Pride and Joy

Dorothy Lee Anderson was born in 1948 and was the pride and joy for Lee and Frances from then forward. Dorothy is in the picture above with her father, Lee and with Frances in the picture below. The last picture is of Dorothy when she was school age.

By late 1948 they were, again, in Dozier where Frances became the breadwinner of the family with her job at R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company beginning in 1951. During the years between '48 and '51 Lee worked weekends for W. L. Vogler (Bill) in a store at the hilltop above Donnaha. Lee was handicapped and had limited employment opportunity. Bill Vogler assisted Lee in getting hired by Quality Oil Company as an Attendant at the parking lot across the street from the Robert E. Lee Hotel on West Fourth Street in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Lee worked there until the lot was replaced with a building. He then began working at the parking lot on Trade Street beside Brown-Rodgers Hardware Store.

This was a one car family so Lee and Frances rode together to get to their jobs in Winston-Salem which was about a fifteen mile drive. Lee would drop her off and pick her up at the factory job for years before they could afford a second vehicle.

Lee's job provided no benefits or pension so heavy responsibility rested with Frances and her job at Reynolds.

Santa Claus did come to their home at Christmas time, but Frances told Dorothy late in life, "The tea set and doll you received one year was provided by the Salvation Army".

In addition to cooking, canning, freezing vegetables at home, Frances excelled on the job in the cigarette factory. She eventually advanced to the new plant at Whitaker Park. This facility was the premiere RJR plant that offered tours to the public. Frances was a machine operator and one of the tour guides. She was chosen to lead factory tours for such groups as the music group "Alabama" and members of the motorcycle group "Hells Angels". She remarked, "I was worried about the Hells Angels, but they turned out to be very nice people".

Return here on Friday, June 9 for more of the story of, J. Lee Anderson.

Have a good day!