Five Generations Living Under One Roof

NORTH CAPE MAY—“The more the merrier” is a saying the Maurer family lives by. Their home sits on a street on the way to the Cape May/Lewes Ferry and houses five generations of the family. At a time when 40 percent of U.S. households are comprised of two people or fewer, five generations under one roof is remarkable. But it was not always so for the Maurers.
Their journey to co-habitation began 11 years ago. Lisa and her husband Ernie knew Cape May County from spending some vacation time down the shore. Ernie loved the place. Lisa liked it well enough but hated traveling back and forth from their home in Bucks County, Pa. In 2002 the couple received an invitation to attend a friend’s wedding in Cape May. Ernie enjoyed the area so much that he decided to come more often. Lisa hated the trips back and forth though. Soon, a compromise was found. The day after the wedding, the Maurers bought a house. Ernie left his business in Bucks County and he and Lisa packed up their three sons: Ernie III, now 25, Dale, now, 22 and Ryan, now 16. Ernie brought his entrepreneurial spirit with him and he and his two older sons work for Polar Bear mechanical.
Lisa’s parents Diane and William Leaman were still in Pa at the time. But not for long.
Before they knew it the Leamans were joining their daughter, her husband and children in North Cape May. They brought with them the Grandmother of the family Josephine Caranci, now 101. Josephine was born in Maryland when William Howard Taft was president and prior to World War I. She moved in with her children when her husband died. That was 42 years ago.
Lisa recalled that growing up “the house was never empty.” She pointed out the benefits of having multiple generations under one roof. “The kids have a lot of choices to get advice and support from. And with some adult always in the house they can’t get away with any mischief.”
Having a lot of family around has kept Grandmom Josephine dancing, literally. Lisa volunteered that they go out dancing a few times a month. “She’s a great dancer and she loves the Animal House Band.” Lisa recalled the time in the past year when a stranger came over when Grandmother Josephine had finished dancing and gave her a $100 bill. He promised that if she was still dancing at 102 he would be back with $1,000.
When asked if privacy was ever an issue, Lisa said, “We all respect each other and we all have our own space.” For son Ryan, who loves living all together, it means a place to practice the saxophone.
For son Dale and his fiancée Averie McNeill it means lots of babysitters for newborn son Haiden-Lee. “They get up with him at night but I said I am available whenever they want,” said Lisa a grandmother now herself.
So baby makes five—five generations stretching over 100 years living together in the house of familial happiness in North Cape May.