Lola Jaynes

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Lola Jaynes, it summarized in every way who she was. She was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around her and always thinking before acting. She was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything she did. She was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her.      Lola was born on June 7, 1921 at home in Greene County, Tennessee. She was the daughter of Thomas Jackson and Flora Massey. Raised in the Sunnyside community of Greene County, she was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, she learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that she would carry with her throughout her life.      As a young girl, Lola was always aware of how others around her felt and this quality served her well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Lola was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Lola was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where she could concentrate, Lola also had the ability to relate well with her family and friends. Lola was raised with six siblings. She had an older brother, Eldridge, a younger brother, Winson, and four sisters, Cona, Edith, Geneva, and Arlene. Lola was constantly involved in activities with her family. Lola and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.      Growing up, Lola was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. She was content to entertain herself. Lola was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, she was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything she did as a child, Lola was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around her. Lola took part in a number of activities as a child. She was a devoted church member. In her spare time she liked making and keeping scrapbooks.      Lola enjoyed learning. She always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Lola was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. She often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Lola was painstaking and accurate in her efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. Lola enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was her bible classes. She will be remembered for making beautiful quilts.      Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Lola. She was totally committed to James and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Lola naturally sensed her spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Lola disliked conflict, she did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.      If you gave Lola a deadline, she would meet it. At work, Lola was always on task. Without hesitation, Lola could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. Her primary occupation was a homemaker. She was employed for dry cleaning service and at local nursing home. During that time, Lola excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. She was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Lola was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Lola had at true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. She was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.      Lola liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Lola's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Lola preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on her hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were cooking, gardening, and home canning from her garden. Lola was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying her hobbies all by herself and could often be found just reading about her favorite pastimes.      Due to her excellent organizational skills, Lola was a welcome addition to the professional and community organizations to which she belonged. Lola could bring established, successful methods to the discussion table, along with a generous helping of common sense. Lola was good at making and keeping schedules and never got bogged down in unnecessary details. Throughout her later years, Lola was an active member of the Greeneville Republican Women's Club.      An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, her faith was important to Lola. Her compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in her personal beliefs. She was a member of Asbury United Methodist Church having join the church of Palm Sunday.      Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Lola had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that she was the trip planner. She would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included her honeymoon to New York City and also vacationing with her sisters in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.      Lola passed away on February 5, 2010 at Takoma Regional Hospital in Greeneville, Tennessee. Lola fought a brave battle against pneumonia. She is survived by her sister, Edith Haney; nieces: Gwen Gray, Lynnis Brown, Marilyn Zimowski, Athlyn Morgan, Beverly Shelton, Michelle Crum, Christine Roberts, Regina Nucklos, Angela Huff; her nephews: Edwin Haney, Tim Massey, Hank Huff, and Winson "Buddy" Massey; special great niece, Aubrey Crum and great nephew Alec Crum. Services were held at Kiser Rose Hill Funeral Chapel. Lola was laid to rest in GreeneLawn Memory Gardens.      It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Lola was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Lola was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough and practical. Lola Jaynes was very literal with her words. You always knew where you stood with Lola. She will be missed.