Constance Speidel, 81
Constance Speidel wrote her own story.
I was born in a small town, Hillsboro, south of Fort Worth, Texas. My father was a native Texan; my mother was from Minnesota. I grew up in Fort Worth, completing elementary, junior high, and high school.
I majored in English at Texas Tech. I moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where my husband was the assistant director of Henry Vilas Zoological Park in Madison. My time in Madison was spent primarily raising our two sons, Patrick and Timothy. Madison was heavenly—the university, the charm, the lakes, the culture.
The only negative about this heaven was the weather. Winters were full of snow, ice, and more snow and ice. Spring was full of floods bursting the lakes and new babies at the zoo. Summers were often humid, hot, and full of mosquitoes. Autumn was beautiful, and the colors were vibrant, and the weather was muggy yet invigorating.
Four years later, we were in Wheeling, West Virginia, living halfway up a mountain. It was there that I became involved with the Association for Learning Disabilities after learning my son was dyslexic and had struggles in reading and writing. My husband was there to design a Children’s Zoo for Oglebay Park. I spent most of my time getting the children’s lessons done. The boys learned to ice skate, swim, dive, and play golf. I also learned to needlepoint, and I found a great new used bookstore.
We then moved to Salisbury, Maryland. My husband became director of the Salisbury Zoological Park, and I came into my own. I worked as an assistant sportswear buyer at Hess Apparel. I finished my English degree at Salisbury University. I started working for Go-Getters, Inc., a day program for people with mental health problems. We offered programs in food and nutrition, office work, and lawn maintenance. After approximately four years, I became a day program coordinator for consumers in Somerset and Worcester counties.
After 14 years with Go-Getters, Inc., I took about six months to travel abroad and went to England and Scotland with a girlfriend. More travel in Europe and two other jobs followed. I worked with Lower Shore and at Bay Area Center for Independent Living as a contact person between nursing home patients and independent living support.
In 2003, I moved into Pacifica Assisted Living Facility in Loudon County, and in 2024, I moved here to Willow Oaks, and I am very content. I have family near my granddaughter in Salisbury, MD.
One of the greatest accomplishments in my life was when I sued the Wicomico County Board of Education and won. I sued for tuition to send my son, who has dyslexia to a school for children with learning disabilities outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. My sons are happily married, and I am the fortunate grandmother of two beautiful young women.
I have learned the value of the journey of never knowing where you will wind up but trying to learn from whatever comes your way. My experiences have been myriad, some positive, some not so much, but I have learned from everything. You are more resilient than you think.
Bloom where you are planted.
Willow Oaks Assisted Living, Manassas
