Janie Pearl Worley Vineyard

Janie Pearl Worley Vineyard was born the second of six children on May 20, 1933 in Sentinel, Oklahoma to JB and Elmettie Smith Worley and passed from this life on December 10, 2024 in Glenn Heights, TX. JB moved from the Lancaster-DeSoto area to Oklahoma with his parents William Herbert Worley and Pearl Cheshier Worley in 1927. He was born at Uhl Road and Bear Creek Road in 1907. Elmettie Smith moved from Arkansas to Oklahoma. They met and were married in Hobart, Oklahoma on December 22, 1930. Their first daughter, Wanda May, was born October 21, 1931 and passed on September 3, 2019. After Janie, there were 4 more siblings: Doyen was born May 7, 1936 and passed September 13, 2019, Helen Jean Kelm (Rogers) was born August 15, 1938, Betty Sue Venette (Lucky) was born February 13, 1942, and JB Jr was born February 25,1944 (Janis). JB was a farmer, but this was during the Dust Bowl and Depression just before World War II. He was also a truck driver, drove a dump truck for W.P.A, and building schools and service bases for Government installations. They came back to Texas with four children when Janie was in the second grade. Janie attended 5 different schools in 1 year. From Sentinel, OK to DeSoto TX, Lancaster, TX, Jacksboro TX and then to Mountain View, OK. Elmettie’s mother passed away leaving her a little money. With the money, they bought a small farm out of Chickasha, OK and leased other land to farm and graze cattle. They worked very hard and raised hard crops, watermelons, cantaloupes, peanuts, and corn... everything crows wanted to eat. They couldn’t be sold at the market in Oklahoma City if they weren’t in perfect condition. Billy sat in the field with a shotgun to keep the crows out. They raised a large garden and pressure canned everything from meats to fruits and vegetables. The family grew to 6 children during the war. They lived on the farm for 5 years without electricity, running water, and no telephone. They decided to sell and move back to Texas. They had an estate sale and sold everything from cattle, horses, plows, and all extra items. They moved in January 1948 to 5 acres at 1920 South Hampton Road in DeSoto, TX. DeSoto didn’t have a High School, so Wanda and Janie went to Lancaster High School. The bus picked them up on a graveled South Hampton Road. Billy, Helen, and Betty went to DeSoto Elementary. They rode the whole route, dropped the younger children off in DeSoto, and picked up others as they continued to Lancaster. She started 9th grade mid-term 1948 in Lancaster, TX. She was over 5ft 9in and played basketball. She was the only girl in the senior class of 1951 that played on the team, and she was a co-captain with most of the team being sophomores. Since she lived in DeSoto, she stayed in Lancaster on game days. Before they moved to Texas, they worked on the farm. The second day here, she wore blue jeans to school. Miss Elsie Robertson stopped her in the classroom and said, “We don’t allow pants in school.” Mother said, “Did you tell her you didn’t have them.” Daddy let her buy material for 2 outfits and Wanda to buy 2 outfits. Janie graduated from Lancaster High School in 1951. She had gotten a job as a telephone switchboard operator with Southwestern Bell in Dallas and started in June of 1951. 1951-1952 were record highs in Dallas with some still standing today. They didn’t have an air conditioner as they said it would ruin the wiring and the cables. The operators walked outside for air conditioning; they sat blocks of ice in the tubs with fans blowing over them. She met the father of her 4 children there and they married on October 19,1952. Robert Ray Jr. was born April 22,1955 and passed on September 3, 2010 at 55 years old. They moved to Van Alstyne, TX and had their oldest daughter, Janet Elaine, who was born in Sherman on December 21, 1957 and passed on June 24, 2017, from cancer. They moved back to Lancaster and had their youngest son at Chester Hospital in South Dallas. Richard Wayne was born January 21, 1961. They purchased a house on East Colonial where they lived for 8 years. Their last daughter, Jill Ranee Vineyard Brown was born on August 13, 1963 in Waxahachie. She was preceded by her oldest grandson, Christopher Brian Vineyard, who was born on July 15,1975 and passed away on March 20, 2019. Janie is survived by son, Richard and wife Pam; and her daughter, Jill; 6 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and 9 great-great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 12:00pm to 1:00pm on Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at Rawlins Cemetery in Lancaster. A graveside service will begin immediately following at 1:00m also at Rawlins Cemetery.

Janie Pearl Worley Vineyard

May 20, 1933 - December 10, 2024