Season of change

After 1963, life changed for so many people. The aftermath of the assassination took its toll on the country, and it was a scary time for Americans. It was a season of change in civil rights, culture, and war which caused divide among Americans.

Our little family, thankfully, were oblivious to all the turmoil and dangers of war and although we all were affected by the Civil Rights Act, the changes were dealt with as best they could be. Our boys were in school and our daughter was born in 1965, and to be honest, the raising of my family and my job at the Clayton County Board of education took up most of my waking hours and I gave little thought to the news unless it was local. The integration of schools would take place a few years later.

We had moved to Jonesboro in the early 60’s where Sollie worked as an appliance repairman for the Georgia Power Company. Jonesboro still looked like it did when Sherman marched through and the locals were warm and friendly, especially those at GA Power. Our friends were folks we knew who worked at Georgia Power and those involved with JAYCEES or church. The Bishops Jim and Cile were our best friends, had children the ages of ours and we spent a lot of time together. Although they were transferred from Jonesboro, we remained close and although Jim sadly left us a few years ago, ‘Cile and I still remain good friends and catch up with each other even today. We enjoyed Christmas parties, dances, boating with friends who had boats and playing bridge with friends and neighbors. The Jaycees was a great opportunity to meet new people and get involved in many benevolent and fun functions. I remember the Centennial event which was held in a large field between Jonesboro and Morrow and drew a very large crowd. Sollie was heavily involved in the planning and execution of that event. He also coached little league baseball and belonged to a group of volunteers who served as rescue workers as well as emergency ambulance service for the area. He had lots of funny stories to tell about those times. Life was good.

Sollie, always looking for a challenge, and a fatter bank account decided in his infinite wisdom, that he should go into the restaurant business part time, which ultimately consumed him, and he left his job at Georgia Power, and became the proud owner of Sollie’s Diner which was located directly at the intersection of Ga Highway 41 and Main Street in Jonesboro. It had a fabulous reputation for the best chili dog in the entire state. He would come home after working nearly twenty-four hours, smelling of raw onions and grease and fall into bed beside me. He didn’t make noise, but I sure knew when he got in bed! The few years that he was a business owner took its toll on us and our marriage. He ultimately sold the diner and after a few months of building, selling, and delivering Handi Houses, we sold our home and moved back to Swainsboro.

I went to work at Automatic Sprinkler Corp. as Secretary to the Plant Manager and Sollie joined the maintenance department at Keller Industries, a local manufacturer of plastic webbing used in the construction of the aluminum, webbed lawn chairs that were all the rage. That was the beginning of a whole new career path for him to expand his expertise in all things in the manufacturing of plastic goods. His work ethics and dedication to his employer became his trademark and he was quickly offered a position with Reifenhauser U. S. Sales in New York City who was in the process of building a new testing center in Saddlebrook, New Jersey. He was elated and was eager to accept. It was January of 1970, the coldest winter we had ever seen, when a big United Moving Van pulled up to our Swainsboro Home and packed us up for a new life as “yankees” and we couldn’t wait!