During the holiday season, we often reflect on the nature of gifts—some arrive wrapped, while others are innate qualities inherited through family lines.
In the 1960s, the Considine residence in Lake Worth was known for its open door. Material presents might have been scarce, but the family's inherent generosity was abundant.
John Considine Jr., the family head, embodied this spirit. Supporting a wife and three children on a modest Sears salary, he imparted a crucial lesson: true wealth comes from investing in loved ones and those in need.
"He would give people his last dollar," his son Joe remembers. When questioned, their father would explain, "We had something to eat today, and that family hasn’t had anything to eat."
Their Sundays followed a ritual: Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, grocery shopping, then delivering food to a struggling friend before donating the remainder to the Poor Clare nuns in Delray Beach.
Matriarch Louise possessed the gift of song. Her talent was evident from her childhood radio performances on Detroit's WJBK at age nine to later singing in nightclubs and even recording for MGM in Hollywood.
"It’s not an easy life for a girl," she remarked to The Palm Beach Post in 1976. "There are so many beautiful girls working as waitresses, waiting for someone to discover them."
Louise returned to Detroit, working at Ford Motor Co., where she met John Considine Jr., son of "Irish John" Considine, a prominent city official known for his strong work ethic and distinctive brogue.
"He came up the hard way, always with his Irish brogue, which still is his trademark," the Detroit Free Press noted upon his 1959 retirement.
Irish John arrived at Ellis Island in 1912 with only $15. His legendary determination was matched by a personal struggle with alcoholism, which he overcame in the 1940s through dedicated work with Alcoholics Anonymous.
"His fighting spirit is legend," the newspaper wrote. "He never did anything that he did not intensely believe in."
Louise won over her future father-in-law, charming the Irishman with her rendition of "Danny Boy." Upon retirement, Irish John settled in a new Lake Worth home near his son's family, a reward for decades of public service.
A Time of Growth and Celebration
The 1960s marked a period of significant expansion in Palm Beach County. The Considines were part of a demographic surge that nearly doubled the local population between 1950 and 1960.
Their home on Lakeview Drive was among the first in the area. The neighborhood quickly filled with families, including future Congressman Mark Foley, a peer of the Considines' son Joe.
Louise cherished her new community, which boasted beaches and even hosted President John F. Kennedy. "We had a crucifix on the wall, next to a photo of Pope John and President Kennedy," Joe Considine recalls.
Holiday traditions were cherished. Christmas shopping meant trips to downtown West Palm Beach's Burdine's department store. The season's soundtrack was provided by Louise's favorite, baritone Perry Como, who also resided in the area.
Christmas Eve featured a tree decorated by Louise and a feast of rigatoni, lasagne, and prime rib for a house full of relatives. The celebrations even rivaled the local St. Patrick's Day festivities, where Louise, a Shamrock Club founder, would perform.
A Path of Public Service
The family's commitment to service manifested in the next generation. John Considine III, influenced by his grandfather and local politicians, felt a strong call to help others, initially aspiring to the priesthood.
"Dad said nope!" Joe recalls of that early ambition. John instead pursued law and student leadership at the University of Florida.
In 1973, he campaigned for a student bar association presidency by addressing a campus grievance. "The coffee at the school was awful," his wife Julia later explained, "so we set up a coffee urn during a cold snap and offered ‘Better Coffee with Considine.’" He won.
Married into a politically connected Florida family, John ran for the Florida House of Representatives in 1974 as a young Democrat with limited funds and a newborn. His grassroots campaign involved holding signs that read, "Hi. I’m John Considine."
Elected at 26 and re-elected in 1976, he advocated for the working class. "Let’s not put the burden on those least able to afford it, those with fixed incomes, the sick, school kids," he argued during a 1975 tax debate.
He successfully championed the pioneering "Florida Generic Drug Act" to reduce medication costs. His mother Louise was a vocal supporter, singing at rallies and even lobbying the local newspaper for more favorable coverage of her son's achievements.
After an unsuccessful congressional run in 1978, John returned to law before finding a new vocation. He was ordained as a Unity Church minister, serving congregations across several states and finding expression in local theater, much like his mother.
Confronting Addiction with Compassion
Joe Considine's career path also led him to service, specifically aiding families grappling with addiction. As a "Marchman Act attorney," he helps obtain court orders to compel treatment for individuals with substance-use disorders.
He describes receiving daily, desperate calls from families. The legal process is emotionally taxing, forcing loved ones to weigh difficult choices about intervention.
He recounts assisting parents terrified for their daughter's life due to drug abuse. The father's decisive statement resonated: "I don’t want to visit my daughter at the cemetery and know I did not do everything in my power to save her."
Joe's work is informed by personal experience; he has been sober for 38 years, guided by mentor James Robinson, a prominent local lawyer who found recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous.
"Everything I thought I had... I found at the AA meetings," Robinson told him. Joe now emphasizes that "addiction is not a weakness... It is a neurological disease," a perspective that helps alleviate family shame.
He lives by the words of George Bernard Shaw, believing his life belongs to the community and striving to be "thoroughly used up."
An Enduring Legacy
Now 70, Joe Considine sees his life as a tapestry woven from his family's traits: his grandfather's grit, his father's generosity, his brother's empathy.
"This is a true American story," he states. His home is filled with photographs of loved ones now passed, including his grandfather, parents, sister, and brother John, who died in September 2024.
Recently, Joe returned to Detroit for the 62nd anniversary of the Considine Life Center, a recreation facility named for Irish John. "Granddad had an indomitable spirit," Joe told attendees. "This is really about the children of the future."
The family narrative embodies the passing of a "splendid torch"—the enduring gifts of character, service, and care handed down through generations.
