Sit down with Claire and Joe DelMonego for a few minutes, and it quickly becomes clear that retirement has only added to their long list of adventures.

Before careers, and college, and love, Claire rode her bicycle on the dirt paths and roads of Bay Point as it was being built into a community in 1968. “As children, we were free-range,” she recalled. “I lived in the second house ever built in Bay Point.” Her father, George Dowling, chose Bay Point to have unfettered access to the bay with his small sailboat. Claire, her mother, and her four siblings made fond memories growing up here.

Claire's father was an aquanaut and is featured in the exhibits of the Man in the Sea Museum in Panama City Beach. “He is one of the few civilians." George served in the U.S. Navy for a spell in addition to his long-time career in the Ocean Simulation Facility at the Naval Support Activity in Panama City. He was involved in all phases of SeaLab and was member of Team 2 for SeaLab II.

in 1975, Claire attended Gulf Coast Community College (now State College) where she met Joe, whose father was stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base. Joe and Claire married two years later and began their 48-year marriage adventure. They raised three children. “Eleanore was born in MS, Stefanie was born in England, and Anthony in South Africa,” said Joe. Their portraits are prominently displayed in the dining room. They’ve owned the Bay Point home on Barracuda Drive since 2004 in anticipation of retirement. “We wanted a good, safe, community,” said Claire.

After a six-year enlistment in the U.S. Air Force, Joe transitioned to working abroad as a civil servant for the U.S. Government. Claire later joined Joe in a similar career path, which made for hard work and various travels. “We lived in Frankfurt, England, South Africa, Greece, Czechoslovakia, and Guam,” said Joe. They may be the only ones in Bay Point to say they “lived behind the iron curtain.” South Africa was particularly favorable as an experience, and the DelMonegos dedicated their guest bedroom to it with artwork and décor. On the wall of Joe’s home office is a world map with push pins indicating their travels. The big pins are places they’ve lived and the many smaller pins indicate their travels. 

Having met numerous people professionally from all over the world, they found themselves visiting coworkers “like they were family members.” They now spend 60 percent of their time in Bay Point and the rest in New Mexico at their second home. They attend the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival every year. "The stunning views of 500 balloons and 100,000 people is awe inspiring," said Claire. 

Fully enjoying retirement, for Claire and Joe that means branching off into new endeavors. Since 2012, Claire has been singing around town with Panama City A Cappella Chorus. A four-part women's chorus, it is under the Area 6 of Harmony, Inc. “We will be providing singing telegrams, a rose and a box of candy for Valentine’s Day,” she said. They perform at civic and charitable organizations, private groups, churches, community events and fundraisers. 

Meanwhile, Joe has something brewing at home. Literally. He took up craft-beer making after his son bought a kit for beginners. Being the thoughtful husband, Joe spared Claire the aromas in their home after her request, and now the home brew is all done at his friend Mark’s. They make 80-100 gallons a season and give most of it away. “I like the social aspect of being with friends when brewing,” said Joe.

Still, traveling is their biggest hobby.  “We open our home to friends and family and they open their homes to us.”

For the DelMonego duo, having the wonderment of a child about adventure and life apparently keeps retirement exciting.