Strange But True in Oconee

In the maiden voyage of "Facts, Strange But True," I spoke to Oconee County resident and my friend, Jill Shoop.  She is the mother of two daughters, an artist, and an avid gardener.

Jill gave me more than one occasion to say, "Oh my!" and several hearty laughs during the interview.  Here are the questions that I posed and her responses:

Tell me something about you that is curious enough to be in  "Ripley's Believe It Or Not."

My father built the first landing strip in Pike County. It is now the site of the Candler Field Museum.  We operated the first glider school in Georgia as well.    

What extraordinary thing should folks know about you? 

My childhood was unique because I flew planes before becoming a business woman.   Let's see... I also went to welding school. I was featured in a presentation produced by the State of Georgia to encourage people to pursue non-traditional studies and had the highest grade in the history of the welding program at Griffin Tech, which was not that big a deal, since the curriculum was on an eighth grade level and I had already been to college.

Have you considered writing a country song about yourself?

I have written a few for the amusement of friends and family. My life would not fit into one song. I studied stained glass in France, was one of the few female ocean windsurfers in Charleston in the mid-80's, and won an international design contest in 1999 for "Best Picture Smocking Plate." 

What knowledge would you like to impart?

My serious side cannot touch that answer in this context. However, I can tell you that planes can't land in sand!  My sense of humor keeps me sane and in my life, "truth is stranger than fiction."

Correction: The location where Jill's father built the landing strip was in Pike County.  The article has been updated to reflect this.