Jody and sister LaVerne with mother Lucille McCormick on their mother's front porch, all dressed up for Sunday Church in the historic ye olde First Baptist Church of Farmersville, Texas, February, 1957.
Jody was a cheerleader for the Farmersville Farmers, 1944-1947. She was first in her family to attend college. Her pastor, Merideth Wyatt, was a Howard Payne College graduate, so naturally he recommend the little Baptist school on the banks of Pecan Creek in Brownwood, Texas. The school founded in 1889 became a full university later in the 20th century. There she roomed with Elouise Roberts ( who later married fellow-student Beryle Lovelace). She would later in her college years introduce Ann Self to Baylor's Dick Baker.
She found faith in the Lord Jesus at a summer Baptist camp at Lake Lavon. Her mother and sister soon were baptized after seeing how much Christ meant to Jody. She began Bible Club in high school and was a summer worker in black Vacation Bible Schools. Her mother became a long-time choir member.
Thus began the journey of a little girls from north Texas to the ends of the earth.
(more coming . . . .)
