by The Good Life Park Cities | Jun 9, 2025 | Uncategorized
By Sarah Mitchell
Bonnie Wheeler, originally from Boston, has had a long and distinguished career at SMU, where she’s taught for 50 years. She was recruited to SMU in 1975 after teaching at Columbia University in New York City. This fall, she’ll celebrate her remarkable 50-year SMU milestone, with no sign of slowing down. She came to Dallas with her husband, Jeremy duQuesnay Adams, another scholar of the Middle Ages. Now widowed, she’s lived on the same street all these years in a house that is celebrating its one-hundredth birthday.
Bonnie‘s journey in Dallas was fulfilling on many levels. “Our daughter had a wonderful education at the Highland Park schools,” she said, as did her nieces who also grew up in the Park Cities. Bonnie believes the Park Cities school system provides an unusually solid foundation for students. “Whatever students do in the future will be due in large measure to their background with passionate teachers who have expertise in their subjects. I’ve always thought that the greatest boon for the Park Cities is that we have a school system that has the solid support of the community and insists upon retaining the highest quality of teachers.”
Bonnie’s step-daughter Constance Adams, after graduating with a degree in architecture from Yale and her undergraduate degree from Harvard, went on to work in Japan and Berlin before eventually working for NASA. She always claimed that HPHS provided her best education. Sadly, Constance passed away from cancer, but Bonnie now has two adored granddaughters in Houston.
After fifty years in Dallas, Bonnie feels fortunate. For fun, she authored a book about the 3400-block of University Boulevard that began as a simple scanning experiment but turned into a two-year oral history study, the first known study of a single block in the USA. “It started out as a project that I thought would take me a weekend,” she explained. She wanted to learn how to scan documents early in the days of computer technology, specifically to create a collection of photos from the original families of her block. This project evolved into a massive effort, where Bonnie and friends (including architectural historian Virginia McAlester) managed to contact all living original homeowners from her block in order to collect stories and histories about their lives and the architecture of their homes.
Bonnie’s interest in medieval studies began in graduate school, where she initially planned to work in contemporary drama. “I took the one class offered in contemporary drama but then decided to get ahead of requirements by getting rid of medieval courses. “I expected these to be boring, but they were riveting. By the end of that semester, I realized that the thousand years of global medieval literature hadn’t been adequately studied with the tools of contemporary scholarship,” she recalled. In addition to her own scholarship (11 academic books), she is also editor of a very successful book series, The New Middle Ages, which now has more that 250 books in print, many dedicated to studies of medieval women. Wheeler has been gifted with two festschrifts, which are collections of essays in her honor offered by colleagues around the world. Just this spring, Bonnie was cited in the hundredth-anniversary issue of the primary international journal in medieval studies as “indefatigable in cultivating and fiercely defending the thought and work of so many early career folk, many of whom were doing risky and theoretically daring work; she modeled a feminism in action that is rare in the field.”
She has herself published 11 academic books on medieval subjects. One of her most significant scholarly contributions is her work on Joan of Arc. “Because of her terrible trials, all her life records are still available,” Bonnie explained. “When you start reading those amazing records, you understand why Mark Twain said that his favorite work was his study of Joan of Arc.”
Bonnie’s time at SMU has revolved around her passion for medieval literature and history. Her special expertise lies in Arthurian literature–the chivalric legendary of King Arthur and the Round Table, with its political and social reverberations. Dante and Chaucer are also never far from her mind. “I learn something new every time I teach this literature.” she said, “My students always bring fresh insights.” Bonnie’s teaching has not been limited to the classroom: Her life overflows with university connections. Over the years, she’s developed academic and international programs and taken students and fellow faculty on trips to medieval sites across the world, including Jerusalem, Paris, Rome and Florence. This year, her students dedicated their spring break to studying medieval Barcelona. Mostly, however, her home close to campus is a welcoming site of frequent student conversations and events.
Bonnie is the founder of Arthuriana, the first peer-reviewed journal dedicated to Arthurian studies, which she edited from 1994 to 2009. In addition to her numerous articles on medieval literature in Latin, English, French, and Japanese, she has edited or co-authored eleven peer-reviewed books of essays. She has also received SMU’s Outstanding Teacher Award six times and was honored with the Phi Beta Kappa Perrine Prize for excellence in scholarship and teaching. This spring, SMU gave her its “Literati Award.”
Bonnie also fondly remembers working alongside her husband, who specialized in early medieval studies. “It was such a pleasure that Jeremy and I taught in the same general field,” she said. “He did the early Middle Ages, I did the later Middle Ages, but we taught classes together.” For them, teaching wasn’t just about imparting knowledge; it was about introducing students to important issues and encouraging them to think critically and be deeply engaged in their worlds.
When not immersed in teaching or research, Bonnie enjoys spending time with friends and family. “I have an extended family, and I love spending time with them,” she said. Bonnie finds joy in watching her granddaughters grow into independent young women and is also impressed by the cultural offerings of Dallas. “I love city life. I love things like the Undermain Theater here in Dallas. They do vital work.”
Bonnie also emphasized the importance of staying connected with younger people. “I learn so much from younger people. I don’t feel as if I’m always teaching them. I feel much of the time that they’re teaching me,” she said. “But I also worry about their lives and futures. And I’m \concerned about doing what I can do to help improve their lives.” For Bonnie, listening is one of the most important ways she can offer support. “The biggest learning challenge for all of us is to how to be a better listener.”
Looking back on her own life, Bonnie feels fortunate to still be in touch with her teachers from the past. “I’m so lucky that I have teachers who are still alive. At the end of this spring term, I get to go work with my most important teacher, a Quaker scholar who retired to Asheville, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Bonnie has deep affection for the Park Cities neighborhood where she has lived for many years. “All houses, especially old houses, require constant care. We should all participate in the Park Cities Historical Society I’ve been lucky to work with great architects like Craig Melde, and contractors like Dan McKeithen, to update my home while maintaining its historic character. I’ve delighted in working with Amy Bartell of Studio One to reinvent my landscaping.” She cares about maintaining our sense of community and making sure that everyone, including those in need, is supported. “I care a lot about making sure that our neighborhood remains committed to certain values—how well we treat each other, how well we memorialize our past, and how committed we are to the public good,” she shared. “It’s a great place to live!”
by The Good Life Park Cities | May 2, 2025 | Uncategorized
Lucinda Buford, originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, arrived in the Park Cities in 1990 after finishing college. In 1989, she had traveled to Dallas for a wedding where she sat next to a stranger who would become her future husband. She attended Rhodes College in Memphis because of its beautiful setting, close community, and rich history that bridged past and present. She studied psychology, which she credits with helping her understand how different personalities react to stress and decision-making—an invaluable skill in her real estate career.
Lucinda’s husband, Barry, began building homes in Preston Hollow in 1998 and has continued steadily ever since. Before entering real estate, Lucinda worked in corporate training. After she and Barry had twins, she stayed home for a decade and assisted him in starting a home-building company. She eventually got her real estate license to help locate lots for his projects. “I would push my babies around the neighborhood, talking to people who might want to sell their lots,” she recalls. “I also saw listings in the newspaper and told friends, ‘Hey, this is the kind of house you’re looking for,’ and they ended up buying. It dawned on me I could do this professionally.” As her children grew older, she officially launched her real estate career in 2008. Having lived in University Park, Preston Hollow, and now Highland Park, she is able to bring firsthand knowledge of the area’s history. She has also handled transactions in Frisco, Plano, East Dallas, and other parts of North Texas.
Today, Barry and Lucinda’s twins are 27 years old. Their son, Harrison, graduated from Dallas Baptist University and now works for Gartner Consulting, and their daughter, Anna, went to Amherst College in Massachusetts and is currently in her fourth year of medical school at UT Southwestern. Anna’s husband, Luke Nguyen, works as an attorney for Haynes Boone.
Lucinda and Barry often take quick getaways to Santa Fe and plan more extensive trips to Italy when possible. They have traveled as a family to France, Italy, and Mexico, and have a trip scheduled this month to Gasparilla Island off the west coast of Florida. Locally, you can find them at the Dallas Arboretum wandering the gardens or at a Cool Thursdays concert, or you might see them at a baseball game cheering on the Texas Rangers.
Volunteering is also important to them, and they are involved with The Magdalen House, a recovery center for women struggling with alcoholism. “We really felt there was a need for men’s programming, too, and pushed to make it happen in 2024,” Lucinda explained.
The couple share their home with Gus, a Bichon who joins them on the Katy Trail most Saturdays. In addition to walking the trail, you can also find Lucinda donating her time to Preservation Park Cities. In 2008 when they purchased their current home, they were living in a house Barry built in University Park, assuming it would be their forever home. One day, Barry took a wrong-turn down Versailles Avenue, saw a for-sale sign, and the couple decided to buy the property despite its many issues. On neighbors’ advice, Lucinda got involved with Preservation Park Cities, serving on the board and eventually as president in 2017. That same year, their renovated home received historic landmark status. “I love the sense of community that comes from everyone working together to benefit the neighborhood,” she says.
She refers to the Park Cities as “a small town within a big city,” offering a tight-knit community alongside easy access to all that Dallas has to offer. “It’s an incredible place to be close to everything you might want in a vibrant urban area, yet still benefit from services like cross-trained medical, police, and fire departments. And about 33 percent of the real estate here is devoted to green spaces.” Lucinda’s familiarity with every pocket of the Park Cities allows her to anticipate each client’s unique needs. “Every area here has its own rhythm and vibe,” she explained. She believes that talking early in the search process helps match clients with places that suit their lifestyles perfectly. “It’s not only about price per square foot,” she said. “It’s about the life you’ll live, and I can speak to that from different vantage points in these communities.”
by The Good Life Park Cities | Apr 2, 2025 | Uncategorized
Though neither are originally from the area, Ed Le Cara and Copper Dallas both eventually found their way to Texas. Copper is originally from small town in south Georgia who made her way to the University of Georgia where she studied Marketing and Advertising. During her college years, she interned each summer with Quincy Jones in California, an experience that led her to move to Los Angeles at the age of 22 after graduation. While working for Quincy Jones, she was fortunate enough to attend many industry events which led to her career desires changing from music publishing to event producing. After college, she secured a position in event producing. After a few years she took on the role as Director of the company and worked her way to becoming the Vice President of the company. She spent 12 years in Los Angeles with the same company planning Grammy events, industry events, red-carpet occasions, and even organizing celebrity birthday parties.
While she found success in LA, Copper had two small children and felt Dallas, TX, offered a better quality of life and environment for her family. In 2013, she made the move, bringing with her a strong background in marketing and sales and a desire to put down roots in a more family-friendly setting.
Ed grew up in Danville, CA, just outside San Francisco, and excelled in athletics. He was a nine-letter athlete in high school and was inducted into his school’s Hall of Fame for wrestling, football, and track. “I was wrestling D1 at the University of California, Davis, but tore three out of four ligaments in my knee,” he said. “I needed surgery, but that would cost me my senior season of eligibility.” As a combat medic in the Army Reserve, he sought the advice of various physicians. “Someone brought up avoiding surgery and focusing on strengthening the knee to see if I could return to the mat.” He took a conservative approach, rehabilitated his injury, and discovered he was able to get back on the mat within four months. This experience sparked his interest in alternative medicine with a focus in strength and conditioning.
After graduating with a degree in exercise physiology and a minor in nutrition, Ed worked in a Bay Area practice for 14 years and also spent two days a week at the Veterans Administration Hospital. He began consulting for 24 Hour Fitness, helping members get healthier through exercise and diet and writing content for their members and trainers. One day, the company’s CEO asked, “What would it take for you to join us full-time on our executive team?” He decided to take that chance, but not long after, the board of directors shifted gears. In March of 2013, Ed and 27 other executives were let go. Having already sold his practice and leaving the hospital, he was subject to a non-compete clause in the Bay Area, which led him to Dallas. There, he started a joint practice with a professional connection and began establishing himself in a new community.
Copper and Ed met at a CrossFit gym in Dallas, where they both attended a 6:30 a.m. class. “Our 6:30 a.m. class became friends, and Ed treated me for a condition I had at the time,” said Copper. “I went in to see Ed, and my symptoms were gone after two visits.” Ed later moved to Colorado, but when Copper heard he was looking to return to Dallas, she reached out to share her idea and dream of opening an aesthetics wellness clinic. They agreed to partner and opened Body Lounge Park Cities. Over time, their working partnership grew and evolved into a personal relationship as well.
Copper has two children: Hudson, a freshman at Highland Park who plays football and runs track, and Hazel, a seventh grader at Highland Park Middle School who loves musical theater and cheer. “Hudson is an easy-going and really kind young man,” said Copper. “Hazel is sweet and feisty, just like her mom, and the two of them are very close.”
At Body Lounge, Ed and Copper emphasize a community atmosphere. “We wanted to create an environment that was friendly but on the cutting edge of wellness and aesthetic services,” they shared. “When you come in, you will see one if not both owners, something that differentiates us from our competitors. We have a higher level of accountability with us being here, and we consider our patients our friends. We always look for the next best thing to help people feel better, look better, and move better.” Their services range from regenerative medicine, hormone therapies, and peptide treatments to physical recovery options such as chiropractic care and rehab, along with aesthetic services including injectables, peels, and laser hair removal.
Ed and Copper enjoy traveling as their favorite hobby, frequently visiting Colorado, California, Georgia, and Florida. Their favorite international destination is Italy, specifically the Amalfi Coast and Rome. Looking ahead, they have a trip to the BVI’s and London with the kids. Staying local, they often visit Dunston’s Steakhouse or Shinsei. And though they love travel, they love just chilling together at home.
Ed and Copper’s journey shows how two people from different parts of the country can find common ground in Dallas. Surrounded by friendly neighborhoods and new adventures, they continue to grow together, always making time for laughter, travel, and simply enjoying each other’s company.
by The Good Life Park Cities | Mar 4, 2025 | Uncategorized
Leigh grew up in Dallas, attending Highland Park High School before going on to Vanderbilt for college. Ross is originally from Boston and studied at Colgate. The two met in Tennessee while Leigh was in graduate school and Ross was working. After getting married, they moved to Boston for seven and a half years and had two children. In 2011, they decided to relocate to Dallas to be closer to Leigh’s family, and in 2013, their third child was born.
They loved the Park Cities, so the choice to move to the area was easy. “When we moved here, we were able to meet friends so quickly,” Ross said. “There is an abundance of good people who look out for each other. Everyone is connected, and there’s always something fun to do.”
While raising their three kids, Carter, Ashley, and Campbell, Leigh worked as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner and Ross worked in strategy and operations consulting. Then in 2020, a local client Ross was serving wanted to develop a joint venture in Dubai, and Ross helped negotiate the deal. When the opportunity arose for Ross to continue helping in Dubai, Leigh was excited to go, but their kids—then ages 12, 10, and 8—were more hesitant. Despite some initial reluctance, they packed up and began an adventure that was supposed to last two years. However, when Ross’s assignment ended, they chose to stay an extra year. By then, their son was about to start high school, so they decided it was time to return to Highland Park—and they even moved back into their same home.
While in Dubai, the children attended Dubai American Academy (DAA), where they interacted daily with classmates and teammates from around the world. “By the end, the kids were quite happy,” Leigh said, “and the girls especially had a tough time leaving.”
During their time in Dubai, the Pattens were able to visit many remarkable places. They went on an African safari in Tanzania, visited the pyramids in Egypt, and took a trip to Jordan, where they experienced Petra, one of the seven man-made wonders of the world. In total, they visited 18 countries. “The people of Jordan were fantastic and very welcoming, and the terrain was fascinating. It was one of our favorite places,” Ross said.
Their children also had the chance to travel internationally on their own with their school. Carter went to Nepal one year and Finland the next, while Ashley took a trip to Sri Lanka. Because of Ashley’s soccer schedule, they traveled to tournaments in Singapore, Qatar, and Sweden, as well.
While the travel opportunities were wonderful for the Pattens, Dubai had a lot to offer as well. One of their most favorite things to do was to have weekend barbecues in the Dubai deserts with friends.
Leigh shared, “It was tough to move, but we felt it was a good shakeup for our family during COVID. We’re proud of the kids’ resiliency and ultimately their willingness to meet new people and try new things.”
Since returning from Dubai in late June, the family has enjoyed getting back to some of their old routines. “We’ve had a great time reconnecting with our family and old friends,” Leigh said. “Since the kids are in different schools from before, they are also meeting new friends from around the community, which is great”
Carter is playing football and running track at the high school, Ashley continues to play competitive soccer, and Campbell is a dancer.
Back in the United States, the Pattens enjoy visiting Colorado for ski trips, where Leigh’s parents have a home. Now, they hope to explore skiing in Europe and have plans to travel there this summer to reconnect with friends they met in Dubai. “We want to continue to expand our horizons, and the kids have global relationships they want to maintain,” Leigh said.
Faith plays a significant role in the Pattens’ lives. They attend Highland Park United Methodist Church, where Ross and Leigh were married. “Moving to a Muslim country, we didn’t know what to expect regarding religion,” Leigh said. “We really wanted the kids to continue going to church, and we ended up finding Fellowship Dubai which quickly became our church home. We met some wonderful people with whom we could continue to celebrate Christian celebrations like Christmas and Easter.” According to Leigh, churches in Dubai need to secure periodic approval to maintain operation and usually operate out of hotels or empty office buildings as they currently cannot be standalone buildings. During their time abroad, the Pattens’ faith grew stronger, and they were fortunate to visit the location where Jesus was baptized.
“Our time in Dubai was a fantastic experience, and we were exposed to so many other cultures,” Ross said. “We feel there are a lot of preconceived notions about the Middle East that aren’t accurate. The culture is very different, but everyone was so welcoming, and they enjoyed teaching us about their lives and learning about ours.”
“Even with such a positive experience, our plan all along was to come back to the Park Cities, a place we’re happy to call home.”
by The Good Life Park Cities | Feb 4, 2025 | Uncategorized
David Peacock’s journey to Dallas began in 1992 when he moved from his hometown of Charlotte to attend SMU. His roommate at the time was dating Laurie’s best friend, and through this connection, David met Laurie. By the time they both graduated in 1996—David with a degree in business and Laurie with a law degree—they had become a couple. Now, nearly three decades later, the Peacocks have three grown children and continue to enjoy life in the Park Cities.
Laurie’s story is a bit different. Born in Jackson, she moved to Dallas when she was about five years old. Her early education was in private schools until her family settled in the Park Cities, where she attended Highland Park, graduating in 1988. Laurie went on to have a successful career as an insurance defense attorney, but when their youngest child was born, she shifted her focus to family life. Together, David and Laurie have seen their children grow up in the same community, all of them attending Highland Park schools for most of their lives. “We love the Park Cities. We have no plans to leave,” Laurie said.
Their three children, William, Robert, and Anne Blanche, have each found their own paths, but their upbringing in the area has played a significant role in shaping their futures. William, the oldest, attended private schools before switching to University Park for elementary, eventually graduating from Highland Park High School in 2018. He then attended Miami University in Ohio where he earned a finance degree in 2022. “After graduation, I was looking for a change of scenery,” William explained. “While I loved my four years in Oxford, Ohio, I realized I wanted to be back in Dallas for career opportunities.” Today, William works as an analyst for Swift Creek Partners and enjoys spending time with his girlfriend, Natalie Arns, a St. Louis native. They met when each moved here after college through a mutual friend who was an HP classmate of William’s and a college friend of Natalie’s. William also enjoys playing golf. He, his father, and brother Robert have a weekly golf game. Robert, the middle child, was involved in sports at Highland Park, playing on the golf team and basketball team at times. After graduating from Highland Park in 2020, he attended the University of Arkansas. Robert played on the Arkansas club golf team winning several tournaments. He graduated in May and is now pursuing a career in professional golf. “I caddy at Trinity Forest to make extra money and work on my golf game with my coach, Randy Smith, most days.” He is looking forward to playing in several upcoming tournaments and continuing the grind. He also enjoys spending time with his girlfriend Kennedy, a junior at SMU. Anne Blanche, the youngest, attended University Park elementary, then Hockaday for three years, before transferring back to Highland Park, graduating in 2023. She loved her time at Highland Park where she was active in numerous organizations and played soccer all four years. She is now a sophomore at UT Austin, majoring in kinesiology/sports management. “I did a summer program at the London School of Economics last year and loved the experience,” she said. “I hope to study abroad again next year.” She is now interning as a social media coordinator for Sandlot Children’s Charity.
As a family, the Peacocks have enjoyed several memorable vacations, with London during the holiday season in 2021 being a family favorite. “It was such a unique trip because of Covid,” William recalled. “The hotel was only about 20% full, and it felt like we had the city to ourselves.” David, William and Robert also traveled to Newcastle to watch a Manchester City football game. Outside of their London adventures, the Peacocks also have a family home in Monteagle, Tennessee. “My grandfather was Baptist preacher who grew up not far from there,” shared Laurie. “It is this connection to the area that led my father’s family to visit Monteagle each summer after buying a small cottage there in 1947. And now their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren continue the tradition each summer.”
Locally, the Peacocks enjoy several restaurants, including Hillstone, il Bracco, Burger House, and Mi Cocina. However, Anne Blanche shared that her mom’s cooking is equally amazing. “We eat at home more often than we go out, and my mom’s lasagna is my favorite meal,” she said.
David, who is the CEO of Messick Peacock and Associates, a wealth management company, also serves on the board of Forefront Living Foundation and the Texas Business Hall of Fame. The family is also involved with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra League. Laurie was a symphony debutante, and her mother was active with fundraising for the DSOL for many years. In addition, Robert participated in the Honor Guard last year, and Anne Blanche was recently invited to participate as a debutante where she has been able to reconnect with friends from Hockaday and form new friendships as well.
In the end, the Peacocks are perfectly content with where life has taken them. They appreciate their family bond, the comfort of a home-cooked meal, and the chance to keep exploring the world together.
