Some people collect souvenirs from their travels.
Ellen Franks collected experiences.
Over the course of eight decades, Ellen has sailed tall ships, crossed continents, completed Route 66 in a vintage travel trailer, participated in medical missions, worked in hospitals across multiple states, and visited all seven continents. Along the way, she built a life defined by curiosity, independence, and a willingness to say "yes" when opportunity came knocking.
That spirit continues today at GreenFields of Geneva, where Ellen has found a community that supports the active lifestyle she values while providing the security and peace of mind that come with a continuing care retirement community.
A Lifetime of Saying Yes
Ellen traces her adventurous outlook to a piece of advice she received as a teenager.
The mother of a childhood friend told her that life would be filled with opportunities, invitations, and unexpected chances to do something new.
"As long as you're not harming anyone, go on that adventure, do it," Ellen recalled. "Don't say, 'No, I'll do it when I'm older.' You might miss out on wonderful opportunities."
The advice stayed with her.
"Mostly, I was lucky enough to be able to say yes and go."
And go she did.
In 1973, Ellen participated in a medical exchange program in Moscow. Decades later, she would return to Russia as a traveler. She volunteered on medical missions, including a trip to India following a devastating tsunami, helping communities as they rebuilt their lives.
She also discovered a love of adventure travel through Adventure Women, an organization that opened doors to experiences she never imagined.
Her first trip involved learning to cross country ski in Wisconsin. Then came sailing aboard a schooner modeled after the Spirit of Massachusetts. A canoe expedition followed. Before long, she was helping lead trips herself.
"I was impressed with the independence and sense of adventure of the women I met," she said.
Over the years, Ellen traveled with Adventure Women across the globe.
"I've always been in the right place at the right time and met the right people," she said.
A Career That Reflected Her Independent Spirit
That same sense of independence shaped Ellen's professional life.
A nurse anesthetist for more than 50 years, she built her own business, filling in for nurse anesthetists who were on leave or vacation. Rather than remaining in one location, she traveled where she was needed, maintaining licenses in seven states between 2000 and 2024.
Her work took her to Montana, Florida, Wisconsin, and beyond. Many times her work was planned in advance. Others, it was more impromptu. “Once I was finishing a job in Illinois on a Friday and got a call asking if I could go to Sydney, Montana by Sunday. I spent a week there. The small town was the home base for miners working in North Dakota.”
One of her favorite assignments was in Coldwater, Michigan, where she spent nearly seven years.
"The hospital I was working for rented a home for me on a lake," she said.
For Ellen, work was never just a job. It was another opportunity to explore new places, meet new people, and embrace new experiences.
"I've been very lucky in my career and private life to travel extensively."
Dreamcycle and the Open Road
Even today, Ellen's adventures continue.
During the summer months, she travels with her beloved orange and white Shasta travel trailer, affectionately named Dreamcycle.
The cozy trailer includes a kitchen, bathroom, and sitting area.
"It's like having a little home you pull behind you," she said. "It's quite nice. Very comfortable."
Ellen is a member of Sisters on the Fly, a national organization of women who share a love of travel, fly fishing, camping, and adventure. In 2015, she joined 33 fellow members on a Route 66 journey.
Dreamcycle was the only trailer to complete the entire route.
Choosing the Next Adventure
In 2023, after a workplace accident that affected her balance and fine motor skills, Ellen realized it was time to retire from the profession she loved.
At the same time, the three-story home she owned was becoming increasingly difficult to navigate.
Rather than waiting for circumstances to force a decision, Ellen approached this next chapter the same way she had approached so many others throughout her life: thoughtfully, proactively, and with an eye toward the future.
She began exploring senior living communities and quickly found herself drawn to GreenFields of Geneva.
What stood out was not only the beautiful campus and extensive amenities, but the people.
"The people here were interesting," she said. "There are a lot of programs. I can golf if I want to and we have access to the fitness center and pool at Delnor. I like to swim. There are lots of programs and outings."
Even before moving in, she felt welcomed.
"There were notes and welcome cards. People invite me to dinner or check on me just to say hello."
Security Without Sacrificing Independence
For someone who has spent a lifetime charting her own course, maintaining independence remains important. But so does planning ahead.
As Ellen considered her future, she was thinking not only about herself, but also about her children.
"I had just turned 80," she said. "I wanted the security for myself and for my kids."
At GreenFields, she has found a balance that feels right. She continues to enjoy an active, engaged lifestyle while having the reassurance of a full continuum of care should her needs ever change.
That confidence allows her to focus on what has always mattered most: living fully, staying connected, and continuing to embrace new experiences.
After all, a lifetime of saying yes does not suddenly stop at retirement.
For Ellen Franks, it simply takes on a new form.
Today, whether she is swimming, attending programs, meeting friends for dinner, planning her next outing, or hitching Dreamcycle to the back of her vehicle for another summer adventure, she continues to prove that curiosity, courage, and purpose have no age limit.
And perhaps that is the greatest lesson from Ellen's remarkable journey: the most rewarding adventures are often the ones that begin when you're willing to say yes.
