Newspaper, Profile of Texana Joy Whittington, Jena, LaSalle Parish La.
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PatEzell@worldnet.att.net




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From the Jena Times - Olla Tullos Signal, Wednesday, January 26, 2000,
Section B, Page 5 
Thank You to the Times -Signal for allowing the following to be added
to the Archives. 
A Times-Signal Feature...."Citizen Profile" A Very Special Salute 
LAUGHTER IS BEST MEDICINE, SAYS THIS DEVOTED CITIZEN
I've always been a happy person, says this week's Citizen Profile Texas Joy
Whittington of Jena, "but the happiest time of my life was being married and
raising my kids."
Anyone who knows Mrs. Whittington can say without a doubt that she is a very
happy person with a delightful sense of humor that can charm even the hardest
of people.
"'I've always said that laughter is the best medicine," she noted. "I've tried
to live my life laughing and just being happy."
Born on April 4, 1905, this year Mrs. Whittington will celebrate her 95th
birthday. But don't let her age fool you. She is as spry and sharp as ever,
keeping up with all the latest news and events as well as remembering events
which occurred over 80 years ago.
She was born and raised on the Blade Loop, just east of Jena, to James
Franklin Joy and Mary Ina Adams Joy. Mr. Joy was a logger who worked long
hours in the woods and at the local saw mill.
Mrs. Whittington had four brothers and two sisters, which have all since
deceased, leaving her the only survivor of her family.
While her father worked in the woods, her mother stayed home and was a
housewife and worked the family's large garden.
All of the children attended Central School, which was located on the Blade
Loop approximately two miles (maybe more) from the Joy residence.
"I remember we had to walk to school all that way every day through the
woods," she recalled. "The school had one big room with one big wood heater
and all the classes were together."
She attended school until the sixth grade, after which she stayed home and
helped her mother around the house with all the household duties and tending
to the garden.
Her sister was working at the Blade Loop Post Office and when Mrs. Whittington
was around 16 years of age, one day her sister got sick. Mrs. Whittington
stepped in and ran the post office for about six months until her sister was
able to return.
Mrs. Whittington then returned to work around the house helping her mother.
When she was around 20 years old her sister married a man from Galveston,
Texas. While meeting the groom's family, Mrs. Whittington's eyes fell upon the
groom's brother, Calvin Whittington. The two brothers had a successful
business, Whittington Brothers, in the Galveston area doing all types of
carpentry work.
For several years the two would "court" long-distance fashion, with Mr.
Whittington living in Galveston and Mrs. Whittington still living on the Blade
Loop.
Ultimately, the two would wed in the year 1929. And while she may not remember
the exact date of the wedding, she does remember that it was "during
blackberry time."
After they were married, Mr. Whittington built a house by himself on the Blade
Loop for his new bridge complete with a fireplace.
"When we first married - he had to go to Texas a lot to do carpentry work,"
she said. "Work was so scarce that he had to go where the jobs were."
Back in Louisiana, Mr. Whittington found himself doing carpentry work as well,
and did this for some time until he was hired by General Marine Bo-Tell and
went to work off-shore.
"During the depression years, life was very hard but life was also filled with
many pleasures," she said. "We had no money and a hard life, but we were
extremely close and I really enjoyed taking care of our kids. In fact, I love
all kids."
When asked how many children they had, she responded: "We had two mean
youngons," she said followed by laughter. "No, we had two great kids and I
love them very much."
Calvin Whittington, Jr. and Melvia Flowers, a brother and sister, remember a
loving mom and dad who together made a great family.
"In the early years we didn't have much of anything," she said. "I cooked on a
wood stove and we had a fireplace. Calvin was a good man and he was good to me
and to the children. We all miss him very much."
Mr. Whittington passed away on May 5, 1983, and Mrs. Whittington is comforted
in knowing that she will one day join him in heaven. They'd been married for
54 years.
"We had a good marriage," she continued. "He was good to me and I was good to
him. If there is any advice I could give to young couples it would be just to
be good to one another."
While living on the Blade Loop, Mrs. Whittington had many chores, duties and
hobbies that occupied her time while raising her family.
"Oh, we had a garden, cows, chickens, and pigs, and we had a smoke house to
smoke ham and other meats, and we canned a lot of vegetables and made our own
jams and jellies," she said. "We had to wash clothes outside in a big boiling
pot with scrub boards because there was no electricity."
When she needed things to stay cool, like milk, she would place the items in
the nearby spring. These were just some of the ways of life during the 1930s
and '40s.
Daughter Melvia Flowers remembers her parents as good people who knew what was
important and who raised a family right.
"She was a very strict mama, especially when it came to chores and manners,"
Mrs. Flowers said. "She definitely believed in spankings and we were taught to
respect our parents and all elders."
Along with being a good parent, her daughter remembers her mother as a good
neighbor and friend as well.
"Mama was a good lady and was always there ready to help no matter who it was
in need," she said. "And of course, she also had time for her children and
always helped us when we needed it."
Growing up, the Whittingtons attended Pine Grove Baptist Church, which is
located on the Blade Loop Road. In fact Mrs. Whittington went to Pine Grove
when she was growing up and continued when she began her own family.
"We used to have a bunch of members at the church years ago and everyone would
be there on Sundays," she said. "I have a lot of friends and most of them are
good Christian people."
Still a devoted Christian, Mrs. Whittington prays every night before she goes
to sleep and thanks God for her relationship with Him.
Today, she spends most of her time reading her favorite newspaper, The Jena
Times and watching television. She keeps up with all the current events both
locally and worldwide.
As a matter of fact, Mrs. Whittington is the exact age of her favorite paper,
which was established in 1905, the same year she was born.
"I really do like The Jena Times" she said, "that's my paper."
Her daughter agrees.

Every week she is beside herself until she gets the weekly paper," Mrs.
Flowers said. 
We make sure that she gets her paper as soon as it comes out."
"I used to be able to go to town and get it myself," Mrs. Whittington said.
"Every Wednesday I'd walk up those front steps and get my copy of The Jena
Times.
One of her favorite topics of discussion is politics. She loves to follow
local, state and national politics and loves to talk it with friends and loved
ones.
When asked to comment on Louisiana Governor Mike Foster, Mrs. Whittington
stated she had her views, but really didn't want them published.
"You never know, I may run for something someday and he may not help me," she
said as she again laughed out loud.
Besides reading her paper and watching TV, Mrs. Whittington loves to visit
with people and loves for visitors to "drop" in.
For several years now she has been limited physically and cannot get out like
she used to. So people coming to visit her is a treasured event.
Named after her Grandma Texana Clark, Mrs. Whittington now lives in Jena near
the high school where she always has a smile on her face, a cheerful and funny
comment, and a welcome mat extended to all who have the time.
When asked if there was one thing she would like to say to all the people of
LaSalle Parish, she said to just make sure they knew that "I love them all."
This week we salute perhaps our most devoted customer, Mrs. Texana Joy
Whittington, as our Citizen Profile of the week.