Everybody’s Best Helper: Connie Bitzel

Each month we put one of our residents in the spotlight to show how important they are to us. This month we’re putting the spotlight on Connie Bitzel. Learn more…

Connie Bitzel was born in Canton, Ohio in 1929 to a big Italian family, making her the second youngest of 18 children.

Being a part of the Catholic church, Connie was always involved in different activities and finding ways to help others. When she wasn’t volunteering and attending events at her church, she spent her youth volunteering for the Red Cross, babysitting, working vegetable stands, and other odd jobs. She fondly remembers volunteering to help the nuns at her church in grade school with a couple other girls, and has kept on with her involvement in the church over the years.

College wasn’t in the cards for Connie after graduating from McKinley High School, but she got a great job at Spun Steel Inc. working in the reproduction room. She was a kind of jack-of-all-trades around the company, going from the reproduction room to answering phones and controlling the switchboard to sorting and delivering mail. She was able to learn it all!

After leaving Spun Steel, Connie moved to East Canton and started working as an operator at a brick manufacturing company. From there she went on to work at Kroger’s grocery store and would also help out her sisters who owned a grocery store.

After having her first child, Connie worked evenings at Fishers while her husband watched the baby and often worked holidays packing hams. She even ended up working for Fisher’s Optical for about 15 years! This just goes to show that not only is Connie strong and focused for being a working mother, but she is also smart as a whip and catches on quick at new jobs.

Connie is a loving mother to her daughter and son who both live in Columbus, as well as a devoted grandma to her triplet granddaughters and eighteen year old grandson. She is very proud of all her grandkids who are attending college now. Her granddaughters attend Ohio Dominican, Stark State, and Walsh, and her grandson is studying at The University of Akron.

Unfortunately Connie’s late husband Dick passed away from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease after many years of staying by his side and taking care of him. But fortunately for Connie she has found a widow’s club here at The Inn at Belden Village full of friends to support her. She has been staying with us for about two years now and has been enjoying herself. When she’s not getting involved and socializing, you can find Connie singing in our choir group and having a ball.

It has truly been a pleasure having Connie with us and getting to know her, and we look forward to the years ahead. Thanks, Connie, for being an awesome resident!

For more information about senior assisted living at The Inn at Belden Village, contact us today or schedule a free lunch and tour of our facility.