The Amazing Jayne Blair Since Jayne’s father had owned a Buick dealership, Jayne always loved to drive. “I would drive cross country to meet my husband when his ship came in at a faraway port.” She often took her mother with her on these cross-country expeditions. The McGrath’s were married for 52 years and had two children. The eldest, Cynthia, lives in Virginia; the youngest, Ellen, was originally misnamed on her birth papers. Born at the Naval Hospital, the tiny infant had mistakenly been named “Elmer”: it took some major shenanigans to get that paperwork corrected. Ellen passed away recently, a sad moment in Jayne’s life. Mac McGrath became a naval Commander, and—as the mother of three girls— Jayne lived the life of an officer’s wife. Of those years, she says: “In the beginning it was a lot harder than it is now, because if you had a skipper who was not very
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nice, it filtered into the home.” Mac stayed in the navy for 17 years. He left 3 years short of retirement to take a try at a dream job, which dissolved into nothingness. Jayne unexpectedly found herself having to go to work. Upbeat person that she is, Jayne found she really enjoyed it! “My first job was a nifty fun job. I went to work for Thomas Edison’s Voice Writer Department. My boss was a Vice President. I learned shorthand and stuff, and became his Executive Secretary. When the next man down moved, up, I became his Executive Secretary. Not long after that, my second boss left and I was the one who moved up. I had my own secretaries, my own office, and I was a member of the Export Managers Club in NYC. There were 700 men and 2 women.” This impressive achievement all took place over six decades ago! Jayne smiled: “They sent
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me to the Dominican Republic and Mexico. Fortunately, languages are easy for me, so I could speak Spanish pretty well and also a little French and German.” Later, Jayne went into real estate. “I was 17 years a realtor. This is where I made most of my money.” Jayne and Mac were to live all over the place, but in 1981, they started spending summers on Bird Key, and eventually moved here. Life became progressively more difficult. Mac had developed Alzheimer’s, and was deteriorating. It was then that Jayne called in a promise made to her some 40 years earlier. Jayne had long ago met Richard Hutchings Blair who was Captain of a destroyer, the James C. Owens. Richard was a true Virginian gentlemen and a 1932 graduate of the Naval Academy. They had first met, decades ago, when they were both married to other people,
and she the mother of three girls. Richard had no children. Although instantly drawn to each other, these were very responsible people. Of their blossoming friendship, Jayne said: “I was attracted to him, and he to me, but we did nothing about it.” Richard, however, said one fateful thing that Jayne would never forget: “If you ever need anything, call me.” 45 years later, when Mac no longer recognized his wife of more than a half-century, Jayne picked up the phone and called Richard. She knew full well that Richard had lost his wife a decade before. A champion golfer, Richard lived north of San Diego on a golf course. Jayne called him on a Tuesday and said, very simply, “I need help!” Upon hearing the details, Richard responded, “I’m making a reservation for you at a hotel near my home. The reservation will be for Friday.” Jayne packed her bag and took
a plane. The couple reunited, and it was exactly as if they had never been apart. Jayne saw Richard many times while Mac was still alive. Sometimes she went to California, and sometimes he came to Sarasota. “I would never have left my husband. But after he died, Richard and I were married. The two of us were lucky to be so happy!” Richard and Jayne hunted for a home in The Landings. “I took one look, and that was it!” Kestral Park South has been her home ever since. Richard passed away a few years ago, and Jayne lives cheerfully on. She still drives her car and has helpers come in daily for several hours. Having played bridge all her life, she has recently learned to play mahjong. “I’m not a super player. I’m not a bad player. But I want to be a good player.” Now 102, the vivacious and lovely Jayne Blair is indeed an inspiration!
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