To thine own self be true, is a quote of wisdom attributed to Shakespeare. Sherry and Alex Preston prescribe to the same philosophy. As Alex says, “we like what we like” about their shared interests and passions.
By Cheryl Van Tuyl Jividen :: Photography by Mark Humphries
One shared passion is for solid, liver-colored German Short-haired Pointers. “We don’t have children but have kids with fur. They don’t talk back!” laughs Sherry. Their first was named Smith and Wesson and called Smith, who sadly they lost just recently at 15 years of age. Enamored with the breed and hue, a few years after adopting Smith, they acquired another puppy, Jones of Park called Jones, whom was lost to cancer. Now Remington, called Remi, is the newest pup. At three years old, Remi has firmly positioned herself in the Preston family and in the hearts of everyone else she meets.
Sherry and Alex first met at an aerobics class in Houston in 1986. At the time, nether were interested in a commitment. Years passed, and along the way, the couple reconnected and ultimately married in Maui in 1995.
Sherry, a Dallas native, moved to Houston in the late 70s to change colleges and majors, ultimately obtaining a B.S. in Business Technology from the University of Houston. Her accounting career took her to banking jobs and internal auditing for oil and gas companies. Lastly, she became an assistant vice president at Washington Mutual before retiring over a decade ago.
Growing up in Michigan racing motorcycles, skiing and playing competitive tennis, Alex got to Houston around the same time as Sherry, following graduation from Michigan State with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He began his career at Conoco but soon started his own worldwide, executive search firm for the exploration and production sector, called The Energists. Alex sold the company in 2015 but continues to work on selective searches at the requests of clients.
Alex, who has skied for a remarkable 60 years, led the couple to look for a second home in Colorado — a search that would span three years. Beaver Creek, among others, was eliminated because of the crowds. Then a chance encounter in Lake Tahoe with a fellow Houstonian pointed them to Cordillera, Colorado near Vail. “We liked the community’s infrastructure and access to three championship golf courses,” says Alex. For 21 years now, the Prestons have spent four to six months each year of extended summers in their Colorado home.
For as much time as they spend on the slopes, they’ve also spent on the links. The avid golfers have traveled the world playing top courses from Ireland to New Zealand, just to name a few. They began to compete in individual and couples’ tournaments across the U.S. and have amassed a trophy collection that, for those who know the couple, rivals Alex’s equally large collection of golf shoes!
So, was it a coincidence or destiny that drew Sherry to a Women’s Member-Guest tournament in Cordillera Ranch five years ago? Whatever the reason, the draw was immediate. “I felt like I was home right away. Everyone was so warm and welcoming,” says Sherry, adding, “After more than 40 years of living in Houston, we were seeking a new location that met our needs and Cordillera Ranch fit those needs perfectly.” Alex agrees, saying, “We were looking for a place that was akin to Cordillera, Colorado.”
It was easy for them to recognize they liked what they saw, and apparently so did everyone else. They immediately purchased a lot with plans to relocate from Houston eventually. Shortly after, they received an offer they couldn’t refuse and sold their lot. Another lot was purchased and, again, it caught the eye of a buyer, so the Prestons acquired their third and final lot.
Sherry and Alex relish the opportunity to design and build custom homes and, on their lot, they built their fifth, choosing Garner Homes as their builder. Alex says, “We really enjoy the process of designing homes that are a bit outside the box. This time we could depart in the style and design from our Tuscan-Mediterranean-mountain home in Colorado.” And they did, with a transitional home that blends modern design aesthetics with traditional Hill Country materials. Their Texas home is also the perfect backdrop for their extensive art collection that the two have amassed from their travels and personal interests. Self-proclaimed ‘art gallery junkies,’ their pieces range from paintings to sculpture and encompass an eclectic assemblage of mediums, genre and origins.
Splitting their time between the two Cordilleras has been a dream. “They are similar to each other in their natural beauty, the club operations, people and community,” says Alex.
Life at Cordillera Ranch has been a great fit. They participate in a wine group learning about various wines to add to their collection, but they lean to their favorite varietals and brands, again citing, “we like what we like.” Both enjoy cooking and throwing spontaneous dinner parties. And when they aren’t on the golf course, they can be found enjoying the view from their home patio situated on the second hole — a favorite place to sip and read.
As for the future, they have plans. In addition to obtaining their concealed handgun licenses, they want to learn to shoot sporting clays on the Club’s 10-station sporting clays course. They are eager to travel to Southeast Asia, as they are both exploring and mastering the regional cuisines. Sherry is excited to add a bocce ball court to their property and, of course, there are so many golf courses and so little time.
But first, they want to grow their canine family. “We’re looking to get Remi a brother or sister soon,” says Sherry. No doubt the sibling will be a liver-colored, German Short-haired Pointer — it’s what they like.
