Home of the Week: Cam and Frank Hennessee

Their home was where the Army said it would be. They traveled the world, lived in more than a few places and served our country well.

But now they're staying put. Frank and Cam Hennessee have finally found some permanence in the community of Tameron Hall in Harwood.

"We've been here for six years - the longest I've lived anywhere," said Cam. "All my life Uncle Sam was telling me where I was going - now the decision is ours."

Let's back up a bit for history's sake. It was while Cam's father was stationed at West Point when she met her groom.

"My dad invited five cadets to dinner and we were married 18 months later," said Cam, with a smile. "My husband said he's still paying for that free dinner."

That was 43 years ago. When Frank, a Brigadier General, retired from the Army, the couple decided the Annapolis area was the perfect choice.

Proximity to Washington allows for an easy commute for Frank, who acts as the chief operating officer of the Army Distaff Foundation. They're also close to the Naval Academy, where the couple attends services at the chapel and Cam is involved with the wives club.

But there is one small issue - a little thing called the Army-Navy game.

"I'm usually one of only one or two Army guys at the party," said Frank, with a smirk. "The last couple of years I've been leaving early."

Okay - onto a different topic.

The 4,600-square-foot, four bedroom colonial looks out onto a beautiful pasture, currently home to Tess, a horse and Curtis, a donkey.

Since Frank and Cam let a friend use their field, these equine friends are not their own, but they do benefit from watching them or sharing an occasional carrot.

"It's the perfect arrangement," said Frank.

Inside the home, Buddy, a whippet, greets visitors before returning to the couch in the home's library.

This room is accessed just to the left of the grand foyer, which features a gracefully curved staircase and light wood flooring that runs the expanse of the first level of the home.

In the library, a gorgeous, burled wood desk sits beneath a chandelier purchased in Murano, Italy. Not the typical Murano glass fixture, this is a very fitting and distinguished colonial style, in keeping with the style of the home and the couple's appreciation for displaying objects found during their travels.

Built-in bookshelves showcase Frank's devotion to reading and the couple's love for their children and grandchildren.

To the right of the foyer is the kitchen, where white and glass-front cabinets, as well as granite counters that invoke the ebb and flow of the sand upon a beach, create a light-filled, inviting space.

This contrasts well with the red brick, which is the back of the floor-to-ceiling fireplace in the adjacent family room.

With a wall of glass and the floor-to-ceiling fireplace, the family room is the perfect spot for entertaining or watching football. A deck off the back gives plenty of outside living space.

A breakfast room, with an abundance of natural light, provides an ideal spot for casual dining.

At the rear of the home, the formal dining room begins showcasing the couple's expansive furniture collection.

"That was one of the attractive things about this house - we got to keep our furniture," said Frank. "Most of our furniture comes from somewhere that we've been."

Cam points out a magnificent and intricately detailed carved wooden screen from Korea, a hutch from Belgium, a sideboard and table from Norfolk, another hutch from Berlin and a curio from Russia.

For as much as the gorgeous furnishings add to it, the space offers extensive architectural detail as well, with decorative molding throughout and built-in shelving.

Following suit is the formal living room, where harmony again is reached with the couple's acquisitions in tandem with their setting. Palladium windows and a fireplace detailed in marble and dental molding furthers the elegance.

A carved wood chest sits below a window.

"My mother had that made in Taiwan," said Cam.

Upstairs, the master bedroom suite is an enormous space, incorporating a separate sitting area and filled with years of memories. A West Point wedding photo shows Frank and Cam walking beneath the arch of sabers.

In the hallway, we stop to see some photos.

"I call this the Berlin Wall," said Cam.

She points out a framed Christmas card, which remains a significant reminder of not just the couple's time spent in Germany, but also the profound world changes they were able to witness.

"That's the Brandenburg Gate," explained Cam. "That was the last Christmas card from the commanding general - they were closing down."

Two guest rooms filled with more memories complete the second floor. On the third floor an overflow room allows more space for visitors. With three grown children, two grandsons and a third on the way, visitors are a welcome and common occurrence at the Hennessee home. Returning back to the library for a moment, we see a photo of Frank in uniform walking besides President Reagan - this from his days as commander of the Old Guard, the ceremonial unit of the 3rd Infantry Regiment.

As evident as Frank's highly professional and confident military bearing was in the photo, it remains very much intact today with an awe-inspiring stride and attitude.

With Cam's wit, charm and gracious style, as well as her commitment to family, friends and home, spending time with this couple is a pleasure.

As for the secret to their successful marriage of over four decades, it seemed all too obvious when a man who's spent his career commanding others offered his advice.

"Ask her," said Frank.

Cam's answer's too was a great one.

"We love each other - we have our faith in common," she said.

Donna L. Cole is a freelance writer living in the Annapolis area. If you'd like your home considered for "Home of the Week" (we'd like to feature smaller homes, condos and townhouses, too), please contact her at writerdle@aol.com.