Labor Day: Readers Share First Job Memories

September 7, 2015

Monday was Labor Day — a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

We asked NorthEscambia.com readers to share memories of their first job. Add your first job memories in the comment section below.

Chris Flaxman – Tearing up old carpet in the summer heat.Smelly and dirty (me and the carpet!)

Chris Amerson – Wal-Mart Tire and Lube Express (Ensley, FL). Least favorite = Repeatedly having to say “Thank You for calling Wal-Mart Tire and Lube Express where we sell tires and lube for less and will not be undersold. How can I help you?” EVERYTIME I answered the phone in that department….I’m not sure I will ever get that out of my head and I haven’t worked there in nearly 10 years. Favorite = 10% discount on everything but food and clearance items and of course the paycheck (it was my first job after all so money was new to me.)

Grace Resendez McCaffery – Repairing luggage for airlines in Texas.

Suzanne Clark — Burger King, 1973, when I was 19. I hated hearing “Can I have it my way?”

Joni Kelley Simpson — Winn-Dixie in Brewton.

Mona Whitson — My first job was at McLean’s Drugstore on Muscogee Rd. In Cantonment next to Dawson’s barbershop.

Jason Hammond — My fist job was Ray Cranford BB-Q on Nine Mile Road in 96.

PatRick Wessel – My first job was a cemetery groundskeeper …I loved it.

Jason Cawby – My first job was at Piggly Wiggly in high school at Century. Believe it was 90.

Ramona Gay – First job was wrapping gifts at Christmas at the base exchange at Altus Air Force Base in Altus, Oklahoma, in 1963.

Brent Godwin — Food world on 9 Mile Rd

Josh Womack – Cutting tires for a reef, Road Camp (297A)

Sandra Jordan — My first job was at a daycare and I quit after one day.

Heather Weaver — My first job was a hostess at McElhaney’s Restaurant in Atmore.

Shannon Kennedy Evans — My first job was at the Ponderosa in Atmore.

Katie Lowery Fowler — My first job was at WKNU 106.3 FM radio station in East Brewton.. I was 13 years young and I worked there until I was 18. I rarely talked on the air but I worked the controls for the Atlanta Braves baseball games, Alabama football and basketball games, Sunday morning church services and occasional Live broadcasts. It was fun.

Gloria Marshall-Mitchell — My First job was at Ernest Ward working after school 3:30 to 7 in Walnut Hill Fl.

Retha Milstead — Tastee Freeze. $1.25 an hour

Debra Lienhart - Worked at the Oriental House in Cantonment… favorite memory was hearing Mrs. Regaspi laugh at something…anything… wonderful lady…and family!

Susan Barnes — My first job was a nurse’s aid at Century Memorial Hospital 1969

Pictured top: Mallory and Brittany at work Friday at Penair Federal Credit Union at the Car City branch. Pictured below: Deputy Clerk of Billing Angela Suggs and Natural Gas Operator Joe Brown keeping things running smoothly in the Town of Century last Friday afternoon. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.


Comments

11 Responses to “Labor Day: Readers Share First Job Memories”

  1. 429SCJ on September 9th, 2015 6:43 am

    Welding for the late C.W. Thompson at Red Line Equipment, for about $4.00 an hour back in 77.

    I remember inquiring of Mr Thompson “do you call it Red Line Equipment because of the red paint theme, or because everything is on the verge of blowing up”?

  2. Randy on September 8th, 2015 9:12 am

    Washing cars at miracle car wash for a $1.65 an hour, working 12 hour days.

  3. Labreeshasamigo on September 8th, 2015 9:00 am

    I began working in 2000 when I was a senior in high school, selling newspapers on the phone part time. I remember my first paycheck, and how excited I was. $6.90 an hour, plus commission…not bad money for a 17 year old back then. My first paycheck was $500. I was a telemarketer for 3 months before I finally had enough of that and moved on.

    Oh and that girl on the right in the picture up there…she needs to get herself back to work!!! :-)

  4. Aaron Smith on September 7th, 2015 8:03 pm

    CharCo in Flomaton. 79
    Charlie Kilgore and Claude Kent.

    Hard and dirty work but certainly worked with some good people.

  5. Bob C. on September 7th, 2015 6:49 pm

    18 years old an Inductee Recruit, Army of the United States of America, Basic Training Center at Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina, February 1964.
    Already had 18 years of Army experience as an Army Brat and Dang Proud of It.
    Duty, Honor, Country…..
    Food, Shelter, Medical Care, Clothing, Boots and Shoes and plenty of Good Training

  6. Puddin on September 7th, 2015 6:36 pm

    My first 9-5 was at 16 years old. I worked as a car detailer. Lasted one day. Decided it was too hot and dirty for me. So I got a job pumping gas instead. Lol

  7. Mitchell Potter on September 7th, 2015 5:33 pm

    At age 14 I was bagging groceries for tips at City Market in Fairhope, AL in the summer of 1971. A quarter was a good tip, 50 cents–sweet, and a $ was grand slam. The owner, Arthur Mannich, was a good man to work for and the customers were nice.

  8. No Excuses on September 7th, 2015 2:58 pm

    My first “real” job was as a summer hire on Subic Naval Base in the summer of 1977. I made $1.00 an hour at the Ship Repair Facility (SRF) filing papers and running errands for the personnel who worked there full time.

  9. Roger Riggs on September 7th, 2015 12:31 pm

    Atmore Flying Service, 15 years old. Loading spraying planes sun up to sundown. Hard work but rewarding work. The skies were full of crop dusters in those days!

  10. Marie Diamond Gibson on September 7th, 2015 11:37 am

    First job was working at Abernathy Hospital in Flomaton, Alabama. Made $.50 per hour. Led me into the nursing field and still going strong.

  11. Sherry (Milstid) Camp on September 7th, 2015 8:21 am

    Ben Franklin 5 & 10c Store in Ensley during my jr year at Tate, $.65/hr.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News