Jean Sheffield was featured as the Cook of the Week in the 1986 issue of The Valdosta Daily Times pictured with her friend, Carolyn Hill, and husband Charles.

VALDOSTA – Friendship Day is a time for each of us to take a step back and be grateful for the relationships that we have that bring us love, peace, and joy.

International Friendship Day is celebrated in July.

Carolyn Hill and Jean Sheffield have been friends for 60-plus years. Beginning as neighbors in Valdosta, they share memories of fishing together, their families growing together, and their husbands, Billy and Charles friendship that brought them together.

“You have to learn to be a good friend,” Hill said. “Jean and I became lifetime friends because we were such good friends to one another.”

The friends shared countless stories and memories of fishing and raising their children, both have two girls and one son.

When their children were older, every Wednesday they would have a Weekly Fishing Trip.

Sheffield said she would grab donuts from the Krispy Kreme and Hill would pack a lunch then they would ride to Lake Park to get on the boat.

One day, Sheffield and Hill went on their weekly fishing trip and Hill cast her line but what she had hooked was Sheffield on the other end.

They both laughed as they told the story of Hill crying while driving Sheffield back to Valdosta to her husband’s dealership where they would have to break the news.

Sheffield said, “I had cut the line but the hook was still in my nose so I rode with the cap over my face until we got to the dealership to show Charles.”

Hill said, “I felt so terrible, all I could do was cry and I couldn’t even get the words out.”

That is not the end of the fishing trip stories that were shared. But the ladies noted they always caught fish on their trips.

Sheffield said, “Only one time we went and caught only one fish but we always came back with fish.”

On Fridays, they would have Family Nights at either the Hill’s or Sheffield’s home.

Sheffield was featured as Cook of the Week in the Valdosta Daily Times in 1986, and shared her love for cooking with the Hills during weekly dinners.

After years of friendship and watching their children grow, the pair of friends moved away from one another for several years. During that time both of their husbands had passed away and their children moved to different cities or communities.

Sheffield moved to Marietta to a retirement community, due to the pandemic, she moved in with her oldest daughter and family for a few years.

“I stayed by myself for a while after Charles passed but I did not want to spend my whole life in one city,” Sheffield said. “After a few years in Marietta I knew it was time for me to come back home.”

Sheffield spent a few months with her son and his wife before moving to Langdale Place.

“I was nervous at first but I saw so many familiar faces from growing up in Valdosta and going to church at Lee Street Baptist Church so I was fine.”

Meanwhile, Hill had been living by herself with her dog when one day she blacked out and took a terrible fall.

“I went to rehab and stayed with my daughter for a while in Waycross before they told me that they had found a wonderful community for me and I ended up at Langdale Place.”

Throughout the years, Hill and Sheffield had kept in touch by making phone calls. In 2023 the friends were reunited as neighbors at Langdale Place.

“When she called to tell me she was coming I was thrilled,” Sheffield said.

Sheffield had lived at Langdale Place for two years.

“Every day I would sit at a lunch table with my friends that I reconnect with after moving here but there was not an extra space for Carolyn at my table so I moved just to sit at a table with her,” Sheffield said.

“Thank the Lord for every day that you have because it could always be worse. We may not be able to go out by ourselves or go fishing like we used to but we are still here.”

This year, Hill celebrated her 91st birthday in February and Sheffield will celebrate her 84th birthday in October.

Sheffield is still able to drive and cook for herself, while Hill said she has no desire to cook and does not drive due to health.

They said, “It’s good to have children that come to check on you and everyone at Langdale Place is so wonderful and helpful.”

The friends have been enjoying their days together eating lunch and never running about of things to talk about.