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- Jane was born on April 22, 1922 in New Bethlehem, PA.
Some of Jane's chores were doing the milking and driving the tractor when they were bringing in the hay.
Jane and her sister Ethel Maye would make faces at each other so Lulu would sit them down and tell them to make faces at each other till she told them to quit. George, her brother, always enjoyed teasing Jane.
Jane attended the Porter Township High School in Squirrel Hill, Pennsylvania. She walked to school and graduated in the Class of 1939.
Jane's first job was working at a gas station that had a store in it. She helped with the station and also took care of the owner's children because he had lost his wife and needed the help.
Jane loved to roller skate and would go all the time. One particular night she was skating and came over to talk to someone she knew. His back was towards her so she put her hand on his shoulder and started to say something. When he turned around she was surprised it was someone else because she thought it was a "Bob" she knew. She apologized for it and continued skating. The person she tapped on the shoulder happened to be Harry Blair and he went up to her later on and asked her if she had wanted something. Jane and Harry began dating after that. She was a very good skater and she taught Harry to skate backwards.
One night after double dating Harry and Jane were dropped off at Jane's house by Harry's Uncle Shorty Blair. Shorty was going to take his date home and then come back for Harry. There was a bad snowstorm and it was getting late and Shorty had not returned yet so Harry told Jane to go upstairs and go to bed and he would wait for his ride. Jane told him that the hired hand was not there and that he could go up and sleep there but he said he couldn't do that and that he would just sit on the couch and wait. Well, he laid down on the couch and was smoking a cigarette with his ashtray sitting on his chest and he fell asleep. A short time later he was awaken by Lulu Polliard throwing a bucket of water on him. The couch had started smoldering and burnt the Indian blanket and a hole in the center cushion of the couch. Lulu said, "Now you get upstairs and get to bed." Needless to say Harry felt really embarrassed to come downstairs the next morning. Frank Polliard always carried that blanket in his car after that. Harry always thought it was for a reminder.
Another time Jane and Harry went to the Stoneboro Fair with Jane's parents. Harry and Frank were outside and Frank handed him a twenty-dollar bill. Harry said he had money, but Frank said, "If you are going to the Fair you have to treat your date to a good time."
One of Jane's teachers was Miss Florence (Ruth) King. A church activity came up and Jane and her sister Ethel Maye thought they would fix their brother George up with Miss King. When George heard what Jane and Ethel Maye was trying to do he said, "If I wanted to make any dates I will make them myself." Needless to say he kept that date and she later became his wife.
Jane had a pen pal from 1939 to 1945. Her name was Ria de Ruiter and she was from Leiden, Holland.
Jane had asthma all her adult life. Her father also had a very bad case of it.
While Harry was in the service Jane did ironing at home. In later years when the children were in school she worked at Montgomery Wards, Sears and then Social Security.
From Obituary:
Mrs. Jane Idella Blair, 59, of 107 Chippewa Drive, Butler, a former New Bethlehem resident, died at 7:55 PM Monday in Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh.
Born, April 22, 1922, in New Bethlehem, she was a daughter of Frank and Lulu McDonald Polliard.
She was employed as a clerk with the Social Security Administration at National Underground Storage in Boyers.
Mrs. Blair was a member of Hill United Presbyterian Church and Gamble Sunday School Class of the church.
She was also a member of Maqueda Chapter Order of Eastern Star of Butler.
Surviving are her husband, Harry E. Blair; four daughters, Mrs. Raymond (Janet) Campbell and Marilyn Blair, both of Butler, Mrs. Joseph (Elaine) Stephenson of Prospect, and Linda Blair of Firestone, Col.; one son, Larry Blair of Phoenix, Arizona; and six grandchildren.
Also surviving are: her mother, Mrs. Lulu Polliard of Rimersburg; a brother, George T. Polliard of Fredonia; a sister, Mrs. Jay (Ethel Maye) Myers of Sligo; and several nieces and nephews.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 P.M. and 7 to 9 PM today at the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home Inc., 124 E. North Street, Butler.
Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 am Thursday at the funeral home with Rev. C. Kenneth Hall of Hill United Presbyterian Church officiating.
Private committal services will be held in Squirrel Hill Cemetery in New Bethlehem.
The family requests memorial contributions be made to Butler County Unit of the American Cancer Society, North McKean Street, Butler, Pa. 16001
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