Ian and Marjie Vertrees have no shortage of activities to keep them busy, but they make plenty of time to spend at their favorite place: their New Albany home.
The Southern Indiana natives were both born in Louisville hospitals. Marjie was brought home a few days after her birth. Ian “got to stick around a bit longer” because he was premature and had to stay at Kosair Children’s Hospital for a month.
“But we’ve lived here in New Albany ever since,” Marjie said. “It’s home.” Eventually, the region became the place where they’d make a home together, along with their cat Carrie Ann.
In 1997, Ian graduated from New Albany High School; Marjie earned her diploma from the school three years later, but they didn’t start dating until bumping into each other at Ball State University, where they both were studying telecommunications. “We’ve been together ever since,” Marjie said. The couple married in May 2007 at Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in New Albany. They held their reception at the Jeffersonville Elks Club.
“You’re lucky when you marry the love of your life,” said Marjie. When things get challenging, “you just have to remember why you married the person and why you love them so much. We’re very lucky that we kind of have the same ideas. We both love the University of Louisville. We both love going to games. We love watching the same shows. We kind of have the same values as far as saving money and things like that.”
Added Ian: “She’s super patient with me, and we make a good team. We do a lot of things together, but we both still let each other do our own thing.”
During the week, Ian works for iHeartMedia (formerly Clear Channel) in Louisville as the producer for “The Terry Meiners Show” on 840-AM. Marjie is a fourth grade teacher at North Harrison Elementary. He enjoys watching UofL baseball with his father; she is the administration adviser for the Pi Alpha Chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi and spends a lot of time at Jazzercise on Charlestown Road. “Having similar interests is great, but we still allow each other to be an individual first,” Ian said.
The Vertrees also spend a lot of time together and with their parents, Jesse and Cyndy Vertrees, and Ron and Marcia Zihar, all of whom live in New Albany, too.
“We’re usually at El Nopal (on Grantline Road) on Friday or Saturday nights,” said Ian. The pair also enjoy Uptown Art, Feast BBQ,, New Albanian Brewing Company, The Exchange and their annual season tickets to New Albany High School basketball.
But nothing compares to relaxing at their one-story residence. “We really like to spend a lot of time at home, to be honest,” Ian said.
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