Editor’s Note: For our first story of this year, we are excited to introduce Megan and Jeff Walker. Their faith and purpose have guided their lives through many chapters and they continue to build their legacy as they move into retirement.
Share a little bit about your background and family.
Our story together began in 1989 while we were both working for Hyatt Hotels in Washington, D.C. Jeff worked in sales and Megan worked in catering sales, with offices just down the hall from one another. We shared common friends and a group beach house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where our relationship grew and we began dating. We were engaged and married in December of 1990 and have never looked back.
Megan was born and raised in Bexley, Ohio, while Jeff grew up in central Pennsylvania in the town of York. After their marriage, Megan left Hyatt to return to school, and Jeff became Director of Sales at the Hyatt in Bethesda. Their married life began in Germantown, Maryland, where their first daughter, Katie, was born in 1992. Just eight weeks later, they moved to Columbus, Ohio, ultimately returning to Bexley to raise their family. Jeff transitioned his career to join Megan’s father, Sam Powers, at his commercial real estate appraisal and consulting firm, serving as Marketing Director and launching a hotel appraisal division. Over the next eight years, Jeff and Megan welcomed three more daughters; Emily, Maggie, and Anna. Megan was blessed to stay home with the girls during their formative years, volunteering at their church and in the Bexley schools, while Jeff earned his MAI designation. In 2005, Jeff purchased US Realty Consultants from Sam Powers, leading the firm until its sale to three long term employees in 2019. Today, Jeff remains semi-retired while continuing to stay engaged in the work he loves. In 2015, Megan entered the real estate field by becoming a licensed residential real estate agent, joining her brother David, his wife Laura, and their son James at Cutler Real Estate. She continues to work part-time as a member of The Powers Group team, valuing the opportunity to serve clients while remaining closely connected to family and community.
The years have been richly blessed as their daughters grew and pursued their own paths. All four attended and graduated from college, Katie and Anna from 
Clemson University, Emily from the College of Charleston, and Maggie from the University of Dayton. Katie married Alex Marsh in 2019 and lives in Bexley with their children, Harper and Henry. Emily married Rio Barnes in March of 2025 and resides in Traverse City, where Rio serves in the Navy and Emily owns her own social media marketing company. Maggie is a physician assistant at Northwestern University Hospital in Chicago and is engaged to her college sweetheart, Jack Driscoll, with a wedding planned for this April. Jeff and Megan are especially proud that Anna has joined US Realty Consultants, following in Jeff’s footsteps as an appraiser, and will be moving back to Columbus from Charlotte this spring. Family, faith, and a deep sense of purpose have guided every chapter of their journey and continue to shape the legacy they are building together
What are you loving about this stage of your lives?
This season of life has invited us to slow down and be more intentional with our time, relationships, and priorities. Jeff especially appreciates that his daily focus has shifted from the constant demands of work to a more balanced perspective, allowing space for family, faith, and meaningful pursuits. With the ability to work somewhat remotely, we are grateful for the flexibility to spend time in places that we cherish; Florida and the Caribbean during the winter months and Leland, Michigan, in the summers while remaining rooted in Columbus. The slower pace has also allowed both of us to become more deeply involved in our church community. Jeff participates in men’s ministry, and Megan in women’s ministry, where she is currently discerning a call to spiritual direction. This season has affirmed for us the importance of presence, accompaniment, and investing in others. Time spent with our grandchildren, Harper and Henry, is among our greatest joys. Grandparenting holds special meaning for both of us, shaped by the influence of Megan’s grandmother and Jeff’s 
grandfather, who played formative roles in our own lives. We are intentional about creating traditions centered on cooking, crafting, faith, and joyful time together, with the hope of passing along values that will endure beyond us. We continue to appreciate our time in Columbus while also embracing opportunities to experience the wider world together. Travel has allowed us to learn, reflect, and grow, having visited Italy, Greece, France, Germany, Austria, and Prague over the past decade, with plans for other destinations ahead. This stage of life feels rooted in gratitude and guided by purpose, offering space to live with clarity about what matters most.
What advice would you share for people approaching and entering retirement?
Our advice for those entering retirement is to resist thinking of it as walking away from something and instead view it as entering a new and meaningful chapter. It is a season where responsibilities shift, not disappear; moving from the demands of providing for a growing family to caring for aging parents, supporting adult children and grandchildren, and discerning how best to use our time, gifts, and experience. Approaching this transition with intention allows space for both freedom and purpose.
Balance is essential in this chapter. Making time for family, community, and service is deeply rewarding, but so is learning to care for ourselves in ways that were often difficult during the years of raising children and building careers. Attending to our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being has become a priority; not only as individuals, but also as a couple. We believe God placed us together for a purpose, and faith continues to be an integral part of how we navigate this season, guiding our decisions and helping us remain centered as roles and rhythms change.
Above all, we try to remain grounded in gratitude. We are intentional about acknowledging our many blessings each day. While life has certainly included challenges, keeping gratitude at the forefront helps us remain joyful and present. Retirement, when embraced with openness, faith, and thankfulness, can become a season of deep fulfillment, growth, and meaningful connection.