Returning to Reston

Reston is now approaching middle age.  Young Reston parents in 1964 may now have grandchildren.  Did their children—the second generation Restonians—grow up and leave Reston?  Reston Patch asked around, and it turns out that many of the second generation either stayed or returned to raise the third generation.  

This is an ongoing series called Generations: Reston from  1964 to 2010.

When Karen Rose Loehr left  Reston  in 1985, little did she know that 25 years later her kids, Maya and Jacob, would be roaming the same Reston paths, visiting the Lake Anne Pharmacy for candy and jumping in the Lake Anne fountain.

Karen's parents, Jim and Jo Ann Rose, moved to Reston in 1976 for a job. 

"My dad was shocked by the Northern Virginia prices and he was excited by Reston's Planned Community concept plus the house prices seemed better to him," Loehr said.

 Karen spent her junior and high school years at Herndon Middle and High, as South Lakes High School was not yet built.

 Now fast forward to 1995.  Karen and her husband, Dan Loehr, were living in an one-bedroom condo in Washington, DC.  But baby Maya's arrival made for cramped quarters.

Jo Ann Rose, the new grandmother, called from Reston.

"The Byrtles [ family] plan to move-- why don't you look at their townhouse?" she said. Three days later Karen and Dan were Reston homeowners, officially second- generation Restonians.

When Karen's younger sister, Susan Rose, who moved back to Reston soon thereafter to be closer to family, first saw Karen's new home, she said "It was the house where we had Campfire  Girl meetings."

 "It was what we could afford; it was pleasant," said Loehr.  "We had no idea how great it would be." 

"Everything we need is in Reston," added Dan Loehr.  "People ask us why don't you go to Wegmans?  Why don't you go to Costco?  I say, 'because we'd have to leave Reston.' "

 Susan and Karen remember when that was not an option.   "There were no traffic lights when we came.  No Reston Town Center.

 "To go to the movies we took the bus to Tyson's," said Susan Rose.    

Jake and Maya Loher, ages 13, and 15, love living in Reston. 

"I don't have to beg my mom and dad for a ride to Reston Town Center, said Maya.  "When I want to go I just walk out the door." 

"I like the pools and the paths," said Jacob.

Funny, it was an echo of what Aunt Susan and their Mom said about their favorite Reston memories from the 1970s.  Some things don't change.

Jo Ann and Jim Rose spent many happy times in Reston.  She studied law, she was an artist and they had a huge network of friends.  Jim Rose was the co-founder of the Difficult Run Jazz Band.   Jo Ann and Jim passed away in 1998 and in 2009, respectively.

  One of her lasting legacies is the Lake Anne Community Center Jo Ann Rose Art Gallery, which she championed. 

 Will the third generation stay?  "I could see myself living here," Maya Loehr said.

Are you, or do you know a Reston pioneer or a second-generation Restonian? Let us know,  and we will feature your story. Email Reston Patch editor Karen Goff at kareng@patch.com or Contributor Elizabeth Vandenburg at evandenburg@verizon.net.