The Way We Were

The Way We Were: Anita Thompson

The Way We Were: Anita Thompson

A local newspaper once dubbed Anita Thompson as “the Catholic pharmacist.” That’s a very apt descriptor of Thompson’s passion, involvements and accomplishments in the 63 years she has lived in Jacksonville.  Born in Stuart, Florida, in 1932, her mother, brother Frank and she moved to Key West after World War II started, where, from 1939 […]

The Way We Were: Mary Jane Blanchard

The Way We Were: Mary Jane Blanchard

Mary Jane Blanchard has many memories of growing up on Felch Avenue and in San Marco; hanging out with two close girlfriends; teachers who inspired her to become a teacher; and classmates and friends, some of whom help her today, because she is now homebound.             Mary Jane’s mother, Dorothy Louise Burrell, moved to Jacksonville […]

The Way We Were: Three Generations in San Marco

The Way We Were: Three Generations in San Marco

“Love Where You Live” is Juliette C. D. Vaughn’s mantra, both for business as a realtor and for life. Her grandparents, George and Martha Carlyon, moved to San Marco from Springfield in 1939. Three generations of Juliette’s family have attended Hendricks Avenue Elementary School. Both Juliette and her mother, Julianne “Julie” Carlyon DeJong, were born […]

The Way We Were: The Larson Sisters

The Way We Were: The Larson Sisters

Sue Jordan of Riverside joked that she and the movie, “Gone with The Wind,” came out the same year – 1939. Although she was raised in Riverside, Sue was born in Miami. “My mother was a ‘Conch’ (born in Key West, Florida), and she had gone down to visit her family while Daddy was in […]