Page 17 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2020- Lubbock Online Magazine

CELEBRATING A CENTURY

herrin
until the family moved to Sundown, 1939 because
Texas in the 1930s. The family of ten the school in
lived in a three-bedroom house with Sundown was h real estate
one bathroom that had no fixtures not accredited.
except for a metal tub for bathing.
Ann then moved ron herrin broker
Everyone in the family had to work to Lubbock 806.773.6512
hard on the farm. She had four to attend
brothers and three sisters, and each Draughon’s ronherrin1@gmail.com
had their assigned chores – feeding Business
the chickens, gathering the eggs, School in 1942,
right after the
hoeing weeds, pulling cotton in the school, passed the civil service test, h
fall. Ann was the only one among beginning of recruiting office, later transferring to
the four girls to learn how to milk a World War II. She finished business work for the manager of the Veterans
cow, so, that was her job every single Administration Regional Office.
morning. After graduating from high and was offered a job in Washington
school in 1937, the family moved DC at the Pentagon for the War Claude and Ann met through a
to Anton, where she went back to Department as a secretary to a mutual friend. Claude was working
high school and graduated again in captain. She made the impressive at McWhorter Tire Company, and
salary of $120 his boss had a little dinner party for
per month. A bus some employees. Claude was there,
pass for $1.25 a and Ann was the date of another
week enabled employee. Claude and Ann started
her to ride as dating, partly because Claude had a
much as she car, and the other man didn’t. They
wanted. She and married in 1946 and continued to
her roommate live in Lubbock and raise their family
ate most of their of three daughters: Linda Gilliam,
meals at the currently living in Burleson, TX; the
Pentagon, for late Gayle Smothers; and Marilyn
$.35. Dixon in Lubbock. Ann saw to it
that her daughters cleaned their
After working rooms, took turns with the dishes
in DC for three and helped with the yard work.
years, Ann She made most of their clothes and
transferred back taught them to cook. Ann has always
to Lubbock to been an excellent cook and still can
work at Reese Air make a pie better than anyone!
Force Base. She
had only been Ann and Claude were founding
working a week members of Christ the King Catholic
when World Church and School. He passed away
War II ended. in 1989, but for many years, Ann
She worked has continued to be active in church
at the air base activities, from the Bereavement
until it closed, Meal Committee, to the Order of
then transferred Martha Bridge Club, to the Senior
to downtown Social Group which she helped
Lubbock and organize. In earlier years, she loved
Ann and her girls worked in the to travel – to Europe, Canada

Lubbock Senior Link 17