THE SARA JANE MEYERS STORY
At birth, we never know the road or the journey the Lord has planned. The story of Sara Jane Meyers, known as Jane. Jane, born August 1, 1929, in Dallas, survived the beginning of a life that can only be explained by the intervention of the Hand of a loving God.
At 93 years of age, Jane tells of a family who adopted her as an infant. The family included the wife, husband, and a mentally challenged child and grandmother. The husband returned home and killed the mother, the mentally challenged child, and himself, but the grandmother and baby Jane went into the back room and left unharmed.
The grandmother had a good friend who adopted and raised Jane. As an adopted child, Jane was blessed with two sisters and one brother.
When asked how she met Jesus, she said, “I grew up in the Methodist church but never understood what it meant to have a personal relationship with the Lord. During the war, soldiers would come home with us after church, and we would cook, play piano, and fellowship with them. Later in life, I married a man who went to a Church of Christ, but I still didn’t feel like I knew God. After I married, I was baptized when told it was necessary to join the church. I went to another Independent church, got to know the pastor, and was baptized again, yet I still did not understand the relationship a believer should have.
It was not until I came to live with my daughter, Susan, and we began reading the Bible together each day that my relationship with Jesus became real. The two of us now enjoy the teaching of Dr. David Jeremiah, and I have grown so much since living with Susan.”
After completing one year of college in El Paso, she later met the future love of her life, William (Bill) Albert Meyers, after he returned from the war.
Bill played football in college and went by the name of Fluff. A neighbor had given him the name Fluffy when he was a chubby little red-headed kid. He went on to serve in World War II. Fluff was fortunate to survive an attack while in the Philippines on an amphibious mission in 1944. All members of his unit died. Fluff suffered a massive back injury, broken in five places. The doctor gave him 20 years to live, but Fluff lived another 40!
Jane and Fluff were married on December 27, 1947. This December, they would have celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary. They married when Jane was only 18 years old and Fluff was 23. They had two children, Susan and John, by the time Jane was 21. Together, her two children blessed her with five beautiful grandchildren. Just recently, all five generations celebrated being together.
Jane shared that everybody liked Fluff. “He was a good man and did much for others,” she said. His dad was a Chrysler agent, and they worked together until he sold the dealership.
Fluff then bought a wrecking yard with his father. However, it was not his father’s thing, so Fluff paid off his father and went to the freight line business next. He and Jane sold damaged freight from Texas on weekends. They enjoyed working together. She said Fluff would always say funny things!
Fluff was a diabetic and was on insulin. Later in life, Fluff had to be on dialysis and in a wheelchair. Jane was the best caretaker Fluff could have ever wanted. She was always by his side, helping him with appointments and doctor visits in and out of hospitals. He was very ill for the last two years of his life. While in the hospital, Jane received a call at work that he had passed. He died in 1986 after 39 years of marriage.
Jane shared she rarely slept through the night because she was up taking care of Fluff. He had been so ill, and she was so exhausted. “The hardest part after he passed was going home after work to an empty house. I love him dearly and still do today.”
She is very grateful that Fluff ensured her financial well-being after his passing.
Jane likes to cook and has done some primary cooking for organizations. She worked at Botanical Gardens for 50 years in offices, grounds, and children’s programs from schools in the area. In 2019, The State of Texas passed a proclamation recognizing Jane’s 50 years of volunteer service to the Amarillo Botanical Gardens.
Organizations would order food in November and would pick it up in December. Once, they made 49 loaves of pumpkin bread and 110 pounds of chicken for enchiladas.
She made lots of food and oversaw the kitchen, serving 120 people. She still loves to cook. Her favorite food is Mexican. She said El Paso has a lot of great food.
This year, Jane baked 36 loaves of pumpkin bread made from fresh pumpkin to give to family and friends. Jane’s son-in-law, Mike, peeled, cut up, and cooked the pumpkins. They froze some of the pumpkins for later and made six more loaves yesterday. Jane said she was teaching her son-in-law Mike how to cook. One of her favorite ingredients in Jane’s pumpkin bread is adding white raisins and pecans.
Her advice to widows is to get involved with things. In 1993, she began working with widow services in Amarillo. It started in 1970 with AARP and celebrated the program’s 30th year this past year. This was not a church program. She was very active, Vice President for 5 years and President for 6 years. She hosted many parties in her backyard with 50-60 people.
“I was there for them, and I miss them, and they miss me. I wish I were still there. I truly loved them all. You have to be busy. Doing for others makes you feel better. I was the neighborhood grandmother to all the children.”
“One of my favorite things to do was take kids to the local Dollar Tree, giving them 5.00 each. We would come back to the house, and we even had a unique chair where the children would sit and show off their gifts. We always made hot chocolate. When she left, one child asked, who will take us shopping for Christmas gifts?”
Sometimes, we never know our impact on those we have touched, but because of Jane, children’s lives were impacted. Although she misses them greatly, we are grateful she is here with us now!
When asked to advise other widows from her experience, she said, “Stay busy. Primarily, stay involved through the holiday seasons. Share your life with friends. Don’t feel sorry for yourself. Get with family, church, friends, etc. Be involved with people; you often have to take the first step.
We enjoyed a great life together. Fluff was a Shriner. When he later retired, we became known as the fun bunch!
At parties, we were not drinkers but would have champagne at ten and then again at twelve for those who stayed.
Jane delivered “Meals on Wheels” for 20 years, up until she moved to Sugar Land. Most of her recipients were younger than her.
So, naturally, to stay active, I got involved with the Wives of Shriners organization, Daughters of the Nile. I was Queen in 1990. I joined three bridge clubs and was active in a women’s organization called The Circle. Grieving is very important, but so is staying busy. In other words, take time to grieve and then get busy. When you are active, helping others, you will find that your problems don’t seem as significant.”
Jane is enjoying making new friends here in Sugar Land. She says she is grateful for our Widows Ministry here at First Colony and is excited about getting more involved in this ministry.
At 93 years of age, Jane is not slowing down.
Charles and Pam Foster