Zelda Johnston had always been a good neighbor. She smiled at morning walkers as she got the paper from her lawn. She checked mail for families taking a vacation. She even kept a cup of sugar handy in the event that anyone had a baking emergency.
But for a long time, Zelda never really got to know her neighbors.
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From left, Zelda Johnston, Neva Taylor and Mary Shoemaker look through scrapbooks filled with pictures of the Greenshire Society's events.
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A newspaper clipping from 1978 shows the first officers of the Greenshire Society.
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That all changed in 1978 when she opened her mailbox and found inside it a single rose with a note attached. It was an invitation Zelda couldn't refuse.
The society begins
"Grace Martin invited about 40 women from the Greenbriar and Hampshire subdivisions (of Longview) over to her house for coffee," Zelda said. "See, we had always waved to one another and been polite, but that's about it. That bothered Grace, so she pitched an idea for a neighborhood club."
With most of the women on board, the Greenshire Society began. In 1979, Grace became the first president of this women's social group.
"We decided that it had to be a strictly social club," Zelda said. "There were so many women and we all had projects or organizations we donated to. It would have been impossible to agree on just one or two things to support."
Once officers were installed and a constitution was adopted, the sisterhood really began.
Meet and mingle
Through the years the ladies have enjoyed monthly luncheons full of fun and laughter — with a side of useful info from some pros.
"We invite speakers to come teach us about all kinds of things," said Neva Taylor. "We've learned everything from fire safety tips to gardening methods. It's always different and always entertaining."
Aside from the meetings, the group plans yearly events, such as a member guest night and a style show.
"The guest night is a fun way for us to show our friends outside of the neighborhood what the Greenshire girls are like," Zelda said.
And every October a local business comes to the Greenshire luncheon to show off new clothes and accessories.
"I owned a boutique once upon a time, so naturally I hosted the first show," said Mary Shoemaker, a charter member. "Now we invite other clothing stores to come and show us their things — it's like a show-and-tell for grownups."
First to 100
To become a member, you must reside within the two subdivisions that make up Greenshire Society. Once you're a member, you have sisters for life.
Even though charter member Peggy Skipper moved to Lake Charles, La., the club members celebrated Peggy's 100th birthday in their own ways. From phone calls to birthdays cards, they made sure to let their sister know they were thinking of her in December.
"She's the first one of us to be 100 years old," Zelda said. "Peggy makes the best orange bread I've ever had. Even at 100, she still won't tell us her recipe."
Continuing traditions
In a society where people rush around so much that they barely have time to wave at their neighbors, the Greenshire Society has remained true to its roots. — the roots Grace Martin planted nearly 30 years ago with a rose and a note. She passed away in 2004, but the ladies are carrying on her traditions and dreams for the this special social club.
"It's support. it's knowing I can call on any one of these women and they'd come for whatever reason, and vice versa," she said. "We're sisters."
Neva couldn't agree more.
"I think of this club as an extended family. I grew up in a small town where everyone knew everyone," Neva said. "This is home to me now."
