Friday, December 19, 2014

Yesteryear

I have been doing a lot of pitching and tossing, since we moved into our new home....Isn't it amazing the things we hang on to? I found a stack of old letters that my Dad had written to me, and sat down and read them...They brought tears to my eyes...but that is another long story.

A fun thing I found, is an old suitcase full of memorabilia of when I was an airline stewardess. Yes, that is what we were called back then. I flew for a Local Service Carrier, Central Airlines (in operation from 1949-1967). Central flew in the six central states of the U. S. I was based in Ft. Worth, Texas, but actually lived in Dallas.
This was graduation day (from Stewardess Training) July of 1965. Yes, there were only three in our class. That is me on the far right, with my natural color hair. Isn't it amazing that my hair, instead of turning gray, has turned blond? (believe that and I have a bridge to sell you). I wish I could identify everyone in the picture. I do know the man on the back row, left....is Bud Herring (1923-2011) President of Customer Service.

 The next gal was assistant Chief Stew. I am struggling for her name. Lady in black is Thelma Doyle...There is no way I could forget her. I have never been so frightened of any human being in my life. I need to dedicate a whole blog to her!
The gentleman behind me is Lamar Muse (1920-2007). He was President and CEO from 1964-1967. Lamar had a long career with many carriers. I feel sure that some of you may have heard of Southwest Airlines?....Well, he was a co-founder, President and CEO...in the early days.

Nancy, on the front left was the dearest of friends . She died suddenly of an aneurysm in her early fifties,while playing golf. Nancy actually taught me to play golf. Jeanne, in the center...who had beautiful red hair, is still flying.

Central Airlines merged with the Old Frontier Airlines in 1967. Then Frontier was bought by Continental Airlines, which has now become part of United Airlines. Last I heard, Jeanne was so senior that she was only working a very few days a month. I actually was a passenger on her flight a few years ago (1999) Paris to Houston. She was serving me a drink, and I had a deja vu moment. I had not seen her in 31 years. You can't imagine the shock when we realized how we knew each other!!

Thanks for going down memory lane with me. Wonderful years of my life! Oh...
To prove I hang onto important things. This is the uniform I had on in that picture :)
Do you have a memory box?
* Word Verification always been turned off on this blog. I have had a complaint that it is happening.? Has anyone else experienced this?

12 comments:

  1. Wow! Enjoyed the old photos and learning more about your life!

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  2. wow. go, jeanne, go!!! so cool that you ran into her on a flight! i knew lamar muse's name as soon as i read it. :)

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  3. i did not get a word ver prompt at your site, however, i believe open i.d. users (like wordpress, typepad, etc.) will get it from now on, thanks to google.

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  4. How have I never seen this actual uniform? So cute!

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    1. You have never found my closet to be interesting. Except when you were searching for Christmas presents...

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  5. It is a nice uniform Janey, love the powder blue colour, bet you looked cute as in it! No I don't have memory box but I really wish I did, what fun to go through all these things! Wishing you and your family a very happy Christmas, take care..

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  6. Thanks for the text last night. I had forgotten that you, Nancy and Jeanne were in a class together. T's assistant was named Helen but I can't remember her last name either. You forgot to mention you had a terrific roommate in 1967 named Carolyn! :)) I have a scrapbook somewhere that I kept from my Central/Frontier days and I am sure I have some photos of us in it. Will try to find it and send them to you. I think I still have the round pin we wore on the uniforms but didn't keep anything else. Remember those white patent leather boots we wore to and from the airplane and then had to change into pumps on the flight. When I got my first pair they wouldn't fit over my calves so T made me enroll in a health club and I worked real hard to get my calves into those boots. Then we merged with Frontier and I was saved because we got new uniforms... Will go back soon and read some of your other posts. Had forgotten you had this blog. Love to you and Tom and have a Merry Christmas!

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  7. What a nice post Janey, you even still have your costume, amazing! I always dreamed of being a stewardess, but didn't do it in the end.

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  8. A great post...I live in Lubbock, so I remember Frontier Air and of course, Southwest is still going strong.
    I dreamed of being an airline hostess when I got out of high school. A man from somewhere even came to our home in Plainview to interview me. However, I was too tall and had to wear glasses at the time (before contacts) and those things weren't allowed...so I didn't make it. Crushed for awhile but now....I HATE to fly so God was just heading me off at the pass. :)

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  9. What a wonderful post, and I love the photo! How times have changed...sometimes for the good, sometimes not. I love a good journey back in time, thanks so much for sharing.

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  10. I totally understand your fear of TDoyle. She was a force of nature and I always referred to her as Iron Lady. Having said that, she was always good to me. I was young, first time away from home, flying all over the world and she kind of took me under her wing. But she could still make me shake in my boots. Is that Jeanne Jordan?

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    1. Colette...when did you fly? Did you have another last name? Jeanne's maiden name then was Hamilton. She May have married someone named Jordan. Thanks for stopping by.

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