Officers

President
Co-President
Treasurer
Secretary

Nancy Morris President

Babyland General?  Not a very auspicious beginning. But Babyland is where my story begins, 57 years ago.  I was born in a log cabin, makes a better opening than I was born at Babyland General.  But, as momma always said, “Nothing beats the truth.”  Now, you can go to Babyland General and spend $100 for a cabbage patch kid.  My dad’s bill was considerably less. 

As a working woman I have enjoyed many jobs.  My first job was in Covington.  The thing I remember the most about those kids is that they were 16 and I was 22.  One day a teacher, who was very upset, called me into the hall to ask me what a word meant that a kid had used. The word was “sux.” My only explanation at age 22 was that the word was misspelled. 

Some jobs crossed my palms and some did not.  Some I enjoyed because of my children.  It is amazing how many canapés can be made in middle of night while babies sleep.

In the days before computers, I did calligraphy for invitations to weddings, certificates, and even taught calligraphy at Callanwolde.  I lost that job when I lost my right hand.

One of the first things I was asked to do for the Atlanta Public Schools was teach a group of students Othello. They were the lowest level of students, and no one could read. I did not know what to do.  I was 28.  I closed the book on Othello, went home, and cried.  My husband and I went around town and collected job applications to copy.  Over the next few weeks, I taught that group of students how to fill out job applications.  As a reward I took them to see a production of Romeo and Juliet. 

When it was time for my children to go to school we all applied to the same school, and all got in.  I worked at The Paideia School for 15 years before my stroke.  I was English teacher for only 2 years before I became the assistant headmaster.  My job as an administrator provided all sorts of exciting pieces, ranging from tours to Ireland to removing beads out of my son’s nose. 

My life with aphasia has taken some rocky turns.  I could write pages on just the rocky stuff.  For instance I can write but I cannot read what I just wrote.  But I can write.  I’ve written some pretty darn good poems.  Life is different.  What my husband and I are learning to appreciate is the difference.

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Jaqueline S. Laures-Gore Co-President

I became interested in aphasia when I was in high school and working as a nurses’ assistant in a long-term care facility. There was a wonderful gentleman there who had aphasia and struggled to communicate his needs to us. I became fascinated with aphasia and truly wanted to help those with aphasia to communicate. Since then I went on to get my Ph.D. in Communication Disorders. I’ve worked clinically as a speech-language pathologist for over ten years and currently am an Assistant Professor in Communication Disorders at Georgia State University. At Georgia State University I teach classes about adults with communication disorders and I do research in this area.

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Robert C. Smith Treasurer

I was born in Morristown, NJ, and grew up in the small town of Mountain Lakes.  Loving music, I was involved in school choruses, All State Choruses, and All Eastern Chorus during my years in high school.  I came to Atlanta as a student at Emory University.  There I found Dr. Lemonds and the chorus where I even functioned as organizer of a field trip, sneaking in a performance at my old high school.  My major was History of Music.

Unfortunately, no career in Music seemed available after graduation.  Instead, I tried the field of insurance where I evaluated the disaster claims which often occurred.  Finally, I entered the field of personnel recruiting.  Despite the enormous pressure entailed in this type of work, I loved the challenge and thrived on the daily rush.  I was Vice President and General Manager of the Atlanta Office of Fox-Morris Associates, Inc.  For 17 years, I was involved as an Executive Recruiter in Sales, Marketing, Management and Human Resources.  Of all the employees in Fox-Morris's 12 branches, I was the #2 producer.

As an avocation, I have continued to be involved with Choral Music.  I sang with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus under Robert Shaw for 10 years.  Following that, I have been singing with the Meridian Chorale for 4 years and have been on its Board of Directors for 2 years.

The pressure of my work suddenly caught up with me, causing a severe stroke which affected my entire right side.  This occurred in August 2000.  I have recovered my mobility, but have been left with APHASIA.  The inability to communicate fluidly with others has eliminated my chances to re-enter my field of work.  Even after countless hours of speech therapy, communication is still very difficult for me.  Instead, I spend my time doing volunteer work in the American Stroke Association at Joan Glancy Hospital in Duluth in the Peer Visitor program.  I participate in the "Love and Courage" program, sponsored by Emory Healthcare Center in Atlanta.

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Rev. Carl S. Johnson Secretary

Reverend Carl S. Johnson is a four generation native of Norcross. He graduated from Norcross High School and continued his education at Auburn University in the School of Pharmacy. Upon graduating from Auburn in December 1975, he began working as a Pharmacist with the Kroger Company. In 1989, he left the Kroger Company to pursue the dream of opening his own drug store. Carl and his wife, Sherry, opened Johnson’s Pharmacy and Soda Fountain in November 1989.The drug store and soda fountain was the same building that had been Johnson’s Hardware since 1889 in downtown Historic Norcross. In 1993, Carl went back to the Kroger Company and surrendered to the long time call upon his life to be in ministry. Carl began to attend the Atlanta campus of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in January of 1994. Reverend Carl S. Johnson joined the staff of Lawrenceville First Baptist in December 1999 serving as part-time Associate Pastor of Outreach, Visitation, and Community Ministries. He also continued to work full-time as a Kroger Pharmacist, continue to attend Seminary and was involved as a Prison Ministry Chaplain.

Carl loves people and enjoys sharing his faith in Christ whenever he can. Reverend Johnson also served as Prison Ministry Coordinator for Gwinnett Metro Baptist Association and has been asked by the University of Georgia Baptist Student Union to help plan overseas missions. Carl has a heart for foreign missions to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and has traveled twice to Africa and three time to the Dominican Republic on medical missions.

In November 2000, while returning from Kentucky to plan a churchwide family mission trip, Carl suffered a huge stroke leaving him partially paralyzed on his right side and the inability to speak due to aphasia. Carl was unconscious for three days and was not given a good chance of survival. We are praising God for the tremendous recovery he has made so far and look forward to future recovery. Carl is the person who has developed and maintains this website.
   
Carl and his wife, Sherry, have been married for 29 years. They have two daughters, Carly and Ashley. Carly is married to Brandon who works for Johnson’s and Johnson’s as a safety consultant and Ashley is married to Josh who is in graduate school for an education degree. All four of them are graduates of University of Georgia. Carly and Ashley teach at the same elementary school. Carly teaches 5th grade and Ashley teaches 2nd grade.