Long-time Lake Highlands residents John and Sheila Curtis met in high school, and after college married and moved to Garland, where sons Evan and Trevor were born. While in Garland the boys attended Highlander, a private school in Lake Highlands, but as Sheila explains their goal was always to live in the LH area, a choice driven by Lake Highlands schools. “We moved in 1999, and the boys would attend Lake Highlands Junior High through Lake Highlands High, Evan and Trevor attended school with the neighborhood kids, while we made friends with our neighbors, and became part of this wonderful community. We are proud LH parents!” Sheila explains. 

Throughout their school years, John and Sheila were very involved in their boys’ activities. John coached Little League Baseball and won Coach of the Year and started the banner program at the LH Baseball field. Sheila was on multiple school committees and a member of Lake Highlands Women’s League. Evan and Trevor while in high school played football and baseball as well as being a Wildcat Wrangler. Trevor was captain of the baseball team and Evan married his high school sweetheart and Wrangler partner, Kelly, who live in Lake Highlands. Evan attended Texas Lutheran University playing baseball for the Bulldogs, and later obtained his JD from Texas Southern University. Trevor graduated from Oklahoma State University, followed by graduate school at the University of Dallas.  

With their sons now in their 30s, empty-nesters John and Sheila were thinking about a home for their retirement when they visited friends in Oklahoma. Sparked by Sheila’s ancestry – along with her sons and grandsons she is a Registered Choctaw Indian of Oklahoma - they purchased land in Hochatown. The Choctaw Nation has a large impact in Hochatown, which is located on the shores of Broken Bow Lake in the Southeast corner of Oklahoma. “Hochatown is beautiful, so we bought land and researched builders, finding P-23 Construction in Broken Bow/Hochatown, and drove around with owner Louie to look at his cabin builds,” Sheila continues, “and while we knew the style we wanted, with Louie’s help we designed our cabin! We were blessed to find an awesome builder, Louie is now like family.” 

Completed in July 2023 with a family ribbon-cutting ceremony, John and Sheila are the proud owners of ‘Hampton’s Hideaway’ (named in honor of Sheila’s father) a majestic, high-end luxury lodge. Trevor is a co-investor and contributed ideas to the design and construction. The lodge sleeps 10-12, and the area is wonderful for visitors, with fly fishing, zip lining, horseback riding, boating, and hiking. The property can be rented throughbrokenbowlakecabinrentals.com  

‘Hampton’s Hideaway’ is less than three hours’ drive away from their Lake Highlands home, and the couple use occasions when it is not rented to stay there themselves. Sheila describes the cabin as “our happy place, so peaceful and lovely, backing up to the National Forest.”

Not yet ready to retire, John and Sheila still love their life in Lake Highlands, enjoying the community and their favorite restaurants, Desperados and Terillis.“ Our favorite part of the neighborhood is that ‘leave it to Beaver’ small town feeling,” Sheila concludes, “and seeing all the young families moving here just warms my heart. Lake Highlands is such a great place to raise a family.” 

***PULL QUOTE***

"Lake Highlands is such a great place to raise a family!”