Virginia Betzel Constantz was inducted into the Hall of Fame to recognize her trailblazing, extremely successful career as an attorney, working first as a prosecutor, then in private practice and later as a Guardian Ad Litem. Mrs. Constantz was a member of the Class of June 1938, graduating at 16 years of age. She was Captain of the Girl’s Basketball team, was on the Swim team, a member of the Photoplay Appreciation Club (movie critiques), Tap Club, and had a Service R.

Mrs. Constantz attended Harris Stowe College for one year (1939-40), then moved to Los Angeles, CA. Mrs. Constantz enlisted in the Women’s Army Corp (WAC) in 1942 serving with the Adjutant General’s Office. She was accepted for Officer Training in 1943, graduating with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant and later promoted to 1^st Lieutenant in 1945. She stayed with the Army after being discharged in 1945 working as a civilian assigned to Livorno, Italy. While there, she met and fell in love with 1^st Lt. George Constantz, marrying him in 1946. The couple moved to Washington, DC, in 1947, after George’s discharge.

George earned a degree from Georgetown University in Foreign Service, then began a lengthy career with Sears Roebuck in various management and development roles. He and Mrs. Constantz lived in New Jersey; Columbia, South America; and Mexico, while George set up new stores. Mrs. Constantz gave birth and raised nine children during the next 18 years, with one being born in Columbia and another in Mexico. The family moved back to the St. Louis area in 1959, living in House Springs, MO, in Jefferson County.

Mrs. Constantz had always been a lifetime learner and an avid reader. She had developed a love for the law early in life, so in 1967, she returned to college to pursue her dream of being a lawyer. With her older children and husband taking care of the younger children, she attended Jefferson College for two years, then transferred to the University of Missouri-St. Louis, earning a B.S. degree in Business in 1971. Mrs. Constantz then enrolled in St. Louis University’s Law School. Taking night courses, Mrs. Constantz graduated in 1975, at the age of 53, with her Juris Doctor degree and passed the Missouri Bar exam on her first attempt. Mrs. Constantz did two internships with the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s office while a student collaborating closely with Prosecutor Robert Curran, who soon afterwards was elected to a Judgeship. He encouraged Mrs. Constantz to becoming a prosecutor, so she applied and was hired to be Jefferson County’s first female prosecutor. A Newspapers.com search of Mrs. Constantz revealed news of this event being published in twenty-three newspapers around the country, from Oregon to Texas to Alabama. Eight Missouri based newspapers covered this hiring. Mrs. Constantz went on to have a 30-year career in the law, retiring in 2006, a year before her death.

From 1975 to 1986, Mrs. Constantz prosecuted many criminal cases in Jefferson County, eventually raising to the position of 1^st Assistant Prosecuting Attorney. In 1986, Dennis Kehm, the elected Prosecutor, resigned to run for a judge’s position. Mrs. Constantz sought the prosecutor position, but the Jefferson County’s Central Democratic Committee selected one of its own members to run for the office. That person had been an attorney for only four years, had no criminal prosecution background, and was allowed to vote on the selection. At the time, a Democratic candidate was virtually guaranteed to be elected. Mrs. Constantz resigned her position, going into private practice, becoming partners in the firm Schnaare and Constantz, in Hillsboro. Two other prosecutors resigned, too. She oversaw a wide range of cases during this period. In 1989, Mrs. Constantz was chosen to serve on a committee to select the next President of Jefferson College. Sometime later, Mrs. Constantz was appointed to serve as the Guardian Ad Litem for the Jefferson County’s Juvenile Court. In this capacity, she investigated and represented the best interests of children or incapacitated people during legal proceedings.

Mr. Constantz passed away in 2000. Mrs. Constantz passed in 2007. Both were buried in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery with full military honors.

As can be seen by Mrs. Constantz body of work as a pioneer in the judicial field, she illustrates what a true Rough Rider represents and is a credit to the Roosevelt High School community.