She was born on June 14, 1933 in Ashland, KY. She was an answer to her mother’s pray for a baby girl with dimples. She was an only child and the only grand-child on both sides of the family. She said that she wouldn’t had had it any other way. She and her family flew the flag on that day because it was her birthday, and Flag Day. Jane Ann lived in Dunbar, West Virginia during her youth. Her father and mother were Jerold Norval Stockton and Virginia Mae Mahady Stockton. She graduated from Dunbar High School in 1951 as Salutorian of her class. She was raised as a Southern Baptist and became a member of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church when she and her family moved to Atlanta in 1961.
Jane Ann’s leadership qualities were first recognized by the Grand Order of Rainbow Girls (for West Virginia), an organization sponsored by the Order of the Eastern Star of the Masons. She was selected to be Grand Worth Advisor of the State of West Virginia Rainbow Girls for 1951-52 at age 18. Her duties included visiting all of the Rainbow Chapters in the state.
Jane Ann continued with her leadership activities at the University of Kentucky as a member and officer of the Student Government Association, Student Union Board, Mortar Board, Alpha Lambda Delta, YMCA Cabinet and Alpha Delta Pi Sorority (recently recognized as a 50 year member). She was honored by Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity as its “Moonlight Girl” for the Spring Dance in 1954. She graduated cum laude from the University of Kentucky in 1955 with a BS degree in Bacteriology and Medical Technology.
She and Luther Porter House, Jr. married on January 28, 1956 and lived in Lexington, Kentucky until he finished law school. They recently celebrated their 55th anniversary. They met at UK in 1952 when both were running for a position on SGA. She won. He lost. He survives her.
She was Board Certified by the American Society for Clinical Pathology for 50 years. She was Laboratory Director for a Lexington, KY medical office from 1956-57. She worked as a research assistant in 1957-58 at the New Haven Connecticut VA Medical School in Hepatic diseases as a Medical Technologist while Luther was at Yale Law graduate school. They then spent three years at Pope Air Force Base in Ft. Bragg NC, near Fayetteville, NC where their first child, Jerrie Lynn House (now Plegge) was born. She also survives. Jane Ann was honored in 1959 with a lifetime membership by the Woman’s Society of Christian Services of the Fayetteville NC Haymount Methodist Church for her work there.
The family moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 1961. Their second child, Holly Ann House (now Hailey) was born in Atlanta on March 28, 1963. She also survives. Luther practiced law as Jane Ann continued with her many civic and church activities as a “stay at home mom.”
She continued her church work as a member of two circles of the United Methodist Women of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church (a member since 1962). She taught 4th and 5th grade children’s Sunday School classes for several years. She was also a member of the Timothy Sunday School Class for many years.
Jane Ann returned to the “outside the home” work force in the 1970s. She prepared herself with a business course at Massey Junior College in 1973, where the faculty awarded her the “Outstanding Business Student” award. During the mid-70s, Jane Ann was one of the founding officers, and co-owner of “Presenting Atlanta Tours.” She enjoyed providing local tours for conventions visiting Atlanta. She loved the work and the contact it gave her with Atlanta visitors and local companies. The prestigious American Bar Association selected Presenting Atlanta Tours to provide tours and parties for its 1976 convention. She was a member of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Board of Directors and a member of Sales and Marketing Executives. She was also in Leadership Atlanta.
She loved to play traditional jazz piano and never missed a concert that featured this music. She learned to enjoy this music from her father, who played in jazz bands in Chicago in the 1920s.
She is survived by two sons-in-law, Brian Plegge, and Julian Hailey, and five grandchildren: Lucy Virginia Plegge, Marcella Jane Plegge (named after her), Julian Reed Hailey, Porter Strickland Hailey and Claire Ann Hailey. Jane Ann was an intelligent, sweet, kind, generous and loving person. She is missed.
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