A Friend, Indeed
Janel Broussard Wood
April 24, 1951
January 2, 2024
“Many eyes pass through the meadow, but few see the flowers in it.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
It is with deep sadness that we share news of the unexpected passing of one our organization's most valued and dedicated board members, Janel Broussard Wood. Janel passed away on January 2nd after a brief illness while she was vacationing over the holidays in Katy, Texas, where she owned a second home two doors down from her sister's house.
Janel grew up in Houston but settled in Dallas after graduating from Southern Methodist University. There, she met her ZTA sorority sister, college roommate, and future next-door neighbor on Bryan Parkway for nearly 40 years, Mariana Greene. In June of 1986, Janel bought the house next door to Mariana's. Shortly thereafter, she was introduced to her future husband, Tony Wood, who also owned a home on the same block. Tony invited his new neighbor to accompany him to a performance at the Dallas Opera and a romance blossomed. After their marriage, Tony and his two son's moved into Janel's house and built a second-floor addition to provide extra bedrooms and living space for the boys.
As a longtime admirer of the Aldredge House and an active advocate for historic preservation, Janel has most recently served on the Board of Directors for the Friends of Aldredge House as its secretary, a position she has held since the organization's founding. Prior to that, Janel was a past president of the Swiss Avenue Historic District Neighborhood Association and was actively involved in helping to advance early preservation initiatives in the area. She was a staunch supporter of the Aldredge House during its transition to become the city's first museum house and continued her advocacy even after being diagnosed with head and neck cancer, a challenge she faced, fought and overcame with courage and grace. Her unique talents, her personal kindness to all she met, and her love for her District and the Aldredge House will be sorely missed.
A funeral service for Janel will be held at 10AM on Saturday, January 13th, at Greenland Hills United Methodist Church, 5835 Penrose Avenue. Memorial tributes can be made to Greenland Hills UMC and Friends of Aldredge House.
Dallas Historical Society to Honor Friends of Aldredge House at Dallas History Makers Awards for Excellence Luncheon on November 17th
The International Ballroom at the Fairmont Hotel will serve as the setting for this year's annual Dallas History Makers Awards for Excellence Luncheon on November 17th, hosted by the Dallas Historical Society and honoring outstanding individuals and organizations chosen for their contributions to the quality of life in Dallas.
This year's recipient in the Humanities category is Friends of Aldredge House, selected for its efforts in supporting the operations of the Aldredge House – a living example of Dallas history and the crown-jewel of Swiss Avenue – through its creative Living History plays, its popular Speaker Series, and other awareness-raising initiatives.
The awards were established on behalf of the Trustees of the Dallas Historical Society in 1981. Each year's nominees are solicited from throughout the Dallas Community with recipients chosen in multiple categories: Arts Leadership, Creative Arts, Education, History, Humanities, Philanthropy, Sports Leadership, and Volunteer Community Leadership.
The Friends of Aldredge House is both honored and privileged to be receiving this honor in recognition of its ongoing initiatives to promote historic preservation in Dallas.
Aldredge House Receives A Grant From The Texas Historical Foundation For Its Living History Plays
The Aldredge House is excited to announce that it has been selected to receive a grant from the Texas Historical Foundation for the continued development of its popular Living History Play performed on the Second Saturday every month (except July and August).
The grant will support the expansion of the Living History Play to integrate additional historic figures who've participated in and contributed to the life and times of Aldredge House. We can't wait to get to work with the playwright, director, and an amazing volunteer cast to expand on the house's fascinating story.
Read the full article about the grant, published in Candy's Dirt, at the link below:
Aldredge House Takes Center Stage On Popular East Dallas Podcast
Friends of Aldredge House board members Melanie Vanlandingham and Marianne Howells recently joined Camille and Rich, hosts of the popular East Dallas podcast, "What In East Dallas Is Going On?!", to discuss the origins, development and performance of the "Living History Play", presented on the Second Saturday of each month (except July and August) at Aldredge House.
It's a fascinating and enlightening exchange. Listen in at the link below:
Neighbors Gather For Good Conversation
And Great Barbecue In A Grand Setting
On March 19th, members of The Dallas County Medical Society Alliance Foundation and Friends of Aldredge House hosted a neighborhood meet-and-greet at Aldredge House. An estimated 150 neighbors and friends gathered at the house for delicious barbecue, ice-cold refreshments, and a lavish spread of side dishes and desserts.
It was a welcome and long-overdue opportunity for old neighbors to reconnect post-Covid, and for everyone to meet and get to know the newer residents in the District. Attendance was far greater than expected; every table inside was filled and the overflow spilled out into the rear garden where there were activities set up for the younger kids. The response was so positive, in fact, that the Foundation has offered to make these neighborhood meet-and-greets an annual Springtime event.
Candy's Dirt Visits The Second Saturdays Living History Tour At Aldredge House
In the Aldredge House Dining Room, Martha Heimberg (center left) and Rikki Sushaun (center right) portray staff members of the house's original owners, Will & Willie Lewis.
Candy Evans, founder of Candy's Dirt, the award-winning news site popular among real-estate lovers, along with her granddaughter, Hattie, and features writer, Karen Eubank, all attended the January performance of the Second Saturdays Living History Tour at Aldredge House. To read the article describing their experience, click on the photo link above.
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