Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1465756
M ost of the women I've m e t s i n c e m o v i n g t o D a l l a s a r e t r a n s p l a n t s as well. And if they're part of the crew that grew up here, it's rare that their mothers grew up here as well. That's not the case with Janie Condon and her mother, Patsy Donosky, who have followed almost identical paths in life and about whom, in honor of Mother's Day, I've penned this "They're the Bomb" feature. Patsy is from Hot Springs, Arkansas, where her mother, Juanita Miller, met her adopted father, Henry S. Miller Jr., and the family moved to Dallas. Juanita was incredibly stylish, and Patsy still cherishes many of her mother's chic belongings. Henry purchased Highland Park Village in the 1970s and began the tidal wave of global luxury brands in our beloved shopping mecca. Juanita and Henry had an apartment in Paris (which is still in the family), where they fell in love with opera and were instrumental in the early success and growth of the Dallas Opera. Janie points out: "I have always followed in mom's footsteps rather unconsciously … or perhaps through osmosis." After hearing them talk and finish one another's sentences during our visit, I realize they are two social peas in a pod. Our conversation began with the bevy of events the weekend before, including the Sweetheart Ball, which both attended; the SAE Mother/ Son Weekend, which Janie took part in; and the Nasher Prize Gala, which I attended with friends. Both Patsy and Janie grew up in Highland Park and went to the same schools, from Armstrong Elementary through high school. "I still play bridge with many of my friends from grade school," says Patsy. Janie chimes in: "When I was elected Social VP for the HiLites Club at Highland Park High School in 1978, I organized the Sadie Hawkins dance. I learned from mom that she held the exact same office in the 1950s." Their parallel life continued into college: Both were Kappa Alpha Thetas at Southern Methodist University and held the Parliamentarian office for their sorority. Post-college, Janie was a society editor for years in Dallas and wrote for numerous publications (including PaperCity), then served as a public relations consultant for a decade. She and her husband, attorney David Condon, have six children and five grandchildren. Patsy's husband, David Donosky, passed away in 2009, and she has remained active in numerous charities. Because of her parent's commitment to the Dallas Opera, she and Janie have both chaired (separately over the years) The Women's Board of the Dallas Opera and the Opera's Rotogravure, The Dallas Opera Gala, and they co- chaired the opera's spring luncheon and fashion show; Patsy was also recently honored for her lifelong commitment to the organization. Janie is planning a trip soon to be at the birth of a new grandbaby. If it's a girl, I foresee yet another fashionable daughter in this brood. Approximate date of the photo. Janie Condon: October of my sophomore year at SMU. The occasion. JC: We were at a pre-party in Austin for the Austin Jewel Debutante Ball. What you were wearing. Patsy Donosky: At that time, I wore cocktail dresses from boutiques in HPV or Lester Melnick in Preston Royal. The stores were in shopping centers owned by our family. What price fashion. JC: I never looked at the price because Mom had house accounts at most boutiques. It wasn't until I was out of college and buying my own clothes that I realized how expensive they were and how generous my parents had been. Why this is a Bomb.com picture. PD: We love supporting the fine arts that make Dallas a great city, and we were privileged to represent the League. THEY'RE THE BOMB JANIE CONDON AND PATSY DONOSKY BY BILLY FONG Janie Condon and Patsy Donosky, 1980 96