Kevin and Lynn Wisdom are enthusiastic Park Cities residents and are fortunate that their son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter are nearby residents as well. The unique character and charm of the community is not lost on them.
Kevin and Lynn’s journey together began through volunteer work. They met at a launch party organized by the Volunteer Center of Dallas which is now known as the Metroplex Volunteer Center. Lynn was working in community relations for JC Penney and was a Board Member for the Volunteer Center. Kevin attended and searching for volunteer organizations in which to participate. “I met Kevin during the party, and we met a couple of times after that,” Lynn shared. “I thought that he was a really nice guy, and I think that I need him on a committee.” Their friendship grew over time and they eventually began dating. Dating led to a marriage that has now lasted 26 years.
A commitment to volunteering and the community continues to be a big part of their lives together. They recently became members of Preservation Park Cities. Additionally, they support the Grant Halliburton Foundation which focuses on mental health resources for youth and suicide prevention. “We became involved about five years ago and act as sponsors of the organization,” Lynn noted. They are long-time supporters of the North Texas Food Bank and the Notre Dame School of Dallas. Dwell with Dignity, which helps families transitioning from homelessness to settling in their new homes, is also a project that they support.
Lynn’s background includes having lived across several states due to her father’s career as an executive with Marriott. Despite the moves, Texas became the place that she calls home. She carved out a career in in public relations and marketing, first with the Dallas Market Center, then JC Penney, and later with the Ingersoll Company. While with the Ingersoll Company. She represented major magazines such as Town and Country, Elle Decor and she helped launch Oprah Magazine for the Hearst Corporation out of New York City. She became owner of the former Ingersoll Company and owns what is now Wisdom Media.
Originally from St. Louis, Kevin was managing his family’s construction business of 53 years when he decided to become part of the world of real estate development. “I had this notion that I wanted to move to Dallas and work for one of the large real estate development companies. I was fortunate to begin that career by joining Trammell Crow Residential in 1983,” he said. While still having a passion for development, Kevin is spending a good bit of time acquiring land in East Texas in order to place conservation easements upon it while also managing wetlands mitigation.
Along those lines, just outside Athens, Texas, Kevin and Lynn have recently remodeled a home on their property which has a historical context. “The area was settled in 1840, and our property was established in 1883. As far as the remodel for the home, the structural components were sourced from a former goat barn on Ginger Murchison’s property. We were able to salvage the hand-hewn posts and beams,” Kevin said. “With components like that, we were able to create a structure with a good bit of character and historical integrity while including current, modern features as well”.
The property with acreage and the home is used as a place for recreation. Lynn enjoys cooking and entertaining. “I enjoy spending time on the various projects that come along with the property as well as creating projects for myself,” Kevin said. “The balance of my time is spent trying to convince Lynn that there are no bugs anywhere on the property.”
They try to get the family there as much as possible. “It’s a great opportunity for family time,” said Lynn, “particularly, with our granddaughter.” “The idea that our 10-year-old granddaughter who participates in ballet, cheer, equestrian and volleyball during the week is still excited to come to the property on weekends and run though the fields, fish and sit in a deer blind with Daddy warms my heart,” says Kevin.
Regarding their fellow Park Cities residents, their son Kyle, an SMU graduate, is a Senior Housing developer and he and his family live a mere five minutes away. His wife, Elizabeth, is a Senior Vice President with Allie Beth Allman. She is a former Dallas Cowboy cheerleader, and that experience has certainly added to the attraction of dance and cheer for their daughter.
When they are not “being rural” as Kevin calls it, they have a real focus on art and travel. Lynn prefers figurative work while Kevin is focused upon contemporary work. “We take turns selecting the purchases so we get some balance,” Lynn said. As far as travel is concerned, they have determined that Florence, Italy, is their favorite destination so far. They have a trip to Sicily and the Greek Islands scheduled to take place in the near future.
Quite simply, Kevin and Lynn love the Park Cities. As Lynn puts it, “Even though I’ve moved around a lot, Dallas has always been home and always will be. We love the community here – from parades to the lighting of the Christmas tree and everything in between”.