Mrs. Margaret Sue Aldridge
November 9, 1933 - January 30, 2017
Obituary
Life Story of Margaret Sue Pickering Aldridge
September 29,2015
Margaret Sue Pickering Aldridge was born November 9, 1933, the third daughter of Myrtice Fancher and James Archie Pickering. 1933 was not a great year to be increasing the family size. It was the worst year of the depression with employment peaking at 25.2%. Adolf Hitler became the chancellor of Germany and opened the first concentration camp at Dachau. Tens of thousands travelled the road and rail in America looking for work. The US banking system, which was under great stress, was propped up by the US government to try and stop the
panic of people withdrawing their money. The continuing drought in the Midwest made even more of the land into dust bowls.
Two more girls were born at two year intervals. Ten years later the family was blessed with a beautiful mild mannered baby boy. He was like a favorite toy to all those big sisters. They lived in a small Texas town called Murchison, where they grew up calling everyone in town Aunt and Uncle.
Sue's Dad was one of the many who were out of work during this period. He was a very talented man who was able to do construction work or help his parents with farming jobs. All his family was talented in areas of music.
He taught music classes for local churches. Most of the family entertainment was their get togethers where they would meet at a small Southern Baptist Church and spread their supper for all to share (midday meal was dinner and the evening meal was supper).
Even though they were a poor family they didn't realize it, because everyone€ in town was poor. Later her Mother got a new Singer sewing machine. She had been making all their clothing by hand. She was so happy to have a new sewing machine. The girls didn't realize how fortunate they were that their mother was such a good seamstresses.
The family moved several times during these years, but always ended up near other family members. Sue grew up involved in Sunday School and various church activities. She had a job as soda jerk when she was 14. This was supposed to have been a summer job, but she kept it for the next four years. The high school didn't have competitive sports for girls even though I was good in both basketball and tennis. Sue graduated from Vernon
High in 1951.
After graduation, she quit her job and moved to Coalinga, CA, to live with her sister Marie and her husband. She started to work for Pacific Telephone Co. the next week and continued with them for seven years. When working for the phone company, she worked with a lady named Wilma, who later became her sister-in-law Wilma started telling Sue about her young brother-in-law Don who was a sailor at home on leave. "Would she
be interested in going out with him on Saturday night?" Sue's parents knew him because her younger sister had gone out with him a few times. Sue had never meet Don and wasn't too interested in going out. Even so, Don called Sue on Saturday morning to ask her to so out that evening. She told him she had plans, but they continued to talk. He told her he was reporting back to the ship and heading to Japan for seven months. He asked if she would be willing to write to him while he was at sea. Sue agreed that she would answer any letters
she got from him.
Don did leave the next day and Sue got a letter in a couple of days, which he had written as soon as he got to his ship. She wrote to him as she had promised and was surprised when she didn't get a letter for about ten days.
Then she got a stack of letters telling her he forgot to tell her he couldn't send mail while out at sea. They continued to write for the seven months he was gone. After seven months of a letter-a-day, they began to know
a lot about each other.
The ship Don was stationed on was a seaplane tender, refueling planes at sea. Don was a radioman aboard ship and had a very busy schedule while at sea.
Since Don's parents knew they were writing. Sue was invited to lunch several times a week. This gave her the opportunity to get to know his family much better.
When it was time for Don to return to California, he asked Sue to come with his brother and parents to meet his ship on October 7, 1952. What 18 year old girl wouldn't want to meet a ship load of sailors?? She did go to meet them and spent the day there. They drove him back to his ship and then returned to California.
When she got home. her phone was ringing! It was Don, saying he forgot to ask her to keep the weekend free. For the next few weeks he was coming home on three day passes on Thursday night and returning on Sunday night. Following their brief courtship, on October 3lst he had an engagement ring for Sue. They announced to their families that they were getting married on November 22.
Both families were helping them plan the wedding, with some telling them it wouldn't last. Following the wedding, they had two years of letter writing and three day passes. At times Sue would be able to go to Don's location, and other times she was working when he was free. Because Coalinga is a small town and Sue was working with several of Don's relatives. Don later told friends that they had an "arranged marriage."
When Don was discharged from the Navy, he enrolled and completed his college education in Coalinga and Fresno State.
Sue went back to college when their two children were in grade school. She arranged her classes so she would be free when she needed to be with them. She had some help from her Mom who would come over and surprise them by doing some cleaning or cook dinner for them. Don also helped her by doing her typing. It took Sue seven years to complete her degree. She just told everyone that she was a slow learner.
Sue worked at Sun Empire Elementary School in Kerman as a 4th grade classroom teacher. She then moved into administration. working as Vice Principal Project Director. She moved up the ladder to middle school principal, retiring in 1988.
Sue and Don were blessed with two beautiful children. Son Craig (Sue says he is beautiful inside) and his wife Dana their daughter Hayley and their son Zackary. Craig is employed at Central Unified as a middle school science teacher.
Their daughter Melanie Williams is married to Scott Williams. She was what Sue called "a run around Mom, and what Melanie called a "stay-at-home Mom." She has kept active in school since her oldest started pre- school and returned to her teaching career this year (2015) at Liberty High. They have two sons and one daughter. Jeffery, their 20 year old, is in his 3rd year at college; Emily, age 18 is in her first year of college; and
Matthew; their 16 year old son, is in his first year off college. With three in college" Melanie felt the need to return to work.
Sue and Don have both been members of First Baptist Church since 1956. They have been devoted, hard working members of this congregation all those years. They celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary two months before Don went to his eternal home on Christmas day, 2008.
Sue's friends and family know that she is in a battle with breast cancer, but because of her fragile health and prior surgical history, she is not a candidate for a mastectomy. She is being treated with a hormonal medication to shrink the cancer. Sue is comfortable with God's plan for her life. It is all in His hands .Please pray for her.
She stated that she used to feel cheated that she didn't have a great and impressive story to share. She finally realized that Her Story was that she was involved in church her whole life. What could be better than that?
Whitehurst Sullivan Burns & Blair Funeral Home
November 9, 1933 - January 30, 2017
Obituary
Life Story of Margaret Sue Pickering Aldridge
September 29,2015
Margaret Sue Pickering Aldridge was born November 9, 1933, the third daughter of Myrtice Fancher and James Archie Pickering. 1933 was not a great year to be increasing the family size. It was the worst year of the depression with employment peaking at 25.2%. Adolf Hitler became the chancellor of Germany and opened the first concentration camp at Dachau. Tens of thousands travelled the road and rail in America looking for work. The US banking system, which was under great stress, was propped up by the US government to try and stop the
panic of people withdrawing their money. The continuing drought in the Midwest made even more of the land into dust bowls.
Two more girls were born at two year intervals. Ten years later the family was blessed with a beautiful mild mannered baby boy. He was like a favorite toy to all those big sisters. They lived in a small Texas town called Murchison, where they grew up calling everyone in town Aunt and Uncle.
Sue's Dad was one of the many who were out of work during this period. He was a very talented man who was able to do construction work or help his parents with farming jobs. All his family was talented in areas of music.
He taught music classes for local churches. Most of the family entertainment was their get togethers where they would meet at a small Southern Baptist Church and spread their supper for all to share (midday meal was dinner and the evening meal was supper).
Even though they were a poor family they didn't realize it, because everyone€ in town was poor. Later her Mother got a new Singer sewing machine. She had been making all their clothing by hand. She was so happy to have a new sewing machine. The girls didn't realize how fortunate they were that their mother was such a good seamstresses.
The family moved several times during these years, but always ended up near other family members. Sue grew up involved in Sunday School and various church activities. She had a job as soda jerk when she was 14. This was supposed to have been a summer job, but she kept it for the next four years. The high school didn't have competitive sports for girls even though I was good in both basketball and tennis. Sue graduated from Vernon
High in 1951.
After graduation, she quit her job and moved to Coalinga, CA, to live with her sister Marie and her husband. She started to work for Pacific Telephone Co. the next week and continued with them for seven years. When working for the phone company, she worked with a lady named Wilma, who later became her sister-in-law Wilma started telling Sue about her young brother-in-law Don who was a sailor at home on leave. "Would she
be interested in going out with him on Saturday night?" Sue's parents knew him because her younger sister had gone out with him a few times. Sue had never meet Don and wasn't too interested in going out. Even so, Don called Sue on Saturday morning to ask her to so out that evening. She told him she had plans, but they continued to talk. He told her he was reporting back to the ship and heading to Japan for seven months. He asked if she would be willing to write to him while he was at sea. Sue agreed that she would answer any letters
she got from him.
Don did leave the next day and Sue got a letter in a couple of days, which he had written as soon as he got to his ship. She wrote to him as she had promised and was surprised when she didn't get a letter for about ten days.
Then she got a stack of letters telling her he forgot to tell her he couldn't send mail while out at sea. They continued to write for the seven months he was gone. After seven months of a letter-a-day, they began to know
a lot about each other.
The ship Don was stationed on was a seaplane tender, refueling planes at sea. Don was a radioman aboard ship and had a very busy schedule while at sea.
Since Don's parents knew they were writing. Sue was invited to lunch several times a week. This gave her the opportunity to get to know his family much better.
When it was time for Don to return to California, he asked Sue to come with his brother and parents to meet his ship on October 7, 1952. What 18 year old girl wouldn't want to meet a ship load of sailors?? She did go to meet them and spent the day there. They drove him back to his ship and then returned to California.
When she got home. her phone was ringing! It was Don, saying he forgot to ask her to keep the weekend free. For the next few weeks he was coming home on three day passes on Thursday night and returning on Sunday night. Following their brief courtship, on October 3lst he had an engagement ring for Sue. They announced to their families that they were getting married on November 22.
Both families were helping them plan the wedding, with some telling them it wouldn't last. Following the wedding, they had two years of letter writing and three day passes. At times Sue would be able to go to Don's location, and other times she was working when he was free. Because Coalinga is a small town and Sue was working with several of Don's relatives. Don later told friends that they had an "arranged marriage."
When Don was discharged from the Navy, he enrolled and completed his college education in Coalinga and Fresno State.
Sue went back to college when their two children were in grade school. She arranged her classes so she would be free when she needed to be with them. She had some help from her Mom who would come over and surprise them by doing some cleaning or cook dinner for them. Don also helped her by doing her typing. It took Sue seven years to complete her degree. She just told everyone that she was a slow learner.
Sue worked at Sun Empire Elementary School in Kerman as a 4th grade classroom teacher. She then moved into administration. working as Vice Principal Project Director. She moved up the ladder to middle school principal, retiring in 1988.
Sue and Don were blessed with two beautiful children. Son Craig (Sue says he is beautiful inside) and his wife Dana their daughter Hayley and their son Zackary. Craig is employed at Central Unified as a middle school science teacher.
Their daughter Melanie Williams is married to Scott Williams. She was what Sue called "a run around Mom, and what Melanie called a "stay-at-home Mom." She has kept active in school since her oldest started pre- school and returned to her teaching career this year (2015) at Liberty High. They have two sons and one daughter. Jeffery, their 20 year old, is in his 3rd year at college; Emily, age 18 is in her first year of college; and
Matthew; their 16 year old son, is in his first year off college. With three in college" Melanie felt the need to return to work.
Sue and Don have both been members of First Baptist Church since 1956. They have been devoted, hard working members of this congregation all those years. They celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary two months before Don went to his eternal home on Christmas day, 2008.
Sue's friends and family know that she is in a battle with breast cancer, but because of her fragile health and prior surgical history, she is not a candidate for a mastectomy. She is being treated with a hormonal medication to shrink the cancer. Sue is comfortable with God's plan for her life. It is all in His hands .Please pray for her.
She stated that she used to feel cheated that she didn't have a great and impressive story to share. She finally realized that Her Story was that she was involved in church her whole life. What could be better than that?
Whitehurst Sullivan Burns & Blair Funeral Home
Mrs. Margaret Sue Aldridge
November 9, 1933 - January 30, 2017
Obituary
Life Story of Margaret Sue Pickering Aldridge
September 29,2015
Margaret Sue Pickering Aldridge was born November 9, 1933, the third daughter of Myrtice Fancher and James Archie Pickering. 1933 was not a great year to be increasing the family size. It was the worst year of the depression with employment peaking at 25.2%. Adolf Hitler became the chancellor of Germany and opened the first concentration camp at Dachau. Tens of thousands travelled the road and rail in America looking for work. The US banking system, which was under great stress, was propped up by the US government to try and stop the
panic of people withdrawing their money. The continuing drought in the Midwest made even more of the land into dust bowls.
Two more girls were born at two year intervals. Ten years later the family was blessed with a beautiful mild mannered baby boy. He was like a favorite toy to all those big sisters. They lived in a small Texas town called Murchison, where they grew up calling everyone in town Aunt and Uncle.
Sue's Dad was one of the many who were out of work during this period. He was a very talented man who was able to do construction work or help his parents with farming jobs. All his family was talented in areas of music.
He taught music classes for local churches. Most of the family entertainment was their get togethers where they would meet at a small Southern Baptist Church and spread their supper for all to share (midday meal was dinner and the evening meal was supper).
Even though they were a poor family they didn't realize it, because everyone€ in town was poor. Later her Mother got a new Singer sewing machine. She had been making all their clothing by hand. She was so happy to have a new sewing machine. The girls didn't realize how fortunate they were that their mother was such a good seamstresses.
The family moved several times during these years, but always ended up near other family members. Sue grew up involved in Sunday School and various church activities. She had a job as soda jerk when she was 14. This was supposed to have been a summer job, but she kept it for the next four years. The high school didn't have competitive sports for girls even though I was good in both basketball and tennis. Sue graduated from Vernon
High in 1951.
After graduation, she quit her job and moved to Coalinga, CA, to live with her sister Marie and her husband. She started to work for Pacific Telephone Co. the next week and continued with them for seven years. When working for the phone company, she worked with a lady named Wilma, who later became her sister-in-law Wilma started telling Sue about her young brother-in-law Don who was a sailor at home on leave. "Would she
be interested in going out with him on Saturday night?" Sue's parents knew him because her younger sister had gone out with him a few times. Sue had never meet Don and wasn't too interested in going out. Even so, Don called Sue on Saturday morning to ask her to so out that evening. She told him she had plans, but they continued to talk. He told her he was reporting back to the ship and heading to Japan for seven months. He asked if she would be willing to write to him while he was at sea. Sue agreed that she would answer any letters
she got from him.
Don did leave the next day and Sue got a letter in a couple of days, which he had written as soon as he got to his ship. She wrote to him as she had promised and was surprised when she didn't get a letter for about ten days.
Then she got a stack of letters telling her he forgot to tell her he couldn't send mail while out at sea. They continued to write for the seven months he was gone. After seven months of a letter-a-day, they began to know
a lot about each other.
The ship Don was stationed on was a seaplane tender, refueling planes at sea. Don was a radioman aboard ship and had a very busy schedule while at sea.
Since Don's parents knew they were writing. Sue was invited to lunch several times a week. This gave her the opportunity to get to know his family much better.
When it was time for Don to return to California, he asked Sue to come with his brother and parents to meet his ship on October 7, 1952. What 18 year old girl wouldn't want to meet a ship load of sailors?? She did go to meet them and spent the day there. They drove him back to his ship and then returned to California.
When she got home. her phone was ringing! It was Don, saying he forgot to ask her to keep the weekend free. For the next few weeks he was coming home on three day passes on Thursday night and returning on Sunday night. Following their brief courtship, on October 3lst he had an engagement ring for Sue. They announced to their families that they were getting married on November 22.
Both families were helping them plan the wedding, with some telling them it wouldn't last. Following the wedding, they had two years of letter writing and three day passes. At times Sue would be able to go to Don's location, and other times she was working when he was free. Because Coalinga is a small town and Sue was working with several of Don's relatives. Don later told friends that they had an "arranged marriage."
When Don was discharged from the Navy, he enrolled and completed his college education in Coalinga and Fresno State.
Sue went back to college when their two children were in grade school. She arranged her classes so she would be free when she needed to be with them. She had some help from her Mom who would come over and surprise them by doing some cleaning or cook dinner for them. Don also helped her by doing her typing. It took Sue seven years to complete her degree. She just told everyone that she was a slow learner.
Sue worked at Sun Empire Elementary School in Kerman as a 4th grade classroom teacher. She then moved into administration. working as Vice Principal Project Director. She moved up the ladder to middle school principal, retiring in 1988.
Sue and Don were blessed with two beautiful children. Son Craig (Sue says he is beautiful inside) and his wife Dana their daughter Hayley and their son Zackary. Craig is employed at Central Unified as a middle school science teacher.
Their daughter Melanie Williams is married to Scott Williams. She was what Sue called "a run around Mom, and what Melanie called a "stay-at-home Mom." She has kept active in school since her oldest started pre- school and returned to her teaching career this year (2015) at Liberty High. They have two sons and one daughter. Jeffery, their 20 year old, is in his 3rd year at college; Emily, age 18 is in her first year of college; and
Matthew; their 16 year old son, is in his first year off college. With three in college" Melanie felt the need to return to work.
Sue and Don have both been members of First Baptist Church since 1956. They have been devoted, hard working members of this congregation all those years. They celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary two months before Don went to his eternal home on Christmas day, 2008.
Sue's friends and family know that she is in a battle with breast cancer, but because of her fragile health and prior surgical history, she is not a candidate for a mastectomy. She is being treated with a hormonal medication to shrink the cancer. Sue is comfortable with God's plan for her life. It is all in His hands .Please pray for her.
She stated that she used to feel cheated that she didn't have a great and impressive story to share. She finally realized that Her Story was that she was involved in church her whole life. What could be better than that?
Whitehurst Sullivan Burns & Blair Funeral Home
November 9, 1933 - January 30, 2017
Obituary
Life Story of Margaret Sue Pickering Aldridge
September 29,2015
Margaret Sue Pickering Aldridge was born November 9, 1933, the third daughter of Myrtice Fancher and James Archie Pickering. 1933 was not a great year to be increasing the family size. It was the worst year of the depression with employment peaking at 25.2%. Adolf Hitler became the chancellor of Germany and opened the first concentration camp at Dachau. Tens of thousands travelled the road and rail in America looking for work. The US banking system, which was under great stress, was propped up by the US government to try and stop the
panic of people withdrawing their money. The continuing drought in the Midwest made even more of the land into dust bowls.
Two more girls were born at two year intervals. Ten years later the family was blessed with a beautiful mild mannered baby boy. He was like a favorite toy to all those big sisters. They lived in a small Texas town called Murchison, where they grew up calling everyone in town Aunt and Uncle.
Sue's Dad was one of the many who were out of work during this period. He was a very talented man who was able to do construction work or help his parents with farming jobs. All his family was talented in areas of music.
He taught music classes for local churches. Most of the family entertainment was their get togethers where they would meet at a small Southern Baptist Church and spread their supper for all to share (midday meal was dinner and the evening meal was supper).
Even though they were a poor family they didn't realize it, because everyone€ in town was poor. Later her Mother got a new Singer sewing machine. She had been making all their clothing by hand. She was so happy to have a new sewing machine. The girls didn't realize how fortunate they were that their mother was such a good seamstresses.
The family moved several times during these years, but always ended up near other family members. Sue grew up involved in Sunday School and various church activities. She had a job as soda jerk when she was 14. This was supposed to have been a summer job, but she kept it for the next four years. The high school didn't have competitive sports for girls even though I was good in both basketball and tennis. Sue graduated from Vernon
High in 1951.
After graduation, she quit her job and moved to Coalinga, CA, to live with her sister Marie and her husband. She started to work for Pacific Telephone Co. the next week and continued with them for seven years. When working for the phone company, she worked with a lady named Wilma, who later became her sister-in-law Wilma started telling Sue about her young brother-in-law Don who was a sailor at home on leave. "Would she
be interested in going out with him on Saturday night?" Sue's parents knew him because her younger sister had gone out with him a few times. Sue had never meet Don and wasn't too interested in going out. Even so, Don called Sue on Saturday morning to ask her to so out that evening. She told him she had plans, but they continued to talk. He told her he was reporting back to the ship and heading to Japan for seven months. He asked if she would be willing to write to him while he was at sea. Sue agreed that she would answer any letters
she got from him.
Don did leave the next day and Sue got a letter in a couple of days, which he had written as soon as he got to his ship. She wrote to him as she had promised and was surprised when she didn't get a letter for about ten days.
Then she got a stack of letters telling her he forgot to tell her he couldn't send mail while out at sea. They continued to write for the seven months he was gone. After seven months of a letter-a-day, they began to know
a lot about each other.
The ship Don was stationed on was a seaplane tender, refueling planes at sea. Don was a radioman aboard ship and had a very busy schedule while at sea.
Since Don's parents knew they were writing. Sue was invited to lunch several times a week. This gave her the opportunity to get to know his family much better.
When it was time for Don to return to California, he asked Sue to come with his brother and parents to meet his ship on October 7, 1952. What 18 year old girl wouldn't want to meet a ship load of sailors?? She did go to meet them and spent the day there. They drove him back to his ship and then returned to California.
When she got home. her phone was ringing! It was Don, saying he forgot to ask her to keep the weekend free. For the next few weeks he was coming home on three day passes on Thursday night and returning on Sunday night. Following their brief courtship, on October 3lst he had an engagement ring for Sue. They announced to their families that they were getting married on November 22.
Both families were helping them plan the wedding, with some telling them it wouldn't last. Following the wedding, they had two years of letter writing and three day passes. At times Sue would be able to go to Don's location, and other times she was working when he was free. Because Coalinga is a small town and Sue was working with several of Don's relatives. Don later told friends that they had an "arranged marriage."
When Don was discharged from the Navy, he enrolled and completed his college education in Coalinga and Fresno State.
Sue went back to college when their two children were in grade school. She arranged her classes so she would be free when she needed to be with them. She had some help from her Mom who would come over and surprise them by doing some cleaning or cook dinner for them. Don also helped her by doing her typing. It took Sue seven years to complete her degree. She just told everyone that she was a slow learner.
Sue worked at Sun Empire Elementary School in Kerman as a 4th grade classroom teacher. She then moved into administration. working as Vice Principal Project Director. She moved up the ladder to middle school principal, retiring in 1988.
Sue and Don were blessed with two beautiful children. Son Craig (Sue says he is beautiful inside) and his wife Dana their daughter Hayley and their son Zackary. Craig is employed at Central Unified as a middle school science teacher.
Their daughter Melanie Williams is married to Scott Williams. She was what Sue called "a run around Mom, and what Melanie called a "stay-at-home Mom." She has kept active in school since her oldest started pre- school and returned to her teaching career this year (2015) at Liberty High. They have two sons and one daughter. Jeffery, their 20 year old, is in his 3rd year at college; Emily, age 18 is in her first year of college; and
Matthew; their 16 year old son, is in his first year off college. With three in college" Melanie felt the need to return to work.
Sue and Don have both been members of First Baptist Church since 1956. They have been devoted, hard working members of this congregation all those years. They celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary two months before Don went to his eternal home on Christmas day, 2008.
Sue's friends and family know that she is in a battle with breast cancer, but because of her fragile health and prior surgical history, she is not a candidate for a mastectomy. She is being treated with a hormonal medication to shrink the cancer. Sue is comfortable with God's plan for her life. It is all in His hands .Please pray for her.
She stated that she used to feel cheated that she didn't have a great and impressive story to share. She finally realized that Her Story was that she was involved in church her whole life. What could be better than that?
Whitehurst Sullivan Burns & Blair Funeral Home
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