One June 2013 Award Home was a Dream Come True

Clarann Bengs seems to live in a world that revolves around Southwood Park.  She recalls growing up on Fairfield Avenue and attending South Side High School, where it was everyone’s goal to buy a house in Southwood Park… even better if it was on the west side of Old Mill Road.In 1978, Clarann and her husband Bill bought their 2-story partial-brick house at 1233 Sunset Drive, and moved a whopping 10 blocks from Clarann’s childhood home on Fairfield.  At the time, they were the youngest residents in the area, but Clarann guesses 35 years later, the opposite is probably true.In that 35 years, they haven’t had to do much to keep up their home; the interior was very well done when they moved in.  It has always been Clarann’s job to plan the flowers out front, and Bill’s job to keep them watered.  Sadly, Bill passed away about a month ago, but Clarann seems determined to keep things looking nice.  She recently had their irrigation system reconfigured so she can continue planting annuals without worrying about watering them (one of her least favorite tasks).Overall, Clarann says she loves Southwood Park because it’s a beautiful area that has held its value through the years.  She has watched the neighbors come and go, but loves that everyone seems to be connected to everyone else.  She says, “If you live in Fort Wayne long enough, you’ll meet someone who’s married to someone you went to school with.”--Kelly Benton