THE VISION ISSUE - City of Shaker Heights

Coileys: Deep roots and close ties
Sisters Jennifer (SHHS ’90) and Laura
(SHHS ’85) grew up wrapped in the
arms of the Lomond neighborhood
where the village really did raise the
children. Every adult was a surrogate
parent and every child an adopted
member of the family. Says Laura,
“There was a good sense of community
in our neighborhood. Our parents
could be your parents; you could go to
anyone’s house to be taken care of. It
was just a very tight knit group.”
Childhood days were spent outside
playing and bike riding. “I particularly
loved being outside and playing various
games with all of the kids in the
neighborhood. Only pure imagination
and running was involved,” recalls Jennifer.
The Coiley sisters loved to dance
and spent many days at Bonita Pekarek’s
dance studio located in what is
now Shaker Town Center. Walking
there with her mom and sisters, where
her dad also had his insurance office,
Jennifer remembers stopping at The
Proud Pickle or Shaker Sub and Sandwich.
“We loved attending high school
football games and watching our sister
Jennifer Coiley Dial with children clockwise from left, Richard Dial, III, Meredith Dial,
Cameron Dial, and Hallie Dial. PHOTO BY ALEJANDRO RIVERA.
SHAKER LIFE DECEMBER | JANUARY 2013 29