From: Dickie Ellis
Dated: September 21, 2016
Subject: Janie the AFVN Weather Girl
I arrived in Saigon on July 4th, 1967 and was assigned to take over production of the weather show. Weather girl Bobbi Oberhanski....when she left Vietnam Bobbie Keith was recruited to replace her. Bobbi #1 died of natural causes shortly thereafter. I have been in contact with her family. I left Sept 1968 and never heard of anyone past Bobbi #2. She is now retired in floria and cannot attend our reunion in Raleigh it was announced today due to health and construction projects at her home that conflict with our timing. Anyone has any photos we will recognize and honor Janie at our reunion this month.....
Dickie
From: Paul Kasper
Dated: September 22, 2016
Subject: Janie the AFVN Weather Girl
This pdf is on the website it has a story and decent photo of Janie in it. If I have the correct Lady. I believe part of the article is missing.
Paul
From: James Andrews
Dated: September 21, 2016
Subject: Janie th AFVN Weather Girl
I think I have some slides of Jam\nie, I will check tomorow.
Jim Andrews
Undated photo taken from the MACOI Website.
Home Contact AFVN Past Contacts AFVN Roster POWS: The Honored Taps: Those Departed AFVN Organization AFVN Reunions
AFVN History AFVN Photos & Stories AFVN Group Conversations Audio Archives Video Archives AFVN Guest Book
Project Jenny KLIK - 1st Inf Di v Women in Vietnam RELATED-- To AFVN To Saigon To Vietnam Further Afield Index
AFVN Group Conversations
Janie Cook Lewis - Weathergirl in 1971-72
September 2016
From: Jim White
Dated: September 24, 2016
Subject: Janie the AFVN Weather Girl
Dickie,
Being well aware of your computer skills (Where's the dang on switch!?), here are two photos of Janie Cook. One is rather poor because it is a scan from a newspaper. However, it is of Janie when she was the AFVN weather girl. The other is a much nicer photo but I am not sure when it was taken.
Jim W
Janie when working at AFVN.
She is most likely doing voice-overs.
Copied from an undated clipping.
From: Jim White
Dated: September 22, 2016
Subject: Janie the AFVN Weather Girl
Paul,
I had to be a stickler for detail--but among the other 1,000 pages on the AFVN website--WHAT IS THE URL?????? I know that part of the article is missing but it has always been missing as far as I know. The one of the lady with the clipboard might be "Janie, the Weather Girl" but I don't know for sure.
CAN ANYONE ELSE HELP????
Jim W
From: Joe Green (MACOI Website)
Dated: September 22, 2016
Subject: Janie the AFVN Weather Girl
Hello, Jim --
I found your exchange of e-mails in the Morecook blog, and wanted to let you know the photo you referred to is definitely "your" Janie.
There are three photos of this lady on my website www.macoi(dot)net, and I ran across a more recent picture which I'm attaching here.
Best wishes from the USA --
--Joe
From: Mike Jackson
Dated: September 21, 2016
Subject: Janie the AFVN Weather Girl
Jim, I don't have any pictures of Janie, but I do have many memories of my and Navy Chief Phil Upton producing her weather reports in Saigon in 1971...and having many a beer with her husband, George, at the Caravelle Hotel bar. Always wanted to catch up with her and George, but never did. Now I'm sad I didn't.
MikeJ
From: Mike Jackson
Dated: September 23, 2016
Subject: Janie the AFVN Weather Girl
Jim, here's another confirmation that it's Janie in the picture from Mick Smith (Orient Express on AFVN Saigon FM '71) and other 'insights' the Group might find interesting:
"Hey Mike - Sure appreciated the news clip . . . Of course we all knew Diana and who could forget Janie! The first time (and only time) I drove one of the station’s vehicles (Remember them? Chevy Suberban type trucks) . . Anyway, I was assigned to give Janie Lewis a ride back to the Lewis’s residence . . On the way . . A local Vietnamese civilian guy in his twenties, cut in front and claimed to be hit by the fender . . . (probably an intentional scam attempt) . . I was naive as usual and gave him my name and AFVN info . . . I remember the Col. (one before L. Seville [Souville]) [LTC Frank Price] was notified . . and later questioned me about it . . . Fortunately, nothing became of it . . Also, remember, we called the FM system “Janie” (since she did the voice overs for it) (auto carousel cartridge feeder to simulate “live” programs) Lots of great memories . . . Also noticed the caption (for another photo which wasn’t included in the copy scan) . . . referring to Jumpin’ Jim Huntley . . . I often wondered if he really was the son of Chet Huntley . . but kept quiet about it . . . . Enjoy The Reunion! . . . Thanks for being a great contact and friend . . . .
Mick Smith"
MikeJ
From: Rick Fredericksen
Dated: September 21, 2016
Subject: Janie the AFVN Weather Girl
Found on a Google Group:
“Janie the Weathergirl,” as she was known to the viewers of the American Forces Vietnam Network TV station in Saigon, was killed in an automobile crash September 12, on Interstate 5 just north of Oceanside, California.
She and her twin sister Joan were born May 6, 1942, in San Diego. Jane was a graduate of Hoover High School in San Diego and attended San Diego State University where she met her husband-to-be, George Lewis. They were married August 22, 1964.
As a young wife, Jane encouraged her husband to pursue his TV career and accompanied him to Vietnam when NBC News sent George to cover the war for the network in 1970. From late that year until early 1972, Jane became the “weather girl” on American Forces TV in Saigon. She also traveled in combat zones, helping entertain the troops at various firebases and visiting the U.S. Navy fleet patrolling the Gulf of Tonkin, dropping in on some of the vessels at the end of a helicopter hoist line.
One of her trademarked bits on AFVN was the way she wrapped up the weather report on the late news. She’d recline on a couch, whisper “goodnight fellas,” and turn off the light. It was decidedly un-p.c. by today’s standards, but a big hit with the troops.
During her time in Southeast Asia, Jane developed an interest in Asian art and was later co-founder of Vagabond House, a small business that imported Asian decorative accessories. She and her partner Susan Lord, the wife of NBC News producer Art Lord, were among the first American businesswomen to visit China on a buying trip a couple of years after President Richard Nixon’s historic opening of relations in 1972.
With the birth of her first daughter Sarah, in Houston in 1977, Jane’s focus shifted to motherhood. A second daughter, Katherine, was born in 1980 in Washington, D.C. Two years later, the Lewis family returned to California when George was assigned to the NBC Los Angeles bureau.
Jane and George went their separate ways in 1993 but remained connected through their children and grandchildren. They vowed to live out their lives as friends and welcomed grandsons Carter, Jack and Owen into the family in recent years.
Jane’s final decade was spent in San Diego and she lived at the home she inherited from her mother in 2005.
From: Mike Jackson
Dated: September 22, 2016
Subject: Janie the AFVN Weather Girl
Jim,
I'm pretty sure it's Janie Lewis. My memory isn't what it used to be and the photo's resolution is low, but it looks like her.
MikeJ