Voices An Oral History Project
Jane Smith
Jane Smith wants to be remembered for the work that she has done for her community. 1
Jane Smith was born on May 1, 1943 in Roxboro, North Carolina. She would live in Roxboro with her parents until the first grade, when the whole family moved to Durham, North Carolina. Growing up with parents, who were farmers and sharecroppers, proved to be a very unique experience for Jane. There was never a dull moment on the farm.
This is partly because her family was quite big, with her twin sister, older brother, parents, and seven other siblings all living under the same roof! Jane was the eldest daughter, which meant that it was her duty to stay home and help raise her other siblings. 2
She might have worked out on the farm with her brother instead, if it weren’t for her fear of the livestock! The farm animals that the family raised spooked Jane, especially the cows. While the boys worked in the fields, Jane's mother taught her how to cook. There were plenty of ingredients to use, as the family raised all their own food! The farm provided ample meat, fruits, and vegetables for the family’s meals, which Jane and her mother would do their best to prepare. Very seldom did they have to go to the store. The only ingredients that the family bought were flour, sugar, cornmeal, or anything else that could not be home grown. 3
To make sure that the fresh produce the family grew didn’t spoil, Jane's mother would can all of the fruits and vegetables. This was an activity that the whole family would take part in, as they would get together to prepare the produce for her mother to begin canning. Christmas was another time when the whole family got together. As a child, this was Jane's favorite time of the year because her family would make all their own ornaments. They would create strings of dried popcorn and cranberries to wrap around the tree, and long paper chains too. 4
Sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies would also be baked and hung on the tree, and to replace string lights Jane's mother would take battery- operated flashlights and position them under the tree. This way the entire Christmas tree was illuminated from underneath!
Decorating the tree wasn’t the only good part about Christmas for Jane, though. She and her siblings would also get presents in makeshift stockings made of her father’s socks! They would receive gifts of apples, nuts, or raisins more often than they would toys, but back then Catherine was very appreciative of any gifts she would get from her parents. 5
They worked hard to provide for their children and wanted to make sure that they enjoyed themselves as much as possible. When Jane was in grade school, she had many hobbies. She sang in the choir, played the violin in the band, and tap danced! Her parents bought her tap shoes with money they had saved for other things, which meant a lot to Jane. In high school she enjoyed many different activities, like singing and basketball, which made her time in school very enjoyable. Jane's favorite class was home economics, where they taught you how to sew, cook, and care for babies. She really felt in her element in that class, as she had already been doing most of these things at home. 6
Outside of school, Jane hung out with her friends. There was a restaurant in Morrisville that doubled as a club, and they would go there to let loose and dance. One day when Jane was there, a handsome boy caught her eye from across the room. Eventually, that boy would become Jane’s husband, and the father to her children. Jane’s first child was later born in 1963, after the two had married and she had graduated from high school. Her husband had worked as a blacksmith, which meant that Jane got to enjoy
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traveling all over with him as he put horseshoes on different racehorses and carnival horses.
Sadly, he would die of throat cancer and Jane would have to continue raising their children on her own. To support herself and her family, Jane would work in many different places. She would change careers a few times, working at the Raleigh Durham Airport for nine years, then making upholstery at Paragon Knitting Needles for several more years, and then finally finding work at the Community Nursery School.
Jane loved this job and worked at three different locations of the school for over a decade. Unfortunately, she had to put her career on hold when one of her daughters had a baby and did not care for the child the way that a mother should. 8
Jane went to court and got custody of her daughter’s baby, then quit her job at Nursery school to take care of the child and be a stayat-home grandmother. To this day her granddaughter still calls her “mother,” as Jane is the one that really raised her. Even though she had to quit her official job at the Nursery School, Jane continued to babysit and care for other folk’s children at the time by running a daycare from her home.
Leaving the career that she worked hard for and loved very much was the most difficult time in her life. Learning how to stay at home was hard and it was upsetting that she had to look after her granddaughter not because she wanted to, but because she had to. 9
The disappointment in her daughter for not staying home and caring for her own child the way she ought to was also hard to bear. But Jane knew that it was all worth it to see her granddaughter grow up to be successful because of the guidance she gave her. One of the things that helped Jane through these hard times was God. She was raised Christian and attending church was important to her. Jane found out about the church in Durham that she attends when she was looking out of her front door one Sunday and saw her neighbor walk past her house to catch the bus.
The bus she was waiting for had the name of the church printed on the side of it, and after seeing this woman a few times Jane finally came out onto her porch and asked her about the church. 10
The woman told Jane that she was welcome to bring her kids and come with her, and the rest is history! Jane raised her kids going to that church and found opportunities to do the things that she loves, too. There, she could sing in the choir, like she used to growing up, and she could do service work. She would help the pastor and greet people in the church, praying for them as well. To Jane, uplifting those around her was one of the most rewarding things a person could do.
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Jane has always loved doing community service. She participates in volunteer activities, like passing out frozen dinners, and assisting in the cafeteria.
Being on the board at the Wilmington Center Senior Life has also given Janeherine the ability to do service work to her heart’s content. Part of the reason that she loves community service is because Jane loves people. She can work with all kinds of individuals and enjoys encouraging them. She believe we all have a purpose in life, and that we are all God’s children. Above all she believes that there is good in everybody! Everything and everyone is good to Jane. 12
Life at her retirement village is especially good. Jane loves waking up in the morning and experiencing the joy that comes from that. She spends her days doing the things that make her happy, like coloring, singing, puzzles, word searches, and putting on music and dancing! During the current pandemic Jane cannot have many visitors, so she has to be creative while distancing herself from others.
But when Jane does see her family, she goes bowling with her sister and enjoys laughing and talking with her three daughters, son, and many grandchildren. She loves her children deeply, and they love her just the same. 13
Jane doesn’t have to ask them for a thing! Her children come with open arms and make sure that she has everything she needs, expressing their love for her every moment that they spend taking care of her. It really warms her heart to see her family get together and hold each other up the way that they're supposed to. She is most proud of being able to be a mother that raised her children on her own, and of bringing them up to be successful. Seeing her children raise their own families and prosper has been especially fulfilling for Jane. She is thankful for her health and living long enough to see this happen, and is very content with her life.
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It wasn’t always easy, but she enjoys life nonetheless! When she does eventually leave this earth, Jane wants to be remembered for the work that she has done for her community. She takes pride in having a part to play in helping make those around her feel comfortable. Jane's desire is to leave a legacy of doing good for people, and of being a loving and understanding individual. In this moment, she is happy. Happy to be 77 years old and healthy as can be. Happy to see her children live to be good, understanding people. Happy to be alive. Jane truly enjoys life, and is excited to spend the rest of it with those that she loves.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This booklet is the outcome of the Oral History Project, created in collaboration by The Triangle Nonprofit and Volunteer Leadership Center- which mobilizes volunteers and supports nonprofits- and Durham Partnership for Seniors- a coalition of service providers and volunteers focused on improving the lives of older adults. The goal of the project is to connect students with older adults, and through interviews, seniors share their unique stories and history. We’d like to thank our high school students and seniors who happily agreed and enthusiastically participated in this project.
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