Janet Hitti: Intentional, determined, independent and compassionate
Janet Hitti
Intentional, determined, independent and compassionate
Can you talk about your path to Portland?
I was born in Albany, NY in 1938, the third of five children. I lived in Albany for 25 years, and then Rochester, NY for another 25 years before moving to North Carolina where I lived in Ashville and Durham. Two of my daughters live here in Portland. In 2016, my great grandson, Grey was born. Over several visits to Portland and experiencing the pure delight of spending time with Grey, I knew I wanted more. After living in North Carolina for just over 30 years, six-months later, in 2018, I moved to Portland.
Your journey from Albany to Portland is full of adventure and determination.
When I graduated from high school in 1955 I began working at a company that rated buildings for fire insurance. I also worked for Matthew Bender & Co, a publisher of law books. I married when I was 21. We had our first child, and I became a stay-at-home mom. After our second child we moved to Rochester. Then we had two more children. Eventually, I divorced my husband in 1974. It was a very difficult, but necessary decision.
Just before I separated from my husband – in 1973 – I started working again, and had a job at Stromberg Carlson, a manufacturing company that specialized in electronics and phone equipment. I also worked for years at Blue Cross Blue Shield, processing claims. It was during that time, I decided to go back to school and get my degree. I wanted to be a nurse.
Tell us about that, why nursing?
I always wanted to be a nurse and help people. When I was 12 years old and in sixth grade, my father and I were at my grandmother’s house. My grandmother was dying and my father, who was outside fixing something in the garage, wanted me to stay inside and be there with her. She was in bed and kept asking me to help her with different things. I didn’t know how. I had to keep going outside to get my dad. That was painful. It was in that moment that I knew I wanted to be a nurse. In fact, before I got married I had been accepted to nursing school.
Once you decided to go back to school for your nursing degree, how did that unfold?
I began working for Genesee Hospital, in Rochester, as an admitting officer, while I started nursing school at night. When I needed to attend more day classes and clinics, I got a job at Strong Hospital, also in the admitting office, where I was able to work in the evenings. Then I wanted to gain more experience on the patient care side. So, I returned to Genesee Hospital as an aide, which is where I was working when I completed my associate degree and passed the nursing boards. This was 1983 and at 45 years old, I became a Registered Nurse (RN).
That was quite an accomplishment to go back to school, work full-time, and share in the responsibility of raising your children.
It took me almost eight years to get my nursing degree. It was certainly helpful to be in a hospital environment where they supported my desire to receive my nursing degree. I stayed at Genesee for four years, and my first assignment was on a busy medical/surgical floor. We were doing pumps, intravenous, and catheter procedures. It was very exciting. At Genesee, we did one of the first bone marrow transplants in Rochester.
Then you relocated to North Carolina.
In 1987, after my children were grown and went off to college, I made the decision to relocate to Asheville, North Carolina where I got a job at the Veterans Administration Hospital. I worked in intermediary care, taking care of patients, stabilizing them for transfer to the rehabilitation units. I stayed in Asheville for about four years, and during that time, had the opportunity to continue my studies at Western Carolina University in Collowhee, which had a satellite in Asheville. I was able to complete my bachelor’s degree in Nursing. BSN, with honors.
Then, I transferred to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Durham, and worked there until I retired in 2000, although I stayed on part-time for four more years. It was very rewarding being a nurse, although it was emotionally and physically demanding. With rotating shift schedules, it was difficult to ever feel truly rested. I was fortunate though that I had a strong back.
And yet, even after you retired you continued to work part-time and volunteer within your community.
Over an 18-year span, while I was working part-time at the Veterans Administration Hospital and until I moved to Portland, I continued to hold part-time jobs and volunteer. It was important for me to stay involved.
What were some of the programs and jobs that you were involved with after you retired?
I worked at PPD, which was a global contract research organization that conducted clinical trials. One of my daughters, who had moved to Durham was working there, as well. I worked at Duke University as a typist for the Center for Health Policy. The Center supported many doctors doing research and I typed up their research projects. It was exciting to learn about their work. I also worked at the Chapel Hill Senior Center where we did feet assessments, nail trims and massages. I received my last paycheck when I was 72. I was a water aerobics instructor, something I had done for ten years.
As a volunteer, I was involved with the Duke Retirees Association. We adopted an inner-city school, helping however we could, including tutoring and office work. Every week we would shop and assemble 30 bags of groceries to send home with the students. I was also extremely active in my church, the Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and became a Pastoral Associate.
What was it about Durham that kept you there for almost 30 years?
I loved Durham. The culture, the weather, the people. The heat. After experiencing the cold winters of upstate New York for so long, I really enjoyed the heat. I was also very involved within my neighborhood and the local neighborhood council.
Tell us more about the neighborhood council and your civic engagement.
Durham had a great system of government. They had the InterCity Neighborhood Council, comprised of representatives from every neighborhood. I was the representative from Parkwood, the neighborhood in which I lived. To get on the council I had to go to InterCity college. This was a 3-week program offering classes to learn about the Durham government. I learned what the county took care of and what was the responsibility of the city. It was a wonderful civics education. Everyone should know how their government works.
Can you talk more about your move to Portland and Terwilliger Plaza?
After the birth of Grey, during my second trip to Portland, my daughter Claire said, “why don’t you come out here to live?” I thought, why not. I went back to Durham and over a six-month period sold my house and everything in it, piece by piece. I had a great time doing it. It wasn’t overwhelming. I loved it.
I moved to Portland and while I was waiting for a studio apartment home to become available, I lived with my daughters, six-months each. In 2019 a space became available, and I moved into Terwilliger Plaza.
Why Terwilliger Plaza?
I was familiar with the CCRC model from as far back as Rochester when I did agency work, as well as my work as a Pastoral Associate and when I was an aerobics instructor, we held classes in a CCRC. I wanted a studio and was drawn to the representative self-governance structure, as well as the no mandated meal plan and the abundance of activities, programs and committees that were available. There is such a diversity of life experiences here. I even knew one person, a friend from Durham who had family in Portland, and was living at Terwilliger.
That must have been a transition to leave your Durham community and move to Terwilliger Plaza.
I didn’t worry about coming to a new community, and not knowing anyone because I knew I was going to jump right in. I am open to trying just about anything.
Since you have joined the community how have you become involved at Terwilliger?
I work for the Terwilliger Plaza’s Treasures Thrift Store, including serving as secretary of the committee. I am also on the Diversity Committee and leading the Diversity Book Study group. We have explored a broad range of subjects, including black and white issues, transgender, and next on our agenda are topics surrounding anti-Asian, antisemitism and ableism. I am also on the Disaster Preparedness Committee, Social Responsibility Committee, Human Rights Committee, and the Poetry Committee. For two years I was on the Movie Committee and, served as a Floor Representative for two terms. I also livestream the Unitarian Church service on Sundays. I just recently stopped volunteering for the Genealogical Forum of Oregon. I am very involved here at Terwilliger Plaza and enjoy it very much. I always have time for a game of bridge.
It seems that you have indeed done it all, engaged in opportunities and taken full control of your life.
I’ve always believed that it is important to be involved. Throughout my life, I have seen the needs and had the energy. I live a good life and have had amazing experiences. Now here at Terwilliger, I am in a community where we share in a mission to grow old together, to truly live forward together. For me, what keeps me energized is that I love variety. Always have!