Randy Speicher and friend
Singer Pat Boone once said what makes Bethel Bible Village Christian Home a special place is its caring workers. Randy Speicher is one of those workers who started at Bethel in 1988. After 36 years, Mr. Speicher will retire at the end of March.
The Speicher family moved to Chattanooga when Randy was nine; his mother and father, Barney and Nancy, became house parents at the Signal Mountain Home for Children. Bethel moved to the 50-acre Hixson campus on Hamill Road in 1969.
The younger Speicher said he grew up around Bethel for much of its 70 years and especially enjoys repairing equipment. He said, “At one time there were nearly 20 boys in our home. Mother and Dad treated us all the same.”
Randy Speicher graduated from Hixson High School and got a job at the Northgate Sears in the service department, where he worked for 11 years.
In 1976, Randy met his wife, Elana, whose mother and father were Bethel house parents; the two were married in 1979. Randy and Elana have two sons, Luke and Daniel, and a daughter, Amanda. His brother Ron is an engineer and also spent considerable time at Bethel.
The support services position came open in 1988 and Mr. Speicher took the job. Mr. Speicher said, "During my time at Bethel, there were some lean years. The money wasn’t always there, but God provided. We didn’t spend money we didn’t have; Bethel has always been faith based.”
Mr. Speicher became acquainted with singer Pat Boone especially on the golf course. The celebrity traveled to Chattanooga on an annual basis over 30 years to host a concert, auction, and golf tournament for Bethel. Mr. Speicher said, “Mr. Boone remembered a lot of the kids’ names when he would return for the spring fundraiser.”
Jeff Lewis, Bethel’s director of development and marketing, said, “Randy Speicher is officially in charge of Bethel’s maintenance, IT, and security, but he’s the kind of person who wears many hats.”
Mr. Lewis said, “The support services director is a very humble person and has done so much for our children. Randy loves the Lord and gets along very good with the kids, who love him. Randy has a good sense of humor and we will surely miss him.”
Longtime Bethel Board member Stephen Pike said, “Randy Speicher is a dedicated Christian and faithful staff member with a gentle spirit and genuine passion for the Bethel children. Randy’s contribution is part of what has made Bethel Bible Village the place it is today. We will miss him greatly.”
Mr. Speicher’s father, Barney, died 10 years ago and his mother has retired although she volunteers at the Bethel Thrift Shop in Hixson.
The 66-year-old said he’s retiring because of health issues, but intends to return to the campus doing volunteer work.
Mr. Speicher said his favorite Bible verse is, Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go and even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Mr. Speicher said, “It has been a great career because everybody treats each other like family. I’ve made so many lifelong friendships, and the children make it worth it all. Bethel is a neat place, it gets in your blood, and they’re not done with me yet, like it or not. You might even see me on a tractor mowing the grass.”
Officials named Joey Young, who has worked for the home for four years, the new support services director.
Heyearl1971@epbfi.com
Randy Speicher and co-workers at Bethel