Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Taking Care Of Tootsie: Making A Place For Nurses., Jennifer L. Bellot, Mindy Owen

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

Theresa “Tootsie” Smoder, better known as my grandma, always seemed larger than life. She bore eight children in nine years (The “Crazy Eights”), raised them almost single-handedly when her husband died and managed a 160 acre farm. Doing whatever it took to create security and stability for her family, Tootsie worked multiple jobs to feed her brood. She was a social butterfly who always tended to others and modeled the value of caring throughout her life.