Jack was born on Saturday, May 5, 1951. Dr. Voyles told his Mom to hurry up because he needed to get to the track – it was Kentucky Derby Day.

They lived in several places in New Albany’s West End as he grew up, finally settling at 511 Fenwick Drive, which is still the family homestead and his brother Ed lives there.

Grandma Stories

School Days
He didn’t go to kindergarten, but was registered at West Spring Street School for 1st grade, however; they moved to Olive Street before he could start. So he started at Green Valley Elementary School and went there grades 1st through 6th. He tells his first grade teacher loved him so much, she kept him an extra year. So he was at Green Valley 7 years. (1957 – 1962)

Also in 1st grade, there was mud in the playground area. They were going out for recess and the teacher told them not to get in the mud. Oh who got in the mud – of course Jack. Mud was caked on his shoes and then was all under his desk. The teacher jumped on him and grabbed him by the arm and shook him and he kicked her.

7 through 9th grade he went to Nathaniel Scribner Junior High School (1962 – 1964) and then went on to New Albany High School grades 10th through 12th graduating in June in 1970. (1964 – 1970)

Jack was not interested in going to school, he would rather be outside playing. In the summer between 7th and 8th grades, he supposed to go to summer school, he said he was a rebel and got in trouble for wearing shorts – he told them “it’s summertime.” He would also go in the front door and out the back door and up Old Vincennes Road to his Aunt Dee’s house to swim in her pool.

During the summer around 5:00 in the morning, Jack would go out the bedroom window to go play. He would go play in the golf course and picked up golf balls. He would sell them back to the golfers and the go buy a Coke and candy at Jack and Mary’s grocery store that was there in the subdivision.