MADISON – As a ‘military wife,’ Lisa Weiland has lived in many states and abroad. The Weilands have lived in Madison longer than any other location.

“Each place has had its own special features. We moved here when our boys were 3 and 5 years old. Both attended West Madison, Discovery and graduated from Bob Jones,” Lisa said.

Madison is kid-oriented with safe neighborhoods, boasts one of the state’s best school districts and logistically convenient, she said.

Lisa grew up in Lumpkin, a small South Georgia town. She learned the value of education from her mother, a kindergarten teacher, and her love of outdoors from her father who worked in the logging business.

For 21 years, Lisa has worked as speech pathologist at West Madison Elementary School “with preschoolers through sixth-graders who have communication difficulties that affect classroom activities, social interaction, literacy and learning.” Previously, she worked in Texas, Georgia and Germany.

Lisa’s husband, retired Lt. Col. Peter Weiland, was transferred to Redstone Arsenal in 1996. He retired in 1999 after 20 years and currently is Chief Technology Officer at Radiance Technology. The Weilands will celebrate their 33rd wedding anniversary this year.

Their son Carter and wife Caitlin live in New Orleans, where he works for Schlumberger, an oil services company. Their son Cooper of Lake Charles, La. works for Chicago Bridge Iron. Both men are engineering graduates of Auburn University. 

For 11 years, Lisa and friend Julie Carlyle have hosted their Christmas Cookie Exchange. “We call it our ‘Cookie Mission.’ We deliver cookies to Morningside Assisted Living, Downtown Rescue Mission, 305 8th Street group home and Tut Fann Veterans Home.”

Each Christmas, Lisa and Peter host an open house and ask friends to bring unwrapped toys for Downtown Rescue. In 2016, they collected about 100 toys.

A tennis fan, Lisa plays on three USTA teams. She embraces traveling “to see new things, experience different cultures, try new foods and learn about the world we live in.”

Lisa’s favorite Madison restaurants, directly across the street from each other, are La Placita and Sam & Greg’s Pizzeria.

“We have a very spoiled Airedale dog, Buster,” Lisa said. “We were told Buster would be very entertaining. He can do various tricks and has learned how to open French doors. He has let himself in neighbors’ houses and makes himself at home.”