(This week The Columbian-Progress spotlights West Marion Elementary secretary Jamie Jones.)
Q: When and where were you born?
A: I was born in New Orleans on Feb. 1, 1964.
Q: Where did you attend school?
A: I attended school here at West Marion. I moved here when I was in the fourth grade.
Q: Where do you work? Tell us about your job/company.
A: I am a secretary at West Marion Elementary. I get the day started off by greeting all my students with a smile, standing at my door every morning. Then I greet the parents of students who are tardy and get the students checked in. I do attendance for the whole school. I play nurse at times even though I’m not a nurse. Those that come in sick or have temperatures, I call their parents or give them medications. We have people here authorized to give medications every day. I answer the phone, put kids in car line, give messages and also answer intercoms from the teachers. I’m the one who they come to for everything. I’m here for the parents, teachers and students all the way around.
Q: What led you to your profession?
A: I love children. I wanted the same schedule as my child. I enjoy helping people when I can. I love seeing children with smiles on their face. I just have a heart and a passion for children. I enjoy interacting with the children and the parents, too. I always have a positive attitude and am going to do whatever I need to do to make them happy.
Q: What is the most challenging aspect of your job?
A: The challenging aspect is realizing there are two sides to every story. Everybody thinks the adults are always right, and that’s not necessarily so. You do what the adult says, but sometimes a child is right in a situation. You have to stop and listen to both sides to every story.
Q: What is the most important lesson you have learned in your career?
A: I’m a parent and a grandparent praise the Lord, and I do whatever it takes to make them happy and taken care of. I make sure every child up here is taken care of, and they are just like my own.
Q: When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A: I thought I wanted to work in the medical field, but all of that changed. I started leaning toward children so I started thinking a school would be the best place. Being a secretary came to mind. I was able to help with the children just like the people in the medical field. I’ve been here 25 years.
Q: What was your first job?
A: Gipson’s. When it was in Columbia a long time ago, the Carneys owned it. When I first got married, I was hunting a job. It was a retail store, and I was a cashier there for about five years until I came here. I started off as an assistant here until I moved up to secretary.
Q: Who is the person who has been most influential in your life?
A: My mother-in-law Patsy Jones. She’s a Godly person and the most kind-hearted Christian person you’d ever want to meet. I love her, and she’s loved by all. She’s in a nursing home now, but she’s been my rock. I don’t know where me and my husband would be today without her. She shows love to everyone, and I’m so thankful for her.
Q: What is your spouse’s name?
A: Hoyt Jones.
Q: Do you have children?
A: I have one son, Derek. He’s a computer tech at Columbia School District. And my daughter-in-law is Natalie.
Q: If you could have anything for your last meal on earth, what would it be?
A: I love Mexican food. I like the beans, rice, enchiladas, tacos — all of it.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: Tennessee because that’s where we go on our vacations, and we love it up there. We don’t like to fly or anything like that so I’d like to go back. We stay in Pigeon Forge and tour places like Gatlinburg and North Carolina.
Q: What hobbies do you like to do in your spare time?
A: Keep my grandbaby, Kyler, who is 2 years old. That’s my hobby. When I have spare time, I go get him.
Q: What do you enjoy about Columbia and Marion County?
A: It’s a small town, and everybody loves everybody. When you’re in need, they all pull together and will be there for you.
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone from your life or history, who would it be and why?
A: Mike Morris. He’s a longtime very close friend and was a music director at our church, Shiloh Baptist Church. He got killed in a car wreck. If I could I would love to sit with him and talk to him about our kids and grandkids. It would just be awesome. We were really close with his family, and next week would be 11 years since he died. We thought the world of Mike Morris.
Q: What moment in your life has had the biggest impact on who you are today?
A: When my grandbaby was born. They’ve been married 10 years and didn’t want any babies. We thought we were never going to have any grandbabies. They surprised us and came and told us when she was 4 months pregnant. That has totally changed my whole life, and it has had a big impact on me to where I focus my whole life around him. I thank the Lord every day that He has sent him to me to realize that there’s more to life than just pleasing myself. He helped me realize that there’s so much to be thankful for.
Q: What is one thing you want to do that you’ve never tried?
A: I don’t know that I’ll ever do it, but I’d like to go parachuting. We go to Florida sometimes, and I see that and think I’d like to do it. I’m scared to do it, but I’d like to do it. I think it would be fun.
Q: Using one word for each, what are your top three morals?
A: Honesty, love and respect.
Q: How would you like to be remembered?
A: As a person who always showed respect, love and kindness.
— Joshua Campbell
