An elderly African-American woman stared through an eleven-foot employee entrance in the Fairfield University Barone Campus Center dining hall on Feb. 18.
This five-foot figure was dressed in the uniform required for her position: black skirt, red and black Sodexho shirt, a white name tag that shined ‘Jannie Brown,’ and a cap that blended with her raven-colored hair .
Behind her, a metallic kitchen was alive as motors ran, frying pans sizzled, and pots boiled soup that would soon be put out for students to devour.
This would be Ms. Brown’s last day at Fairfield University, for within the next two weeks she would be under a surgical table, having her entire right knee reconstructed.
“I sure will be missing everybody,” Brown said, her southern accent a refreshing voice to everyday words. “I worked here for 42 years now, and I done everything: cleaned tables, helped set up the salad bar, made tuna fish and egg salad, took numbers and I.D. cards at the door, and helped out where needed.”
Born in March of 1937, Jannie Brown grew up in South Carolina. Her first big job was as a chef for Peter Pan restaurant.
When her family moved to the north end of Bridgeport, Conn., she applied for a position at Fairfield University.
“After I came up here, I filled out an application that Thursday and was hired the same day,” she said. “That was Sept. 16, 1962.”
Bunny Switzer, a fellow employee, remembers Brown’s friendship and kindness over the years.
“I was 18 when I came here,” said Switzer. ” That was 36 years ago, and Jannie and I have become pretty close over that period of time. I could tell her most anything.”
A normal day for Brown began at 6:00 a.m., when the kitchen opened. She began the morning by setting up the omelet bar and putting out the bread and grape juice. She then preceded to move about the dining area to see where she could be of most assistance.
The rest of the day was spent in this same fashion: she cleaned, set up the cafeteria, and chatted with students until she left at 2:30 p.m.
“She has a very good relationship with the other workers,” said Switzer. “Everybody respects and likes her.”
Brown is a friendly person and always seemed to get along with everyone that she came in contact with.
“She laughs a lot,” said Morgan West ’07. “There are people who are happy all of the time, and that is the way you could describe her. She was constantly happy.”
Brown attributes her happiness to her religion. A Southern Baptist for 38 years, she keeps Christ in her mind with everything that she does.
“When you have Christ in your life, it makes a difference. You don’t have anger, and that’s what I love about it,” said Brown. ” I try to treat everybody the way I want them to treat me. I don’t have no hate in my heart for nobody.”
Brown can only recall one event that made her upset while working at Fairfield. In 1973, when women were first admitted, several men wearing masks ran streaking through the cafeteria. She was left in awe at this display of disrespect.
“All I could say to that was ‘I don’t believe you’,” she said.
Brown is the mother of three children and seven grandchildren and carries their photographs in her pocketbook.
She is proud of her granddaughter Khalilah Fullard, 24, who graduated from college two years ago.
Students recalled that Brown brought her mothering attitude to the job.
“She was like a community grandmother to the students,” said Jennifer Kagl. “She acted like it wasn’t just a job, but that she enjoyed being there, interacting with each of us.”
Brown hopes to return to Fairfield as soon as she can and says that she is going to deeply miss the students, employees, managers and bosses at Fairfield.
“They are like a part of my family because I spend more time with them then I do at home.” she said. “I spend 40 hours a week with them, and I don’t spend 40 hours a week at home.”
The workplace is going to lonelier for Switzer without Brown’s company.
“Everyday we hug,” Switzer said, “and I am going to really miss that.”
Leave a Reply