Dear Readers,

Ancient civilizations began what would become the pathway for Jennifer Scheidies life. She is a woman with a wonderful work ethic. Her heart is tender and open to others. She has mastered her skills. She is creative, wise and someone I liked interviewing. Her stories of loss and joy are interspersed throughout her narrative. In her experiences, I learned much that I could apply to my own life. I hope, like me, you enjoy getting to know her. She has touched my heart. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Reader, here is Jennifer’s story.

 

One of oldest cultures known as the Indus Valley Civilization, located in Southeast Asia, practiced a form of dentistry. It was during the Bronze Age that dates back to 7000 BC. Two thousand years later, Sumerian texts have written accounts of dental work. Ancient Greeks practiced ways to prevent tooth decay. Then in 1530 AD, the first dental book was published, and two hundred years later, dentistry was recognized as a respected profession.

Another one of the oldest vocations was that of the actor. In ancient Greece, the stage belonged to one character along with a chorus who helped this male lead tell the story. We recognize one of the oldest plays as the Greek tragedy, “The Persians”. It was written by playwright Aeschylus and performed in 472 BC. Aeschylus introduced a second actor on the stage.  Years later, one of Aeschylus’ pupils wrote plays with three actors. In those early years, wealthy patrons sponsored this form of expression. From there, this artform grew into what we know as the theaters and playhouses available to us today.

 

Dentist, Jennifer Scheidies, married these two ancient professions. For decades she has built her career as an established and well-loved dentist. For 25 years, she has also delighted fans with her work on stage as actress. Now, age 70, she continues to pursue both with passion and joy. Reader, what are your passions and skills?

When asked where she was born and raised, Jennifer’s fast answer, “I was born in Kansas, and lived in California, Idaho, Oregon, Nebraska and Missouri before moving to Colorado.” She was born in Emporia, Kansas, and lived there until age six. By first grade, her family moved to California. Initially, they moved into an uncle’s house for a year. Then they bought a house in Anaheim, California. Reader, did your family travel a lot or did you live in the same place most of your life?

 

Jennifer’s mom was a homemaker and her father was a teacher at different colleges throughout her childhood. He liked community colleges best and would often move the family for opportunities to teach. He was recognized in his field and won a lot of teaching awards. He also taught a Master’s workshop for teachers in his fields was of chemistry and physics.

There were six children in the family. One of Jennifer’s sisters was a year younger than Jennifer. They were very close to each other. At age five, this younger sister was diagnosed with leukemia. She passed away two years later in 1960. “This was a big defining moment in my life,” Jennifer said. “You realize life is uncertain. It’s been over 60 years and I still remember and miss her.” Reader, do you have a defining moment?

In her childhood, Jennifer identified with her dad and thought of herself as a budding scientist. However, in those years, she was also getting recognition for her art. People would comment how well she did with her drawings. At one point her dad even made the suggestion that maybe she could be a scientific illustrator where she would be able to combine her two interests of art and science. Reader, did anyone recognize your skills when you were a young child? Were you able to use those skill throughout your life?

When Jennifer was 11, her father’s teaching career took them to Boise, Idaho. Then again, in her teenage years, they moved, and the family lived in Bend, Oregon. In those years, Jennifer’s main focus continued to be her math and science classes. In high school, she completed many of her college prep courses. Jennifer especially enjoyed working in the science labs.

From an early age, Jennifer wanted to be a dentist. At one point, her brother had to get a tooth bonded. Jennifer went along with him to the appointment and watched the procedure. “I really enjoyed it,” she said. “That solidified my desire to be a dentist.” She started assisting in a dental office in 1969. She worked there through the summer, and when school started, she worked there in the evenings.

In those years, Jennifer loved theater, but she never saw it as a career option. Her parents allowed her to go to the theater with an older boy because they saw that as a safe activity for young people. The two began attending a lot of cultural activities, including the symphony and theater. Jennifer was mesmerized by the singing and acting on stage. “I just loved it,” she said. Reader, what experience sparked a passion in you?

After graduating from high school in 1970, Jennifer attended Central Oregon Community College in Bend, Oregon. She also continued her work as a dental assistant. She knew her academic choices were going to be expensive, and she was paying her own way through school. Her goal was to pay off college before she entered dental school. At the community college, she took the required prerequisites to prepare for those next steps. Reader, are you a planner about your life?

Then Jennifer entered the hygiene program at Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon. To help pay off her college debt, she also held the position of Sears freight factory worker. Again, she worked another three years in the dental field, this time as a dental hygienist; this allowed her to enter dental school without her earlier school debts. She graduated from Lane Community College with an associate of science degree in 1973. Reader, how would you describe your financial planning goals?

Around that time, Jennifer’s father was again called upon to be president of a community college – this time in Lincoln Nebraska. Jennifer visited at Christmas and decided to move there also. She continued taking her prerequisite classes and worked towards her goal of attending dental school.

On November 13, 1975, Jennifer’s car was getting repaired, so she had to walk home from her classes. It was a snowy day; she was cold, so Jennifer stopped in the campus student union to get warm. The entertainment that day was a guitar concert.

 

Jennifer looked across the room, and her eyes landed on tall, good-looking Mark Scheidies. She thought, “Whoa! Look at that guy!” He must have noticed her too because, as romances often happen, the two accidentally-on-purpose met each other that night. He offered to drive her home.

The next morning, Mark came by her home and took Jennifer to school; it was a routine they continued for the next year. He also began tutoring her for her physics class. On August 14, 1976, nine months and one day later, the couple were married. Reader, do you have a love story?

Mark graduated from college in 1976 as a computer programmer. He started his career worked as a computer programmer for the Kansas City police department.

Jennifer continued her prerequisite classes for a year at the University of Nebraska. Then she did a year at the University of Missouri for more undergraduate work. In 1978, she was finally ready to enter dental school at the University of Missouri Kansas City.

During the Christmas season of her fourth year of dental school, Jennifer became pregnant. Then, miscarried. Very soon after that, she and Mark were asked to adopt a baby through someone they knew. On Valentine’s Day, they adopted their first daughter when she was three-weeks-old. Even with their new addition to the family, Jennifer continued her studies, and graduated from dental school in 1982.

Initially, she worked at a friend’s dental office, but she dreamed of one day having her own practice. Her goal became a reality in1983. She found and purchased the practice of a retired dentist in Longmont, Colorado. Reader, what dreams did you make come true for you?

On April 1 of that year, Jennifer opened her Longmont office. Good Friday fell on her opening day. Even thought it was also April Fool’s Day the common superstition did not affect her business, she said. She has done well in her work.

In 1986, she and Mark delivered their second daughter. Then two years later, their son was born. By 1991, business had grown and she purchased her new location; she has been there going on 30 years.

Jennifer is a creative person. She writes and draws. Even during our Drop In With Debbie interviews, Jennifer would grab a pencil and doodle pictures. Mark, at one time, commented to her how well her chosen field of dentistry brought together her two greatest interests – art and science. He told her that she was sculpting teeth, which requires artistry, and is in the scientific world of healthcare. Reader, how have you explored the passions in your life?

If you remember, I started her story telling about Jennifer marrying her dentistry and her love of theater into a lovely life for herself. When her children were young, they started getting involved in local theater groups. Shows like The Wizard of Oz, Scrooge, and many more kept them busy as a family. Initially, Jennifer worked behind the scenes. She would help with costume changes, make-up, and other duties required to get the actors on stage.

Then in the early 90s, she was asked to be a part of a show – on stage. She began by being a member of the chorus. However, as her children continued to get acting roles, it made sense for her to participate too. She became a theater actress. Her first play was called “The Costume Show”. It had lots of costumes and songs. Eventually, Mark became a cast member for some of the shows as well.

Throughout their years together, Mark and Jennifer were in plays together; their humor would often come home with them. Funny or ridiculous lines from a play became a part of their family laughter. They would playfully throw lines back and forth to each other. “They became inside jokes in our home,” Jennifer said.

 

Eventually, their children outgrew the interest in theater. Jennifer’s son did not like wearing the stage make-up. Conversely, Jennifer’s interest continued to grow. She started at the Jesters Theater in Longmont; then she branched out to other theaters including Colorado Actors Theater (CAT) and the Longmont Theater, where she has been on stage for the past twelve years.  She was eventually performing in three or more shows a year.

 

What did it mean for her homelife? She did less housework, she said. Her husband supported her love of stage performance. Jennifer said he was a wonderful help to her and the children. If she had a choice of staying home and watching television for an evening or heading off to rehearsals, she would much rather be on the stage. She said, “it revitalized me and brought joy. You get up excited every day.” Jennifer said that dental work can be serious, “so it was fun to have some happiness to balance it.”

As Jennifer and Mark progressed in their careers, they made a huge decision. Mark decided to work from home. It allowed him to give a lot more care to their children. It also allowed him to become a consultant. Eventually, he took over more responsibilities in the dental office. He computerized their paperwork, accounting, bookkeeping, and eventually became the office manager. Reader, what significant changes did you make in your career?

Everything changed on Saturday night, April 26, 2020. Mark was meeting his brothers online so they could play a card game. Jennifer knew Mark would be up late enjoying this time with his family members, so, she went to bed. Around 12:30 am, the guys took a break. Mark told them he was going outside for some fresh air.

 

Mark never returned to the card game and his brothers assumed he went to bed. The next morning, Jennifer got up around 7 am; she realized that Mark had never come to bed. She called for him. She went downstairs and saw the front door was open. She thought that maybe he was outside getting the morning newspaper. She stepped outside and called him again.

In a very quiet strained voice, she heard Mark say, “I’m over here. I’m paralyzed.” Somehow, Mark had slipped or stepped off the porch and it knocked him out for a short time. His body had gotten twisted against the wall and he could not move from that tangled position. Jennifer quickly grabbed a blanket for him and called 911.

Mark was taken to the hospital. This was during the height of the covid pandemic, so much of the family’s communication with Mark and the hospital was through Zoom calls. For the next three days, doctors worked on all possible methods to keep Mark alive. He recognized that his condition was very serious.

Throughout these difficult conversations, Mark was involved with and leading his own medical decisions. He recognized that his only choice to stay alive would be by being connected to machines. This was not the quality of life he wanted. He made the decision to be taken off machines and he requested a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate Order). As difficult as it was for everyone, the family respected Mark’s decision.

He could not be kept alive without a respirator, so everyone recognized that this was their last moments with Mark. Family members were called and some came to the hospital. “We said our good-byes and he went to sleep,” Jennifer said. He slept for six hours. He died on April 30, 2020. Jennifer and Mark had celebrated three children and 44 years together.

Six weeks after Mark’s death, his father also died from a blood clot. That June, the family had a double funeral service in Nebraska. Because of covid restrictions, they waited and held a memorial service in September 2021 for those in the Colorado area who knew Mark.

During the early pandemic weeks in 2020, Jennifer’s dental office had been closed due to the national covid health restrictions. Except for dental emergencies, Jennifer was home during this time. A month later, she started office hours again; but Mark’s death weighed heavily on her heart. His expertise was a huge loss to the office as well. Jennifer had to hire a new office manager and they had to sort through hundreds of files and paperwork to understand Mark’s computerized system.

While grieving, Jennifer’s theater friends reached out to her. She did an online play using the Zoom platform for a friend’s birthday. She also did another play, Fibber and Molly McGee. It too was produced for the online Zoom platform. In January 2020, she started rehearsals for a play, Moonlight and Magnolia. However, her friend and director passed away and the play was cancelled. Currently, she is looking for another script.

Jennifer is now the proud grandma to five grandchildren and another expected in January. She is also still dedicated to her dental practice. Jennifer has provided care to some of her patients for 30 years. She has worked with generations of families. “I love my patients. The work gives me purpose in life,” she said. Reader, where do you find your purpose?

Jennifer also values the role that the theater fills in her life. “As you get older, your friendship circle sometimes narrows. This [the theater] opens you to different people with varied interests,” she said. “You get to be around people who are creative.” Jennifer said she didn’t realize the depth of friendships she would form. “You make pretend families, but you start feeling like you are a real family. People often call me Mama,” Jennifer said of her stage connections. Reader, what circles in your life became like a family for you?

Even for those who don’t want to be on stage, Jennifer said that there are many opportunities to use your talents behind the scenes: paint sets, hand out programs, put up flyers, write a review. Her advice is, “Do it! Jump right in!”

Jennifer wishes there were more roles available for older women to play. She’s played that role in “Bye Bye Birdie” and Aunt Eller in “Oklahoma”. She said that the older character is often cast as the sage – the one who offers wisdom in the dialogue. Reader, if you had a chance to be on stage, what would be a character that you would want to play?

Jennifer said she was fortunate to be cast in a play written by a Longmont local, Nina Davis. The story was about twelve people in a nursing home and seniors were the actors. It was a wonderful opportunity. Conversely, Jennifer often sees producers wanting to create plays that attract a younger audience. It’s frustrating to older actors, Jennifer said because, “We had sold out crowds.” Reader, have you ever faced discrimination because of your age?

To date, Jennifer has been cast in about 100 plays. There are more on the table that she is now preparing for including “Producers”. Currently, she had no plans to stop her work as a dentist or to stay off the stage. She has managed to balance well her love of science and art.

These past two years have been difficult for Jennifer. Saying good-bye to her spouse whom she loved and lived with for more than four decades; and then to have to grieve during an international pandemic. At a time when social distancing was required, Jennifer hurt and needed people around her.  On September 4, 2021, the family had a service for Mark here in Longmont. Jennifer said, “how wonderful it was to be surrounded by people that loved Mark and feel all that love at his memorial.”

 

Going forward, Jennifer still heals, but she is also looking at what her new normal may be. If you are local, watch for listings in the Longmont Theaters for more of this amazing woman. She has an infectious smile. She is a delightful conversationalist. I can see why her patients love her. I saw some of her online productions and she is a wonderful character to watch on stage.

When I think of Jennifer, I think of a line from Angels in America. Playwright, Tony Kushner, won a Pulitzer Prize for this play, and the line is – “You’ll find, my friend, that what you love will take you places you never dreamed you’d go.” Jennifer has followed her heart and it has allowed her to reach her dreams. Readers, I hope you enjoyed Jennifer’s story as much as I did. Let me know your thoughts. I always enjoy hearing from you.

 

As well, you will get to meet Jennifer at an upcoming Celebrity Sit-In, hosted by me. It is a five-part series of opportunities to meet authors or actors. On September 16, 2022, it’s Jennifer Scheidies’ turn to be the guest speaker. As a local actress, I found her stories and insights to be delightful. She will inspire us with her strength, determination and lovely personality. You will have the opportunity to share in this Q & A time. We will meet face-to-face at the Stone Shelter on the Longmont Senior Center grounds. Based on weather or pandemic restrictions, we also have the option of providing a Zoom session, if needed. I will send you a link closer to the time of the event. The cost for this event, whether it’s in person or on Zoom, is $5 and all proceeds go to the Friends of the Longmont Senior Center. 

September 16, 2022 – 9 am to 10:30 am MT. If you have any questions, please email me at droppinginwithdebbie@gmail.com

To register for this event, call 303-651-8411. There is limited seating so you will want to register as soon as possible.

 

Last month, you were introduced to Ed Robertson. He was an amazing man who served our country for six decades with his work in the Red Cross. Many of you were touched by his stories.

• Rocky said to Ed, “Quite an incredible blog. I particularly like how the author asked questions of readers to make it more interactive. I am so honored to know and have worked with you. You’ve been my hero for a long time!”
• Tisha said to Ed, “Ed, you’re an amazing humanitarian! I feel so fortunate to know you and to have worked with you. Reading the blog really made me miss my Red Cross days.”

Until next month, may peace be at your side,

Debbie Noel

We have several ways to interact with Debbie!

• Instagram: Find me with the handle @dropinwithdebbie or visit Debbie’s Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dropinwithdebbie/

• Facebook: Tag me with @DropinwithDebbie or visit Debbie’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DropInWithDebbie/  to like and follow!

• Email her at DroppingInWithDebbie@gmail.com

• Register with the site (very bottom of the page) to have your comments viewed online

• Send your letters to:

Debbie Noel
C/o Longmont Senior Center
910 Longs Peak Avenue
Longmont, Colorado 80501

 

Contact Jennifer at: 

 

Scheidies Cosmetic & Family Dental Care
921 9th Ave, Longmont, CO 80501
(303) 651-2035