The O’Donnell Family

Happiness Is Homegrown

Resident Feature by Sheila Turner-Hilliard

Photos by Katie Borsuk Photography, www.KatieBorsuk.com

Thanks to Alpha Century Security of Newtown Square for sponsoring our Resident Feature.

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Over the years, we have had the pleasure of featuring families with a wide variety of backgrounds. Some of their stories began in foreign countries while others started with a chance encounter through mutual friends. But not for Scott and Regina O’Donnell and their children, Logan and Deirdre. Their story is all about family, friends and finding love right here in Delaware County.

Scott and Regina grew up not too far from each other: Scott in Upper Darby, where he lived with his parents and two brothers, and Regina in Glenolden. Scott went to Highland Park Elementary School, Beverly Hills Middle School and Upper Darby High School, where he ran track, cross country and played lacrosse. After graduation, he completed two International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) apprenticeships and began his career as an Electrician.

Scott continued his education by traveling around the country for specific job training in High Voltage Electricity, Vapor Combustion, Thermography/ Infrared Technology, and Ultrasonic Leak Testing. He also attended night school at Delaware Technical Community College for Process Control and Instrumentation. Scott is an Electrician by trade but currently works for Johnson & Johnson as a Metrologist, specializing in measurement and test equipment and their associated uses and capabilities as it relates to manufacturing and engineering.

Scott and Regina O’Donnell

Regina grew up in Glenolden with her parents, her sister and her brother. She said that she loved growing up surrounded by plenty of extended family. Her grandparents lived in the twin home next door, and her cousins were just a few doors away.

She went to St. George Parish Elementary School in Glenolden, then Archbishop Prendergast High School, where she was involved with the chorus, school plays and pretty much anything involving music. Regina then earned her Associate degree from Delaware County Community College, after which she transferred to Neumann University, where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Business.

Regina said she first noticed Scott because he lived next door to her best friend.

While I wasn’t sitting at home waiting for him to realize I was interested, he eventually caught on,” she said, laughing. “Looking back now at that first kiss, we think that Newtown Square was where we were meant to be.

They started dating and ironically shared that first kiss at a friend’s home right around the corner from where they live now.

After a few years of dating, Scott and Regina knew that marriage was in their future. Around that time, Regina’s grandfather passed away. He had lived next door to Regina’s parents.

My parents asked Scott if he would like to rent the house and help fix it up for sale,” Regina said. “Scott moved in in April 2000 and proposed to me later that month.

Instead of renting, Regina and Scott decided to buy her grandfather’s house and started to plan their wedding.

Scott and Regina were married in September 2001, at St. George Parish Catholic Church, and had their reception at The Drexelbrook.

We got married just weeks after 9/11, so honestly it was a very scary time,” she said. “It was a strange feeling to be so happy during such uncertainty.

They honeymooned on the island of Aruba and then returned home to begin their married life together.

Life was moving along nicely in Glenolden surrounded by their family and friends. They welcomed their son Logan in 2004, and then their daughter Deirdre just happened to be born on Regina’s birthday in 2007. Scott was busy working as an Electrician, and Regina began teaching preschool during the day and waited tables a few nights a week so she could be home after school for the kids. They were both very involved in the kids’ school and extracurricular activities. Regina served as Vice President of the home and school association for three years, and Scott coached youth soccer and baseball.

Logan and Deirdre O’Donnell

After a few years, Regina and Scott decided that although they loved where they lived, they wanted to move to an area that would give them space to grow, in a single-family home with a nice backyard and schools that would provide their kids more of an opportunity to explore and excel. After doing a lot of research and looking around, they set their sights on Newtown Square and the Marple Newtown School District.

I had a friend who lived in Newtown Square, and he would send me listings all the time,” Scott said. “We knew it would be a stretch financially, but we were determined to make it work.

They hired a seasoned (and patient) real estate agent who helped them find a home that checked all their boxes. Regina and Scott knew that moving their kids to a new area and a new school would be tough, but they say it proved to be the best decision they have ever made. They do admit though, that the move might have been made a little sweeter with the promise of someday getting a puppy!

The O’Donnells settled on their home in 2015, and enrolled the kids at Culbertson Elementary. Logan was in 5th grade and Deirdre in 3rd. Regina and Scott both said that they were blown away by how they were welcomed right away by their neighbors and the school community. Deirdre made new friends in the schoolyard, and Logan connected with a few new teammates on the soccer field.

The O'Donnell Family

Regina and Scott jumped right in doing what they do best: volunteering in the community. Regina stepped up to offer her help with the Culbertson PTO, quickly rising to the role of PTO President, and Scott began assistant coaching for Newtown Edgmont Little League (NELL) and coaching for the Marple Newtown Soccer Association.

I cannot say enough about these great programs,” Scott said, “and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as a coach.

Logan is now a Junior at Marple Newtown High School. He plays on the soccer team and runs track. He is an excellent student, a member of the National Honor Society, and is now beginning to explore colleges and his next steps after graduation.

Deirdre is a Freshman at Marple who also runs track but is also involved in the school plays and musicals. She is also a member of the American Sign Language Club, and was accepted into Marple Newtown’s STEM program in its inaugural year. Deirdre and Regina are also very active in the Girls Scouts and recently wrapped up their 10th year of successful cookie sales.

Now that the kids are older and more independent, they require less time from their parents and want more time with their friends. Regina has scaled back her time volunteering at the school and has turned her focus toward her career.

A good friend of mine suggested I apply for a position with the legal department of a property management group in Conshohocken,” Regina said. “Although I didn’t have the legal experience, I was extremely interested in learning, and I got the job.

Regina works on the commercial real estate side and truly loves what she does.

Scott, Regina, Deirdre and Logan O’Donnell with their dogs Bessie and Joy

And, as promised, the O’Donnells eventually made good on that bribe (disguised as a promise) to get a puppy. Well, they actually ended up with two puppies, thanks to Scott. Their Boxer, Joy, was the first to join the family. Being a young pup, Joy needed lots of new puppy vaccinations, which meant lots of visits to the local veterinarian’s office. It just so happened that as Scott was bringing Joy in to be seen, their veterinarian was fostering a Bulldog named Abby who was about to have nine puppies. The vet’s plan was to care for Abby as she gave birth, then offer the puppies for adoption to local families.

This is where Scott got the bright idea to submit an application,” Regina laughed. “And we are so glad he did because we couldn’t imagine life without Bessie our Bulldog.

Regina and Scott feel very blessed to live here in Newtown Square. They had a dream to raise their children in a safe and welcoming community with endless educational opportunities, and they worked hard to achieve it. As Scott puts it,

We absolutely love where we live!

Regina added that she not only has made some incredible friends here, she also loves being surrounded by nature.

We didn’t see much wildlife in Glenolden,” she said. “Now we have the pleasure of looking out our windows every day to see deer, foxes and beautiful birds in the yard.

Thank you, Scott, Regina, Logan and Deirdre, for sharing your story of hard work, determination and giving back to our community. Your Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors wish you many more years of homegrown happiness.

Do you know a Newtown Square family, individual or nonprofit group who should become known by our community? Make your nominations for upcoming feature articles by emailing your ideas to Sheila Turner-Hilliard at STurnerHilliard@BestVersionMedia.com.

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