After 2003, Al began a slow but steady decline in health. No longer able to care for himself, his son, Jim, moved in with him to help with the house and his daily needs. As time passed, he stopped cooking and took to eating out more. He lost his driving privileges and had to count on his son to get around.
By late 2005, Jim was forced to hire professional care givers to come into the home to assist him in caring for Al. Eventually this became a full-time situation as Al became less able to care for himself. By 2007, the caregivers were working 24 hours a day in the home.
In September 2007, fatigue and age caught up with Charles Albert Galford and he passed away in his home. During the later part of his life, he had always wanted, more than anything, other than to have lived no longer than his wife, was to have died in his home. In this, his wish was satisfied.
Monday, June 29, 2009
The Heart Breaks, 2003
As the years passed, life slowed for the two of them. At first, there was some travel. First to Florida and then to Oregon. There had even been a trip out East. Eventually this began to be too difficult for them and they stopped traveling.
Around 1998. Winnie's health started to deteriorate. She couldn't get around as easy and started to use a walker. Then, over time, her eyesight started to give way, and finally, she could only see shadows and shapes.
By 2002 life was a continuous series of trips to the doctor. These trips became her only times outside the house. Life was closing down for Winnie. Still Al stood by and did all he could.
By the beginning of 2003, she hardly moved at all and she lost the will to live. In March she quit fighting the deterioration and let herself surrender to the eventual. By August she was gone.
Al was lost. His life had been built on two women. Both were gone. He had been married for 63 years, deeply in love and devoted to his wife and now she was gone. It was believed by those around him that he would soon follow.
Around 1998. Winnie's health started to deteriorate. She couldn't get around as easy and started to use a walker. Then, over time, her eyesight started to give way, and finally, she could only see shadows and shapes.
By 2002 life was a continuous series of trips to the doctor. These trips became her only times outside the house. Life was closing down for Winnie. Still Al stood by and did all he could.
By the beginning of 2003, she hardly moved at all and she lost the will to live. In March she quit fighting the deterioration and let herself surrender to the eventual. By August she was gone.
Al was lost. His life had been built on two women. Both were gone. He had been married for 63 years, deeply in love and devoted to his wife and now she was gone. It was believed by those around him that he would soon follow.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Retirement, 1992
In 1992, at the age of 75, Al decided he would retire. At the time he was an electrical inspector for Saginaw Township. He had, over the years, been an electrical inspector for up to nine townships and communities at one time. These included Bridgeport, Buena Vista, Thomas Township, Monitor Township, Frankenlust, Saginaw Township, Shields, James Township, and Spaulding Township.
In his life he had been a typewriter repairman and salesman, a farm worker, a factory worker, an army man, an accountant, an electrician, and an inspector. He had worked at many different occupations but in the end the electrical trade won his attention and he stuck with it for forty-five years.
When he decided he had worked long enough he approached his youngest son, Jim, and asked him if it was alright with him if he quit working. Jim remarked that all Al's friends and peers had given up years earlier and he really didn't need his son's approval to stop working or to continue working anyway.
Al quit.
In his life he had been a typewriter repairman and salesman, a farm worker, a factory worker, an army man, an accountant, an electrician, and an inspector. He had worked at many different occupations but in the end the electrical trade won his attention and he stuck with it for forty-five years.
When he decided he had worked long enough he approached his youngest son, Jim, and asked him if it was alright with him if he quit working. Jim remarked that all Al's friends and peers had given up years earlier and he really didn't need his son's approval to stop working or to continue working anyway.
Al quit.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Heartche, 1981
In 1979, Al and Winnie moved yet again. Having lived on S. Jefferson for 22 years in contentment, they lived only eight years on Creekwood before moving yet again. this time they built themselves a 1400 square foot house in Saginaw Township, near where Al worked as an inspector. This would prove to be the ideal home, one they would live in the longest.
In 1981 Al began to have problems with chest pains. eventually he went in to the doctors who diagnosed heart blockages.
In 1981 Al began to have problems with chest pains. eventually he went in to the doctors who diagnosed heart blockages.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Empty Nest, 1965-1971
As the years progressed, the two boys grew. The eldest, Chuck graduated with honors, as valedictorian, from Saginaw High School in 1965, bound for the University of Michigan. The younger one followed, graduating in 1967, bounded for Central Michigan University. Four years later, Chuck was a law student at Yale University and Jim was earning masters degrees and working as a teacher.
For Al and Winnie, life was slowing down. The house was empty of children. Expenses, never a major issue, but still a problem, were now minor for two who spent little. Life was quiet and serene. Al decided to sell the house they had lived in since 1949 and build again. The new one would be the "ideal" house for his love. The Creekwood house was a ranch, with no basement, as Winnie now had severe arthritis. It was an all electric house, keeping with Al's orientation. It had nearly an acre of land and was Al's delight.
The two of them moved in in 1971 and sold the old house immediately.
For Al and Winnie, life was slowing down. The house was empty of children. Expenses, never a major issue, but still a problem, were now minor for two who spent little. Life was quiet and serene. Al decided to sell the house they had lived in since 1949 and build again. The new one would be the "ideal" house for his love. The Creekwood house was a ranch, with no basement, as Winnie now had severe arthritis. It was an all electric house, keeping with Al's orientation. It had nearly an acre of land and was Al's delight.
The two of them moved in in 1971 and sold the old house immediately.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
On Their Own, 1957
By 1957, Al had become the lead foreman with Schmerheim Electric, one of the largest electrical contracting firms in that area of Michigan. He was also on close terms with the owner of the company. At that point he probably could have continued on for some time, in a contented grove. Even if the conditions of the company had turned sour, as eventually they did, he was a union electrician, he would have just been picked up by another. After all, he now had his master journeyman card and that made him a highly sought after commodity on the market at the time.
However, Al wanted something different for himself, for his family. He was not happy. Oh, he loved the work and he made decent money. They had a home he liked and the boys were growing up, 10 and 8 now, but he he found he really did not like working for someone else. He wanted to be his own boss; he wanted to strike out on his own.
To set up as a contractor and to start up a business without a strong cash flow, without a client base, or a business plan was risky, but Al and Winnie had talked it over and they both were in agreement. Winnie would stand with him and help him out and he wanted this.
Things were very tight for a long time as Al built relationships up and gained clients. With Schmerheim, the clients were mostly commercial and industrial. In business for himself, without any helpers, he concentrated on residential and on service work. In the long run, the service work carried him. He was a gifted technician and troubleshooter. He gained accounts with firms needing someone who could maintain equipment and operations. The residential work, the bread and butter, brought in enough extra to allow him to do what he really loved doing. It would be another twenty years before he looked back again.
However, Al wanted something different for himself, for his family. He was not happy. Oh, he loved the work and he made decent money. They had a home he liked and the boys were growing up, 10 and 8 now, but he he found he really did not like working for someone else. He wanted to be his own boss; he wanted to strike out on his own.
To set up as a contractor and to start up a business without a strong cash flow, without a client base, or a business plan was risky, but Al and Winnie had talked it over and they both were in agreement. Winnie would stand with him and help him out and he wanted this.
Things were very tight for a long time as Al built relationships up and gained clients. With Schmerheim, the clients were mostly commercial and industrial. In business for himself, without any helpers, he concentrated on residential and on service work. In the long run, the service work carried him. He was a gifted technician and troubleshooter. He gained accounts with firms needing someone who could maintain equipment and operations. The residential work, the bread and butter, brought in enough extra to allow him to do what he really loved doing. It would be another twenty years before he looked back again.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Creating a Home, 1949
Settled into a pattern of life, Al now had a career under way. He was a foreman with Schmerheim Electric and a journeyman electrician. The small family still lived on 12th St., as they had for years. However, with Al, Winnie, the young toddler, Chuck, and Jean, Winnie's sister, all in the small apartment, it was too comfortable any longer.
Al was looking for a home of his own, his first. In his entire life, he had always lived in rented apartments or rented houses. Now, for the first time, he wanted to own a house of his own. He found a lot in East Saginaw, on S. Jefferson and decided to build his own house, to save money. After work each day he worked on the small 800 square foot house. His father-in-law, Edwin, who was working two full-time jobs at the time, was the only person helping him. The house had two small bedrooms, a living room, bath and kitchen.
While building it, Winnie became pregnant again. In June, 1949, she gave birth to their second son, James, a jaundiced heart-damaged child that Al described as "so ugly a baby, it was a good thing he was a boy." With the growing family, the apartment was now much too small. Fortunately the work on the house progressed and the family was able to move in about two months after the baby was born.
The home Al built for the family on Jefferson became their residence for the next 22 years. Both boys grew to manhood in the home and left before Al and Winnie determined it was time to leave the neighborhood, which had changed so much through the years. They watched long time and short-time neighbors move in and out, the ethic and racial make-up alter, and the crime rate rise during their tenure.
Al was looking for a home of his own, his first. In his entire life, he had always lived in rented apartments or rented houses. Now, for the first time, he wanted to own a house of his own. He found a lot in East Saginaw, on S. Jefferson and decided to build his own house, to save money. After work each day he worked on the small 800 square foot house. His father-in-law, Edwin, who was working two full-time jobs at the time, was the only person helping him. The house had two small bedrooms, a living room, bath and kitchen.
While building it, Winnie became pregnant again. In June, 1949, she gave birth to their second son, James, a jaundiced heart-damaged child that Al described as "so ugly a baby, it was a good thing he was a boy." With the growing family, the apartment was now much too small. Fortunately the work on the house progressed and the family was able to move in about two months after the baby was born.
The home Al built for the family on Jefferson became their residence for the next 22 years. Both boys grew to manhood in the home and left before Al and Winnie determined it was time to leave the neighborhood, which had changed so much through the years. They watched long time and short-time neighbors move in and out, the ethic and racial make-up alter, and the crime rate rise during their tenure.
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