General Notes

[basham.ged]
Email Susan K. Couch 2/21/2004 <scouch71@@grandecom.net>
Source: Big Spring Herald, Spring 1995
Retirement?  Not for this lifelong worker
Gertrude Hallford has spent most of her life taking care of people.
She's 80 now, and still doing it.
The Big Spring widow, who raised 10 children, once tried to take a reti
re ment.
"I bawled and hollered so much," she said.  "I was lonely without anyt
hi ng to do."
So three or four years ago, Hallford took a job- a paying, part-time job.
At the time, one of Hallford's daughters was working for Nurses Unlimi
te d, giving care to the agency's clients.  She did light cooking, cleani
ng a nd some personal care work.
"I thought if she could do it, I could too." said Hallford.  So she a
sk ed her daughter about getting a job for Nurses Unlimited.
Her daughter approached a supervisor, who questionioned if the then 7
6- 77  year-old could handel the work.
"My daughter said, 'My mother can work circles around me,'" Hallford re
ca lled.  She got the job.  Now Hallford and two of her daughters work f
or t he agency.
At times, Hallford has worked almost full=time, visiting three clien
ts f or several hours each, five days a week.
Now, she cares for only one patient, working about 10 hours a wee
k.  B ut Hallford admits she puts in extra time without pay.
"If they're lonely, need someone just to talk to," she said "I do th
at ju st because I know what it's like to be lonely.  They just want som
eo ne to sit with them."
Hallford, who moved to Big Spring as a teenager, didn't work f
or mu ch of her marriage.
"With all those kids, there wasn't time," she said.
But later, she worked for Howard College and at Webb Air Force B
as e.  In her spare time these days, Hallford likes to embroidery, piece q
uil ts, and work in her yard.
She reads the newspaper every day and watches a little TV, enjoying kee
pi ng up with current events.
One of her sons, who lives in Midland keeps telling Hallford his ho
me h as a bedroom "with her name on it."  She's declined to move so far.
And apparently, the octogenarian has no plans to quit her job anytime s
oo .
"I like doing it,"  she said.  "I just like helping people.  I fe
el li ke I'm doing something for someone.
Gertrude May Hallford, 86, of Big Spring, passed away Thursday, May 2
4, 2 001, at her son's residence following a long illness.
Funeral service will be 10 a.m., Monday, May 28, at Myers & Smith Ch
ap el with the Rev. Randy Reeves and Raford Dunagan officiating. Buri
al wi ll be at Trinity Memorial Park.
Gertrude was born Dec. 19, 1914, in Pleasanton. She ma
rr ied Hoyt Hallford on Nov. 11, 1932, in Lovington, N.M., and she had l
iv ed in  Big Spring since 1929. She was a member of Midway Baptist Churc
h. M rs. Hallford had worked at Golden Plains Nursing Home, Webb  Air For
ce Bas e, Howard College, SouthWest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf a
nd Nurs es Unlimited. She retired at the age of 82.
She is survived by five daughters, Mary Lancaster a
nd hu sband Ted of Big Spring, Ruth Miller, Carolyn Hopper and husband J.B
., a ll of Roswell, N.M., Jean Armstrong of Big Spring and Florence Hoffm
an a nd husband Lewis, of Vanderbilt; one step-daughter, Irene Hallfo
rd of Cumb erland, N.C.; three sons, Nelson Hallford and wife Kaye, of Dun
n, Billy Ha llford and wife Sandra, of Big Spring; Hoyt Hallford Jr. and w
ife Jacqu e, of Noble, Okla.; three brothers, Harland Johnson of Irving, T
om Johns on and Sidney Johnson, both of Big Spring; 37 grandchildren; 71 g
reat-gran dchildren; and 41 great-great-grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Sidney Jarr
et te and Annie May Steele Johnson; one brother, Richard Johnson; three s
on s, Raymond (Sonny), Robert and Frankie Hallford; one adopted daughte
r, Geo rgia Hallford; her husband, Hoyt Hallford on April 12, 1970; and s
ix grand children.
Pallbearers will be Danny Armstrong, Brandon Hallfor
d, B illy W. Hallford, Hoyt Hoffman