Crestwood Village North January 2014 Resident Spotlight

Wanda Reed recently celebrated her 80th birthday. She has lived at Crestwood for 12 years and says that she is still pleased with her decision to move here. Wanda grew up in Kokomo as part of a large family. She was the next to last of eight children six boys and two girls. Wanda says that she was called to be a nurse when she was 11 years old. After graduating from high school, she worked as a steno-cashier for a loan company while taking classes at I U Medical Center for the Nursing Diploma Program. The program cost $700. She worked as a registered nurse in a doctors office, and several county hospitals throughout the state. Wanda says her favorite clinical areas were labor and delivery. Later in life, Wanda changed careers and became a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative. She sold birth control, hypertension and antibiotic products to doctors and hospitals throughout the state. Through the years, Wanda has done her share of volunteering. She served as den mother for her sons, camp fire leader for her daughters. She also volunteered for Red Cross, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and Methodist and St. Vincents hospitals. Shes often sung in church choirs. Wanda has two daughters and two sons. Her oldest, Katherine, is with the state department in China. Her oldest son, Daniel, is Executive Director of Housing, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Another son, John, lives in Pasadena, California, and works as a carpenter and counselor at a drug and alcohol center. Her youngest, Anne, is a kindergarten teacher in Dallas, Texas. With her children spread out throughout the world, Wanda likes to think she helped them spread their wings. Two of her grandsons are Eagle Scouts. Wanda recently welcomed two stepgrandchildren, and two step-great-grandchildren to her growing family. She looks forward to another grandchild coming in June. Wanda tells us she is a 16-year breast cancer survivor. Four years ago, she had heart surgery, and then a stroke. She still loves to read, take care of plants and occasionally knit. She says she sewed a lot in years past but has slowed down due to her condition. Her current church home is St. Pauls Episcopal Church. Wanda says that her New Years resolution is to learn calligraphy to go with the greeting cards she makes. She looks forward to spring and enjoying time outside on her patio and in the garden. Crestwood residents and staff members thank Wanda for her loyal residency here and also for her time volunteering in the Crestwood Village community. Wanda has decorated the garden area in her building for many years. Thank you, Wanda!