Janie Mullins Workman

 

“As a child growing up in Grundy, Virginia, I can remember the nostalgia for what Grundy once was, a bustling mountain village where generations grew up shopping at the Ben Franklin five-and-dime, seeing a show at the Lynwood, Morgan, or Alamo Theaters, and running errands in town for my mother.

 

When you rode through town, there were always a few things you would do: see who was sitting on the bench at the courthouse, who was standing in front of the Rexall Drug, or what movie was playing at the Lynwood.”

 

What a different time it was for Janie and her family. She was born October 22, 1937 on Looney’s Creek, Buchanan County. She was the middle child of three, born to Millard James and Pinkie (Shortridge) Mullins, delivered by Dr. Charles Reagan at home.

 

When she was five years old, her father died of a heart attack, leaving her mother with three small children in 1943. Her mother, who received a Normal Teaching Certificate from Radford College, Radford, Virginia, immediately sought employment as an elementary school teacher at Cedar Grove School on Stiltner’s Creek. Janie and her younger sister, Gerry, walked three miles to school and back home every day. That is because Pinkie never learned to drive a car.

 

Janie entered the eighth grade at Grundy High School in 1950. She was President of the Beta Club and a cheerleader her junior and senior years. She graduated third in her class in 1955.

 

Janie entered East Tennessee State College in September 1955 with an avid desire to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Education. She was President of Phi Mu National Sorority and named “Miss Buccaneer” that same year. Two years later, her education was interrupted when she met and married a schoolmate.

 

Janie was left as a single parent, ten years later, when she and her husband divorced and Janie’s life plans changed dramatically… leaving her with three small children.

 

Moving her family of four from Abingdon, Virginia to Johnson City, Tennessee in 1967, Janie re-entered East Tennessee State University to continue her education and  pursue her “dream” of earning that Business Education degree. Now, with a 9 year old son, Tommy, 6 year old daughter, Becky, and baby Sarah who was now 2 years old, College life was a completely different set of challenges.

 

But that’s okay, Janie’s perseverance and hard work paid off when she made the Dean's List in the Spring of 1970 while Student Teaching at Erwin High School, Erwin, Tennessee. She finally earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Education, and graduated ETSU in the Spring of 1970.

 

Hired as a Secretary for the Director of Purchasing at Tennessee Eastman Company, a Division of Eastman Kodak, in September 1970. Janie commuted from Johnson City to Kingsport everyday for three years.

 

Finally, after a break in her favor, a house owned by Tennessee Eastman Company became available and Janie moved her family to Kingsport, Tennessee.

 

In July 1976, she married an old friend, Earl Workman and left Tennessee Eastman Company.  Earl and his daughter, Candy, had always been close to Janie and her family in previous years, so when the happy couple tied the knot the family grew to six.

 

Earl, who was President of Massey Stores, Inc. DBA  Rex Supermarket, moved everyone back to Abingdon, Virginia.

 

Nine years later, Earl and Janie purchased Rex Supermarkets in Pound and Pearisburg Virginia and in Neon, Kentucky. Janie worked for the business the next ten years before she decided to retire.

 

She is now active in the Black’s Fort Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), serving on various committees, especially the yearly Vintage Tea, which supports their scholarship fund.

 

She, her husband, Earl, and a neighbor, Levonda McDaniel, organized a Neighborhood Watch Group, along with Washington County Sheriff’s Office, for the residents on Oakwood Drive, which has been very successful.

 

You can frequently find Janie hanging out at The Washington County Library. Her passion for staying in touch with dear friends by writing letters, sending cards, or mailing a favorite book to them that she finds tucked away at the library has been a ritual that she has carried on for many years. “ Even though I can text and face time on my smart phone, I love writing letters and sending cards, and when I stumble upon someone’s favorite “read,” I can’t help but pick it up and send it to them.”

 

Janie and Earl live happily in Abingdon,Virginia and are members of First Christian Church of Abingdon.

 

 On October 22, 2017, Janie will celebrate her 80th Birthday!