Jul. 7—ROCHESTER — When Kelsey Scanlon Brettin and Jake Brettin were engaged, they excitedly shared the news with Grandma Jane Scanlon.
They made the familiar drive to Kelsey’s grandparents’ home near Silver Lake Park and showed off the ring. Grandma Jane had already decided Jake would be part of the family, even declaring she would adopt Jake if the two didn’t get engaged. The couple supported and cared for Grandma Jane and Grandpa Paul in their aging years.
“She was just a huge part of my life,” Kelsey said of her “very elegant and graceful” grandma. She described Paul as “reserved” and “just lovely.” Both Jane and Paul have died.
In the process of Grandma Jane moving to Charter House, she wondered: would the Brettins like to purchase her home? They decided to live on in the family home and later raise their children. While planning their wedding and honeymoon, they renovated the home, peeling off layers and layers of wallpaper and replacing the flooring.
“The house had not had any cosmetic updates since they had bought it … but that was in the 70s so it was a lot of like burnt orange shag carpets and carpets in bathrooms and lots of dark colors,” Kelsey said.
The Scanlons also had a home in Florida where they did renovations but “she never got her renovations in the Rochester house,” Kelsey said. After purchasing the home in 2013, Kelsey and Jake worked on renovations for about six months.
The 2,551-square-foot home at 949 Seventh Ave. NE includes three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Realtor Joe Sutherland of Counselor Realty said the home’s location is in a popular area close to Silver Lake and Quarry Hill. The home recently sold, and it was listed for $365,000.
While enjoying access to the trail around Silver Lake, Kelsey loved having her grandparents close by for a quick bike ride, and treats like strawberries and ice cream, as a child. On their afternoon bike rides Jane and Paul would pack themselves a mid-biking refreshment: a Mountain Dew. They shared a can and Kelsey had her own can.
Now, the Brettins’ children ride their bikes to Kelsey’s parents’, Maggie and Paul Scanlon, home across from the Mayo Civic Center. After purchasing a home that was accessible for her parents down the road from the Silver Lake home, the Brettins’ next home will offer Maggie and Paul aging in place with the care of family.
“They had a huge raspberry patch and so it was always one for the bucket, two for me,” Kelsey said.
Jane made raspberry jam, raspberry puree and froze raspberries in a syrup. The delectable creations were smothered on any possible treat, including cereal. Kelsey said “she was always cooking and she was an amazing cook.”
They shared meals and desserts in weekly family dinners, which Maggie later started having in their home. Jane’s recipes weren’t a secret, rather she cooked up a 90-plus page cookbook with Kelsey’s help. The unpublished cookbook, her first journey in learning Microsoft Word, is becoming a “lasting family heirloom.” Several of their favorite recipes come simply from muscle memory.
“We did a lot of family meals,” Kelsey said. “We usually hosted most of the … extended family meals. My grandmother’s big birthday parties where we would have everybody come from everywhere.”
As cooks, Kelsey and Jake love relaxing with food simmering on the stove or pancakes bubbling on the griddle. The smaller galley kitchen also has a breakfast or coffee nook area. About once a week their daughter Kinsley cooks for the family with her parents as sous chefs.
Their family also enjoys the three-season porch and backyard. The backyard, where the raspberry patches once grew, became a treasured spot for family dinners around a table built by Jake and seats around the firepit.
Sutherland said the parks, fishing and trails “matches a lot of outdoor activities for a lot of people.” There are three access points to the trail, Kelsey said, with the Silver Lake Loop across the street in the backyard.
“It’s just an amazing view of a quarter of an acre a lot at that location that overlooks not only Silver Lake but it all also looks at the skyline and the city of Rochester,” Sutherland said.