CHANGING LANES
roxanne pulitzer & tim boberg

The name defines her. It's a stigma, a blessing and everything in between. Her name gets her into glamourous black tie galas. It gets her a dinner reservation anywhere in Telluride or Palm Beach , and for that matter, likely anywhere around the world. It helps books sale, creates intrigue and grapples gentry and gossipmongers alike in their tracks. There are but a few American names that make it into volumes of scholarly works, encyclopedias, dictionaries, newspapers, novels—fiction and non-fiction—television and more. Rockefeller, Getty, Kennedy, Roosevelt, Hearst, Jefferson, Franklin, Edison and Twain are a few such names that frequent tomes because the people who "created the names" have influenced American society to some degree. They were catalysts. Likewise, with the Pulitzer name. The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia describes Joseph Pulitzer: "Owner of the St. Louis Dispatch and New York World , Pulitzer used illustrations, news stunts, crusades against corruption and cartoons to compete with Hearst's Journal . The World became an outstanding Democratic organ in the U.S. "

Today, the Pulitzer name is heard most often in relation to the Pulitzer Prizes—awards of achievement in American journalism, letters and music. This name, turned into an institute, raises the bar and sets the standards in the fields of journalism and music. This is also the name Roxanne Pulitzer has had for 27 years. She married into the name and with it has experienced trials and tribulations, achievements, a sensationalized divorce trial— Pulitzer versus Pulitzer —and the ever-lasting love she has for her sons, Mac and Zach; twins she had when married to Peter Pulitzer, grandson to the newspaper mogul.

For many years, Roxanne lived in high society, but that was not where she came from—quite the contrary. She grew up in a small town outside Buffalo , New York . Her father abandoned her when she was four, leaving behind a wife and four children. "It was tough growing up, but I have a great family who grounded me and instilled morals and values in me," she said. Roxanne started working at 10-years-old; she ironed clothes, picked apples and grapes and said she did just about "everything." She also put herself through college in Florida , where she majored in anatomy and physiology. To pay for school, Roxanne sold life insurance. Her mentor's client was Peter Pulitzer, who she became acquainted with in '74 and later married in '76. "I married someone who had quite a bit of wealth," she said. "I didn't get any settlement or alimony when we divorced, so I went back to where I had been, a working girl living in an apartment, teaching aerobics for four or five years. In June of '85, I posed for Playboy Magazine in order to pay lawyer fees for the landmark Pulitzer versus Pulitzer case, which made it to the Supreme Court. Life has been a roller-coaster ride, but I never forget what I did, where I came from, and how I got there. So there is nothing that makes me afraid of losing the materialistic things—as I am sure I can get them back on my own." In '88, Villard, a division of Random House, contacted Roxanne to write a book titled Prize Pulitzer . Making it onto the New York Times bestseller's list, this book was later turned into a made for- TV movie. After that, Random House contracted Roxanne to write several more books.

It wasn't until '99, that Tim Boberg and Roxanne Pulitzer encountered each other. They met in Palm Beach , Florida , where Roxanne had spent most of her adult life. A mutual friend threw a party for Boberg. The two were instantly attracted to each other; most likely because their lives seemed to have paralleled each other's—both criss-crossed the economic vortex. Like Pulitzer, Boberg was born into a poor family in Chicago , near a wealthy suburb. Boberb saw himself as the kid from the wrong-side-of-the-tracks because he grew up in a modest, one-bathroom home, while many of his friends had Rolls Royces and Bentleys parked in their driveways. "It never really bothered me or my parents," said Boberg. "It gave me an idea of what the good life could be and what you could achieve if you worked hard. That is what I did; I worked hard and I was very lucky. It also taught me that those people [the rich] are really no smarter or better than anyone; the only difference are the possessions they have."

Similarly, Boberg worked his way through college. He attended a small liberal arts school, where he jokingly claims he majored in beer with a double minor in business and economics. After spending 35 years in Chicago , Boberg moved to Brazil for two years. During the two years, he adapted to the weather and found Chicago winters unbearable upon his return. He didn't last more than six weeks in the city before heading to Hilton Head for 10 years and then off to Miami for another 10 years, where he founded a highly successful productivity consulting firm. This is the time frame he met and fell in love with Roxanne.

When the two knew they wanted to share a life together, they started exploring options in ski resort towns. Aspen had too much attitude. Jackson Hole was too cold. It ultimately came down to Telluride; they found the climate as pleasant as the people. In January '01, they ventured into a new life—a mountain life, followed shortly thereafter by retirement. "We've both retired since moving here. We are into a different stage of our lives," said Pulitzer. "I have never put this much time and effort into decorating and building a home. I was really worried about Tim being home seven days a week. I thought he was going to hate retirement, but I totally pegged him wrong."

Pulitzer and Boberg embrace this lifestyle change. She has taken up gardening; while his passion for art has evolved into architecture. She spends her days caring for 92-plus plants and looks forward to raising orchids this summer. He, on the other hand, supervises a 13,600-square-foot addition to their home, equipped with a bowling alley—a birthday gift to Pulitzer. Most days you'll find them dressed in casual jeans, t-shirts and slippers looking like young love birds. He calls her Rox. He is her baby. They find mountain living refreshing, particularly on the days they are on the slopes skiing or taking a hikes into Telluride's splendid countryside. The laid-back atmosphere of Telluride is an easy transition from their high-society days. They admit they are finally black-tied out. They relish the peace and serenity of the mountains.