Jackie was born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Jackie parlayed her good grades in business subjects, shorthand awards, and typing skills into her first job after High School graduation as the secretary/treasurer of the South Side High School, the high school she attended. This was unfamiliar territory as Jackie had never been to the principal’s office as a student! Jackie admitted that early in life she “never set the bar very high for her life goals”. She enjoyed the work because as far back as she could remember, she wanted to be a good secretary. After two years on the job, Jackie married a soldier and moved to Germany, from there, relocated to Biloxi, Mississippi, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and then Fort Benning in Columbus, GA. When the dust settled at Fort Benning, Jackie had two babies and was content to be a stay at home mom. Shortly after arriving at Fort Benning, her husband was deployed to Vietnam. Unfortunately, their marriage dissolved after his return from the war. The husband moved on with the Army and Jackie stayed in Columbus, which has been home ever since.
The divorce necessitated that Jackie become employed again. She was offered a job with a manufacturing firm, as a secretary at Wipo, Inc, which manufactured industrial wiping cloth. Another “dream job” that she enjoyed for the next sixteen years. In 1991 Jackie transitioned to clerical work in a physician’s office, and is still employed with the same group of physicians transcribing medical records. Jackie remarried in 1974 to an Army retiree. They were married for sixteen plus years when he was tragically killed in a house fire. Although Jackie still works full time, she spends her quiet time reading, taking care of her cats, and traveling to races.
;)
Jackie started walking initially for weight control and transitioned into running. Her first race she recalls was the Americus 5/10K in 1980. She found the entry form in a local shoe store and began to ask where was Americus! At that race, Jackie peaked in two blocks and walked/ran the rest of the race, finishing the 5K with some of the 10K runners. The time didn’t matter, but the endorphins did as Jackie was hooked on running. The camaraderie, the crowd support, and the feeling of accomplishment are worth the effort. Her late husband used to tell friends that “running is the only thing that Jackie ever stuck with”. After thirty-seven years of running she is still out there with us.
;)
Jackie’s PR’s are: 5K-21:23 in Montgomery; 10K-44:10 in the Rose City Run in Thomasville, and 1:44 for a Macon Half Marathon. She has ran three marathons, and remarks that that was “two too many!” The two were the Marine Corp Marathon in Washington, DC, the New York City Marathon, and one in Portland, Oregon. Jackie, like most senior members of the running community, have found that her times have doubled as their age doubles. Her granddaughter Allyson Barron travels with Jackie to most races. Her two favorite half marathons are the “Teardrop half” in Chatsworth, GA and “The Scream” in Jonas Ridge, North Carolina. Jackie has enjoyed participating in the Greater Atlanta Athletes Series. Her goal in 2017 is to run twelve half marathons, and “maybe” eighteen in 2018. This total includes the Publix Half and Thanksgiving Half in Atlanta, the Soldier’s Half in Columbus, and the Snickers Half in Albany. Jackie consistently ranks high in her age group, including the 70-74 female of which she is now a member. Not too many years back Jackie came is second overall female in points in the Run and See Georgia Grand Prix series. She is considered the premier senior female runner in the Columbus, GA area. Her maternal grandmother lived to the young age of one hundred and three and her paternal grandmother also one hundred. Her granddaughter Allyson has agreed to take over the driving duties enroute to races when Jackie turns 90.
Bob checking out from the back of the pack. Watch for the profile of David Beeland, and Veronica Doster.