Cultivating community
Imagine you’ve just moved to Maplewood and the couple next door greets you with freshly baked cupcakes and an open invitation to swim in their pool.
In an era when neighbors barely exchange more than a wave, John Knapp and his wife, Cathy, have built something rare and valuable – a true community. They have turned their home into a hub, connecting strangers, creating traditions and showing how small acts of kindness can weave neighbors together.
Their example is a roadmap to living a meaningful life. With an ever-expanding network of multigenerational friends, they dive into local events and activities. They are devoted to family. They make everyone feel special.
“John and I have spent so much time together in the last 30 years, he feels like the brother I never had,” says Ken Siegel. They have tackled everything from pool maintenance to home repair. Reflecting on countless shared moments, Ken says, “John can’t help being helpful.”
Need a lift to the doctor, train or airport? John is ready at the wheel. Need to borrow a folding table? It’s already halfway to your house. Having company? John would like to pull up a chair and make their acquaintance (especially if cake is involved).
“I started bringing things to John and Cathy as reciprocation for their generosity around welcoming us to the pool,” says Gail Haines, knowing how much they appreciate sweets or a nice meal. “And now, I just do it because I love them.”
In any given week, their kitchen counter might be stocked with neighborly treats. Next to Gail’s soup, you’ll find Treasure’s banana bread, Frank’s biscuits or Thibaut’s sourdough.
The Knapp’s sloping treelined block is reminiscent of simpler times when children roamed freely under the collective gaze of parents. These neighbors look out for each other, reach out to each other, keep spare keys and always have extra ingredients on hand – just in case. Good will spreads like the scent of barbecue drifting from one yard to the next.
From Beale Street to Wall Street to Maplewood
When Cathy Tucker met “Good Looking John Knapp #118” as he was known around her Wall Street office, their conversations about municipal bonds eventually became personal. In 1994, they bought a house together in Maplewood, drawn to its charm, proximity to family and welcoming vibe.
Cathy was a Jersey girl whose grandfather founded the C. Klein Real Estate and Insurance Company located in Maplewood Village in the 1920s. John, a Memphis native, grew up in a close-knit community. “We had a real sense of caring for each other and being part of a team,” John says. “There was always someone showing up for dinner.”
As a couple without children together, they knew that making new friends a bit later in life required effort, creativity and persistence. John was 57 years old, Cathy 41. “We wanted to be in an area where we could meet people, make friends and make a life with them,” says Cathy.
Their backyard wedding celebration was the first of many events they would host at their home (inviting neighbors they didn’t yet know well.) Although they only planned to stay in Maplewood five years, they quickly felt too attached to leave.
Over the years, Cathy became a successful real estate agent, and John – now retired – a neighborhood legend. (Ask him to tell you the story about the time he fired a young Memphis singer whose swiveling hips were too provocative for the school dance.)
A Masterclass in Making Plans
At 86, John manages a busy social calendar. He admits to still feeling like a kid on the inside, despite the wear and tear on his body. But he’s not slowing down.
John Meade can attest to that. On Thursdays, both Johns meet for lunch at the Reservoir with fellow octogenarians after their weekly tennis game, “exchanging giggles and trips down memory lane,” Meade says. As owner of St. James’s Gate where John Knapp is a fixture sipping beers or Irish coffee at the bar, Meade says, “I share John as a best friend with many others.”
Tuesday mornings, John hosts the Men’s Breakfast Club in his garage, a tradition relocated from the original Maple Leaf Diner. On a Friday, he might be at The Gate with the Maplewood Little Club ladies or celebrating someone’s birthday. If it’s poker night, he has a new joke to share.
“I like people. I like to be around people. In fact, I need to be around people,” John says with a tone of confession. “Understand that I am who I am because of all of you.”
The Pool Where It Happens
The Knapp’s backyard pool is summer headquarters where many neighborhood kids learned to swim and July Fourth fireworks are a ritual. “Ever since I can remember, John and Cathy have been the nucleus of our community,” says Max Siegel, now 32 years old. “They made growing up in Maplewood heaven on Earth for a kid.”
Max and his sister, Abby, were original ambassadors of “The First Splash,” an annual pool party the Knapps invented marking the last day of school. Today, new generations carry on the tradition, learning firsthand what it means to make everyone feel at home.
Although many pool owners dread casual drop-ins, the Knapps welcome them, within reason. Their only rules: ask first, bring something to share, kids need adult supervision, and no running. It works because their generosity is met with mutual respect.
Ilysse Rimalovski is eternally grateful to have raised her family in reciprocity with these neighbors who appreciate her cooking. With an MA in care and aging, she knows the value of living with people and purpose. Reach her at forilysse@icloud.com.
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