“We would rather help someone who doesn’t need it, than risk missing someone who does.”
Charlotte Jones commenting on UCAP
By Marilyn Miller
NASA’s loss was Minden’s gain when it comes to the 2023 “Woman of the Year,” Dr. Charlotte Anderson Jones. Born in New Orleans, Charlotte moved with her family to Monticello, AR when she was four-years-old. Upon graduation from high school, she enrolled at the University of Arkansas – Monticello and finished three-and-a-half years later with a degree in Mathematics.
She was just “waiting around” for NASA to hire her when she got bored and decided to enter graduate school at LSU in Baton Rouge (where most of her family attended). She met David Jones of Heflin, NASA offered her the job (working nights for two years), she turned down the job, married David, went to work for a bank, had a baby, and later went to work for the State of Louisiana in Information Technology (IT).
“Everybody knows what the Louisiana Capitol Building looks like…how tall it is,” Charlotte recalled. “Well, we were in the basement, and every time it rained, we flooded.” Her job in that flooded basement was to convert all paper records to computer records. That was in the late sixties-early seventies.
“Math came easy to me, so I guess I enjoyed it,” Charlotte says of her choice of a major. “I didn’t want to teach school…that was the last thing I wanted to do.” But the computer industry was looking for “math-type people” to learn computer science. “I always thought research would be cool, but it never happened.”
In about 1970, the little family decided to move back north to Minden so that David could help his father, Paul, run Jones Cash Store in Heflin. They settled on Claiborne Street in Minden. And Charlotte became a stay-at-home mom.
Then, in 1972, David and several partners (Paul Jones, Ken Lary, and Jerry Davis) purchased some land in Sibley and set about developing it into a residential neighborhood, Seven Pines. “Lloyd Beatty built us our home there,” Charlotte recalled. “All the streets were named after wives and kids.” And Charlotte and David added two more daughters to their brood while there.
She remained a stay-at-home mom until all of her children entered school, and then she enrolled at Louisiana Tech University, where she earned the Masters in Business Administration in 1981 and her doctorate of Business Administration in 1985. In 1984, she had joined the faculty of Louisiana State University in Shreveport, where she taught business statistics, computer applications, marketing research, college algebra and university work services. She served as professor and assistant Dean of the College of Business of Administration from 1994-97 and as professor and Dean of the College of Business Administration from 1998 to 2009. She retired as Dean Emeritus in 2009 as the longest serving and only female Business Administration dean in the State of Louisiana at the time.
“Although I said I’d never teach, I loved the world of ‘school,’ Charlotte admitted. “I never set out to become the Dean of a school, but, as assistant dean, I was doing the work of one, so I applied. Yeah, I loved the students, but I enjoyed being an administrator more than a professor.”
Charlotte and David returned to Minden and purchased a home in the historic district on Broadway. David went into real estate, becoming a Century 21 agent. He passed away in 2014.
The 2023 Woman of the Year has served on the board of directors, and often as an officer, for the Dorcheat Historical Society & Museum, the Friends of the Germantown Colony, the Webster Parish Police Jury Office of Community Services, the United Christian Homes, the Minden Historic Residential District Association, and the Downtown Minden Historical Association.
She has been a volunteer for the Minden St. Jude Auction for 25 years, she is a 2000 graduate of Leadership Webster, she has been a member of the Piney Hills Master Gardeners since 2012, and a member and officer for the Town & Country Garden Club. And over the past 40 years, Charlotte has served as a trustee, elder, clerk of Session, treasurer and Sunday School teacher for the Minden Presbyterian Church.
Charlotte’s literal favorite “calling” came from fellow church member, John Earnhardt, who one day asked her if she knew how to fold clothes. When she said “yes,” he invited her to help out three days a week at the United Christian Assistance Program (UCAP) on Miller Street. After a few months of filling the pantry and folding clothes, Charlotte “inherited” the computer work. And then, after several years, the then director left, leaving no one to fill the position.
“It just happened,” Charlotte said, of her election as president. “We were really short-handed at the time.” That was ten years ago. Today, the UCAP doors are open twice a week, and they assist people with everything from socks to electric bills. “Like at St. Jude’s, everybody gets along. It’s the mission that counts. It’s a really good group,” Charlotte added. Current Board members are Dan Shidiskis, president; Tommy Davis, vice president; Kevin McCann, treasurer; Mary Seney, secretary; John Earnhardt and Charlotte.
“It’s the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done in my life, UCAP and St. Jude’s, but especially UCAP. It’s done more for me than I have ever done for the people we help. There is a lot of poverty in Minden,” she lamented. “Twenty-five percent or more of our citizens live below the poverty level.”
Charlotte invites everyone to the 36th annual “Hungerfest and Dessert Auction” on Thursday, April 4 at the First Methodist Church. The price is just $5 and all proceeds go to UCAP.