the dining area. A partial wall and window offer privacy as well as space. The entry features brick floors, as does the kitchen.
No space is lost in these kitchen cabinets. There’s even a triangular one in the corner.
windows with larger ones to offer a more dramatic lake view. A stone fireplace features a hearth large enough for a cozy place to sit.
The Shofners extended the living room to include space for another dining table or game table. The extension features a built-in bookcase.
Each of the three bedroom are on the first floor, and each has a bathroom. One bathroom features a walk-in shower. The others feature bathtubs.
Upstairs, the master suite has a vaulted ceiling with a ceiling fan, The master bath has a walk-in closet, whirlpool bath and a separate shower.
A wood balcony goes around two sides of the second floor.
Downstairs, a wood deck wraps from the entrance across the lake side to the south side of the house, allowing panoramic views.
The Shofners added a concrete patio large enough for a fire pit. Ray piled stones around a tree and garden area between the deck and patio. He said he gathered the stones from around the
ABOVE: The master bedroom on the second floor offers lots of space and an upper level deck.
LEFT: First-floor bedrooms can be used in multiple ways, including as a music room.
property.
A second, detached garage offers extra storage and boat space.
A terrace supported with stones eases the slope toward the lake. There’s a little space for a bench. Tall trees on the slope can easily accommodate a swing.
Concrete steps lead to the floating covered boat slip, which has a ladder into the water.
“I like being able to walk down to the boat and take off,” Ray said, adding that the water is 24 feet deep at the channel.
Although on a slope, the house was high enough to escape damage from the 2019 floods, Ray said.
“At that point, it was spilling over the dam,” he said.
A display of art including an early work of Molly, the Muse. (pictured at bottom in blue) Watercolor Barn-home, studio, bakery
Chamber pots utilized in lessons harder to find than students.
Artist calls home Tahlequah
Army, CIA veteran, experienced artist shares work
Jerald Peterson has served in the U.S. Army, worked for the CIA, traveled the world and is an experienced artist who calls Tahlequah home.
Peterson was born in central Oklahoma, was raised by his grandparents and grew up in Edmond. After graduating high school, Peterson served in the U.S. Army for three years. After being honorably discharged, he met his future wife, Molly. Knowing immediately that he had met “The One,” they wed within a year.
Story and Photos by heather ezell
Jerald Peterson uses a brush to work on a project.
Peterson spent a year back in Edmond at Central State University (now known as University of Central Oklahoma) and continued on to Stillwater where he finished his degree in political science at Oklahoma State University. This is where his story turns from ordinary to extraordinary.
After a missed opportunity at Oklahoma State University, Jerald traveled to Austin, Texas, where he interviewed with the Central Intelligence Agency. After a year of background checks and the usual red tape, he found himself with a position in
— Jerald Peterson
Washington, D.C., with the CIA.
His first international mission was in 1967 in Benghazi, Libya. From there, various assignments took him and Molly around the world to such exotic locales as Morocco, Mexico City, the Dominican Republic and Paris. Both he and Molly adapted well to each move and consequently, they adopted the language and customs wherever they were stationed. They fluently speak Spanish and French.
International diplomacy and relations is difficult work.
“Working at the CIA is difficult. I used painting as therapy,” he said.
Not only did it ease the stress, but he was naturally gifted and was self-taught.
At the age of 50, after 25 years with the
Jerald’s art covers the walls in their home and studio
CIA, and their three children out of the house, he retired from government work and began another life.
Exploring their options for the next chapter, the Petersons came across a list of best small towns in America. Tahlequah was on that list, and it was conveniently located halfway between where each of their mothers lived, so the decision to relocate was made.
In the early 1990s, they bought a property
— Jerald Peterson
in Tahlequah, and Jerald pursued art full time. Watercolor and oil painting were his chosen medium, and his talent and skill radiated on each canvas.
Jerald and Molly traveled across the country to participate in national juried fine art shows to critical acclaim and outdoor fine art festivals where his work was very
ABOVE: Old world painting: peeling stucco, weathered wood, rust.
LEFT: Inspired by the people, culture and lifestyle of Mexico.
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well received.
Ever the explorers, in 2003, they moved again, this time to beautiful, historic San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where Jerald offered oil painting lessons.
“I started giving workshops in Mexico,” Jerald said. “I loved the Mexican lifestyle, the food, the landscape and especially the people there.”
Jerald continued with his art and found inspiration everywhere, but was particularly drawn to the grace of 16th century monasteries.
Molly describes his style as “old world painting” — peeling stucco, weathered wood, rust. It is also evident in his paintings the fondness and strong connection to the people, architecture, culture and lifestyle of Mexico.
In 2008, home beckoned and they returned to the United States. Children and grandchildren pull at the heartstrings.
They are now rooted in Green Country
