04/15/2026
Sperry Drilling, started in 1968 by "Old Man Sperry" as the customers call him, and to me, Grandpa. For most people, blood runs through the veins but for me and my family, I'd say a lot of it is water. Being raised at Sperry Drilling has changed my life in more ways than one.
Growing up I would get off the bus at Sperry, a little girl with blonde curls running to the front door to see my grandma sitting there in the picture window behind the desk, answering countless phone calls. Aunt Kelly was there as a staple of the business chasing us kids. We really gave her a run for her money! Dad showing up just in time to take me home from work after his day was finished servicing & looking at wells. Dale & Ed, a continuation of the family, were always there working hard to make sure the business kept on.
Summer days spent playing in the fenced off backyard while Grandpa fed us root beer barrels through the fence and work still continued inside the building. We were just kids then and life was simple. My grandma, my aunt and my dad were there if I needed something, Mom was always a phone call away and stopped in sometimes to help out. It was where I learned not to put a knife in the electrical outlet and when you got a deposit to take it straight to the bank.
Times were tough but God always carried us and that's something my grandma has taught me. As I continued to grow older, over time, things changed. Life got heavy. I didn't ride the bus to the office anymore but I was able to now drive out and visit, showing up for lunch as they joked, but honestly it was being surrounded by my family that kept me coming back.
I moved and got married, was working at the hospital going to pursue a career in nursing. Whether it just wasn't my time to do that or God showing me my new path, I was led back to Sperry. I was working alongside ALL my people. My grandma, my dad, my brother, my aunt, my uncles, we even conned my husband into coming to work with us.
It was a true family affair including the guys who were considered family, but then things changed. People left. People stayed and I was in the middle. I knew being at Sperry is where I needed to be.
Not only is Sperry a place for me and my family to grow, it is a school, a church, a daycare, "Grandma's house", a safe place and most importantly it is HOME. It is helping other people obtain clean drinking water. It is not letting people be left stranded or helpless. It is giving out care and thanking God that we are able to do that.
It is my life and it means the world to me. There are times that I feel like quitting or giving up but God says not today. So just know by supporting Sperry it is so much more than just a paycheck to me. It is my everything, my life, and my livelihood.
So thank you to the customers that have supported us over the past 50 plus years. Your loyalty and trust in our business keeps us going. When you're a part of Sperry, you are part of my family, and for that I am beyond grateful and thankful! ❤️
Faith Kelly
4th Generation Hole Maker