Sandra Petry’s life has been anything but ordinary. From waitressing to selling high-end women’s clothing to designing closets to reporting the news, she has adventured well and now calls the Bradley House, here in Littleton, home.
Sandra’s fascinating journey begins with her growing up right here in Littleton and she spent a significant amount of time in California where she worked as a reporter with a Korean newspaper in Los Angeles.
Her eyes twinkle as she recalls her favorite interviews ranging from the Romanian Ambassador to US to officials who talked on, and off, the record about alien sightings in Roswell, New Mexico. She said, “I was sent on assignments – any wild thing you can think of!”
But Sandra’s true passion was interior design and she soon went on to designing closets for the “rich and famous” in Hollywood. “One house had a closet with 300 pairs of shoes,” she remembers. “It was a unique adventure.”
Sandra loved California and being near the ocean but concerns about earthquakes, coupled with her adult children living in Colorado, lured her back. She continued to pursue her passion in interior design by working at Kacey Fine Furniture in Littleton where she was a leading sales representative.
“My rent in Littleton was sky-rocketing and I knew I had to investigate housing options run by public housing authorities for seniors.”
It was from her last sales job, working for a spa, that she was laid off. She had been in 2 car accidents that caused physical limitations. The lay-off and the fact that she couldn’t stand for long on her feet limited the jobs she could pursue. This was further exacerbated by being in her 60’s and Sandra believes she experienced considerable age discrimination during her job search.
Sandra explains, “My rent in Littleton was sky-rocketing and I knew I had to investigate housing options run by public housing authorities for seniors. My name finally came up on the wait list for Bradley House. When I came to look at the apartment, it was so beautiful.”
Bradley House is the oldest subsidized senior housing community, a part of South Metro Housing Options (SMHO).
Sandra’s 5th floor apartment in the 7-story Bradley House has a spectacular view of the Front Range. She says exuberantly, “I never had an apartment where I could watch the sunsets. I love fireworks and, on July 4th, I can sit on my balcony and watch all of the fireworks from south to north.”
This cozy apartment reflects her love of interior decorating and is filled with photos of her children and grandchildren. She has become friends with many of her neighbors and she enjoys working in the Bradley House garden. “Oh, and I love the elevator. This is the first apartment building that I’ve lived in with an elevator, seniors need elevators.”
“Oh, and I love the elevator. This is the first apartment building that I’ve lived in with an elevator, seniors need elevators.”
After living at Bradley House for a few years, SMHO management approached her about being the resident representative on the SMHO Board of Commissioners where she since has served for 4 years. She brings a valuable perspective to that board: she is not only a SMHO resident but the change in her financial circumstances that led her to seek an apartment at Bradley House are experienced by millions of seniors throughout the country.
Sandra’s customer service skills are put to use at Bradley House where she is often sought out by other residents to mediate issues with SMHO managers. “We can always work out a solution by being calm and diplomatic,” she says.
Sandra Petry describes herself as a creative person and spends a great deal of her spare time painting in acrylic and recently wrote and self-published a children’s book. But she always has time for her children and grandchildren.