Lois Zeller retired in 1999 after teaching 40 years in California,
Germany, and St. Tammany. She was one of three teachers who developed
the academic and enrichment KEEP gifted programs in 1977. Eight years
before retiring she went back into the gifted classroom at the Slidell
Curriculum Center, because she wanted to end her career where it all
began.
Since retiring she has had a very fulfilling life by maintaining a scrapbook of each letter, note, and card that she receives since a handwritten note is a personal gift of time and friendship. She gave puppet shows in classrooms and is now a witch in Monster Mash each October (note the picture!).
She and her husband Rick have managed their 8 acre vineyard in “The Valley of the Moon”, Sonoma, California, where they grew merlot and cabernet grapes to sell to local wineries. Her favorite winery is Castello de Amoroso, an authentic castle in Calistoga north of Napa.
In addition to that they traveled over 100,000 miles in their 40 ft. Holiday Rambler RV. Lois loved going to Ft. Meyers down to the Keys and up the east coast from NYC to Canada. Another favorite trip was going to San Diego traveling north on Hwy 101 along the Pacific Ocean through Santa Barbara, Carmel, and San Francisco, all the way through Oregon to Seattle, across Canada to Niagara Falls, then south back home. They followed the 21 California Missions from San Diego to Sonoma. These were established by the Franciscan Catholic priests, a day apart on horseback.
Lois and Rick have travelled all over the USA, including Route 66 from Chicago to LA, Sedona, and Albuquerque to attend the Hot Air Balloon Festival.
A typical day for Lois is greeting each morning with a piece of writing about everything that she is grateful for. A Chinese proverb says, “When an Old Person Dies a Library Burns Down”. With this in mind, she keeps a journal to write words never spoken.
Her most treasured possessions are her antique clock collection dating back to 1838 and the original San Francisco newspaper featuring John Wilkes Booth and Lincoln’s assassination.
Lois’ favorite place ever visited outside of the USA was Moscow, St. Petersburg—Red Square, Lenin’s Tomb, St. Basil’s Church, and the Winter Palace.
Childhood memories that are prominent in her mind are playing hopscotch, jump roping, roller-skating, and riding bikes in the neighborhood until dark. WWII memories include sirens, blackouts, Victory Gardens and ration stamps. Her family displayed mini flags in their windows with stars to represent relatives in the war.
Since retiring she has had a very fulfilling life by maintaining a scrapbook of each letter, note, and card that she receives since a handwritten note is a personal gift of time and friendship. She gave puppet shows in classrooms and is now a witch in Monster Mash each October (note the picture!).
She and her husband Rick have managed their 8 acre vineyard in “The Valley of the Moon”, Sonoma, California, where they grew merlot and cabernet grapes to sell to local wineries. Her favorite winery is Castello de Amoroso, an authentic castle in Calistoga north of Napa.
In addition to that they traveled over 100,000 miles in their 40 ft. Holiday Rambler RV. Lois loved going to Ft. Meyers down to the Keys and up the east coast from NYC to Canada. Another favorite trip was going to San Diego traveling north on Hwy 101 along the Pacific Ocean through Santa Barbara, Carmel, and San Francisco, all the way through Oregon to Seattle, across Canada to Niagara Falls, then south back home. They followed the 21 California Missions from San Diego to Sonoma. These were established by the Franciscan Catholic priests, a day apart on horseback.
Lois and Rick have travelled all over the USA, including Route 66 from Chicago to LA, Sedona, and Albuquerque to attend the Hot Air Balloon Festival.
A typical day for Lois is greeting each morning with a piece of writing about everything that she is grateful for. A Chinese proverb says, “When an Old Person Dies a Library Burns Down”. With this in mind, she keeps a journal to write words never spoken.
Her most treasured possessions are her antique clock collection dating back to 1838 and the original San Francisco newspaper featuring John Wilkes Booth and Lincoln’s assassination.
Lois’ favorite place ever visited outside of the USA was Moscow, St. Petersburg—Red Square, Lenin’s Tomb, St. Basil’s Church, and the Winter Palace.
Childhood memories that are prominent in her mind are playing hopscotch, jump roping, roller-skating, and riding bikes in the neighborhood until dark. WWII memories include sirens, blackouts, Victory Gardens and ration stamps. Her family displayed mini flags in their windows with stars to represent relatives in the war.
