Hedges - Winkelmann, Mary Marie (nee Hightower), passed away April 15, 2018.
Beloved wife of the late Paul Winkelmann, the late Vern Hedges and the late John Robert Harris. Dear mother of John (Carol) Harris II and Steven (Caroline and the late Melodye) Harris. Grandmother of John Robert (Lisa) Harris III, James (Jillian) Harris, Jennifer Jarosz, Micheal Harris, Marcus Harris, Ronald Todd (Rebbeca) Harris and Keelyn Nicole (Dan) Schwegel. Great grandmother of 10 and the late Trevor Harris.
Mary was 93. She grew up on a farm in southern Indiana, that had no electric nor plumbing. When she graduated the 8th grade, she had to go live with her sister so that she could attend high school at the Petersburg High. In 1943, she graduated from high school and went to work at the Republic Aircraft Company in Evansville, Indiana building P-47 Thunderbolt fighters. In the 50's she started working for Sears as a clerk in the accounting department.
Somehow, she got the Sears Management to let her try selling vacuum cleaners. This was a "man's" job and she was not welcome. She worked extra hard and became their leading salesman. When Chrysler moved to St. Louis, she managed to get a temporary position as vacuum cleaner salesman. She was not wanted in this man's department either at then new Crestwood Shopping Center. She went on became not only the top salesman at Crestwood but also the leading salesman in the St. Louis region. She set sales record after sales record and resulted in other women being hired to sell vacuum cleaners all over the United States. She lost her husband in 1969 to a heart attack and continued to work. She later started going with her former boss Paul Winkelmann who was the love of her life and they had 38 years together.
Mary will be laid to rest Atkinson Chapel Cemetery∼Mary (mother of John and Steve Harris) grew up in Pike County on her parents (Rev Ray and Blanch Hightower) farm. Her parents farm had no electric until 1949 and no running water. There was a hand pump outside between the house and the smoke house. Her father, Rev Ray Hightower, farmed on a small farm, hauled coal and grain with his truck and also became a Baptist preacher and preached at Atkinson Church as well as several other churches including Olive Branch and a church in Otwell, In. She had to go live with sister in Petersburg to attend high school. She graduated in 1943 and went to work at Republic Aviation plant in Evansville building P-47 Thunderbolt fighters for the war. In 1944, she married John Harris of Petersburg. John Harris was drafted into the Army in 1943 after graduation. They separated in 1954. In 1957, she married Vern Hedges of Newburg, Indiana. They moved to Ballwin, Missouri in 1959 when Chrysler moved its car plant from Evansville to Fenton, MO. Vern died on 16 June 1969 of heart failure. Mary started working for Sears Roebuck in Evansville as a office clerk and then persuaded the store to let her sell vacuum cleaners. At that time there were no women selling any appliances at Sears or any other department stores. She was the first and she worked hard to do better than the men in sales. When she and Vern moved to Ballwin, she was able to get a transfer to the Sears store in Crestwood MO. Her supervisor was Paul Winkelmann and he later admitted that he expected to fire her. But instead she set store and regional sales records and was personally recognized for her outstanding performance by senior Sears executives. Paul Winkelmann and Vern Hedges became close hunting buddies for squirrel, rabbits, and quail. In 1974, Paul and Mary were married in Emenice MO and lived in Ballwin until 1984 were they moved into the country in Franklin County. Mary retired from Sears in 1989. She and Paul had 34 years of marriage and deeply loved each other. Paul passed away on March 30, 2011 and is buried beside her. He was the one that insisted that they be buried at Atkinson Chapel Cemetery because of a promise that he made to Blanch Hightower, Mary's mother.
Beloved wife of the late Paul Winkelmann, the late Vern Hedges and the late John Robert Harris. Dear mother of John (Carol) Harris II and Steven (Caroline and the late Melodye) Harris. Grandmother of John Robert (Lisa) Harris III, James (Jillian) Harris, Jennifer Jarosz, Micheal Harris, Marcus Harris, Ronald Todd (Rebbeca) Harris and Keelyn Nicole (Dan) Schwegel. Great grandmother of 10 and the late Trevor Harris.
Mary was 93. She grew up on a farm in southern Indiana, that had no electric nor plumbing. When she graduated the 8th grade, she had to go live with her sister so that she could attend high school at the Petersburg High. In 1943, she graduated from high school and went to work at the Republic Aircraft Company in Evansville, Indiana building P-47 Thunderbolt fighters. In the 50's she started working for Sears as a clerk in the accounting department.
Somehow, she got the Sears Management to let her try selling vacuum cleaners. This was a "man's" job and she was not welcome. She worked extra hard and became their leading salesman. When Chrysler moved to St. Louis, she managed to get a temporary position as vacuum cleaner salesman. She was not wanted in this man's department either at then new Crestwood Shopping Center. She went on became not only the top salesman at Crestwood but also the leading salesman in the St. Louis region. She set sales record after sales record and resulted in other women being hired to sell vacuum cleaners all over the United States. She lost her husband in 1969 to a heart attack and continued to work. She later started going with her former boss Paul Winkelmann who was the love of her life and they had 38 years together.
Mary will be laid to rest Atkinson Chapel Cemetery∼Mary (mother of John and Steve Harris) grew up in Pike County on her parents (Rev Ray and Blanch Hightower) farm. Her parents farm had no electric until 1949 and no running water. There was a hand pump outside between the house and the smoke house. Her father, Rev Ray Hightower, farmed on a small farm, hauled coal and grain with his truck and also became a Baptist preacher and preached at Atkinson Church as well as several other churches including Olive Branch and a church in Otwell, In. She had to go live with sister in Petersburg to attend high school. She graduated in 1943 and went to work at Republic Aviation plant in Evansville building P-47 Thunderbolt fighters for the war. In 1944, she married John Harris of Petersburg. John Harris was drafted into the Army in 1943 after graduation. They separated in 1954. In 1957, she married Vern Hedges of Newburg, Indiana. They moved to Ballwin, Missouri in 1959 when Chrysler moved its car plant from Evansville to Fenton, MO. Vern died on 16 June 1969 of heart failure. Mary started working for Sears Roebuck in Evansville as a office clerk and then persuaded the store to let her sell vacuum cleaners. At that time there were no women selling any appliances at Sears or any other department stores. She was the first and she worked hard to do better than the men in sales. When she and Vern moved to Ballwin, she was able to get a transfer to the Sears store in Crestwood MO. Her supervisor was Paul Winkelmann and he later admitted that he expected to fire her. But instead she set store and regional sales records and was personally recognized for her outstanding performance by senior Sears executives. Paul Winkelmann and Vern Hedges became close hunting buddies for squirrel, rabbits, and quail. In 1974, Paul and Mary were married in Emenice MO and lived in Ballwin until 1984 were they moved into the country in Franklin County. Mary retired from Sears in 1989. She and Paul had 34 years of marriage and deeply loved each other. Paul passed away on March 30, 2011 and is buried beside her. He was the one that insisted that they be buried at Atkinson Chapel Cemetery because of a promise that he made to Blanch Hightower, Mary's mother.
Hedges - Winkelmann, Mary Marie (nee Hightower), passed away April 15, 2018.
Beloved wife of the late Paul Winkelmann, the late Vern Hedges and the late John Robert Harris. Dear mother of John (Carol) Harris II and Steven (Caroline and the late Melodye) Harris. Grandmother of John Robert (Lisa) Harris III, James (Jillian) Harris, Jennifer Jarosz, Micheal Harris, Marcus Harris, Ronald Todd (Rebbeca) Harris and Keelyn Nicole (Dan) Schwegel. Great grandmother of 10 and the late Trevor Harris.
Mary was 93. She grew up on a farm in southern Indiana, that had no electric nor plumbing. When she graduated the 8th grade, she had to go live with her sister so that she could attend high school at the Petersburg High. In 1943, she graduated from high school and went to work at the Republic Aircraft Company in Evansville, Indiana building P-47 Thunderbolt fighters. In the 50's she started working for Sears as a clerk in the accounting department.
Somehow, she got the Sears Management to let her try selling vacuum cleaners. This was a "man's" job and she was not welcome. She worked extra hard and became their leading salesman. When Chrysler moved to St. Louis, she managed to get a temporary position as vacuum cleaner salesman. She was not wanted in this man's department either at then new Crestwood Shopping Center. She went on became not only the top salesman at Crestwood but also the leading salesman in the St. Louis region. She set sales record after sales record and resulted in other women being hired to sell vacuum cleaners all over the United States. She lost her husband in 1969 to a heart attack and continued to work. She later started going with her former boss Paul Winkelmann who was the love of her life and they had 38 years together.
Mary will be laid to rest Atkinson Chapel Cemetery∼Mary (mother of John and Steve Harris) grew up in Pike County on her parents (Rev Ray and Blanch Hightower) farm. Her parents farm had no electric until 1949 and no running water. There was a hand pump outside between the house and the smoke house. Her father, Rev Ray Hightower, farmed on a small farm, hauled coal and grain with his truck and also became a Baptist preacher and preached at Atkinson Church as well as several other churches including Olive Branch and a church in Otwell, In. She had to go live with sister in Petersburg to attend high school. She graduated in 1943 and went to work at Republic Aviation plant in Evansville building P-47 Thunderbolt fighters for the war. In 1944, she married John Harris of Petersburg. John Harris was drafted into the Army in 1943 after graduation. They separated in 1954. In 1957, she married Vern Hedges of Newburg, Indiana. They moved to Ballwin, Missouri in 1959 when Chrysler moved its car plant from Evansville to Fenton, MO. Vern died on 16 June 1969 of heart failure. Mary started working for Sears Roebuck in Evansville as a office clerk and then persuaded the store to let her sell vacuum cleaners. At that time there were no women selling any appliances at Sears or any other department stores. She was the first and she worked hard to do better than the men in sales. When she and Vern moved to Ballwin, she was able to get a transfer to the Sears store in Crestwood MO. Her supervisor was Paul Winkelmann and he later admitted that he expected to fire her. But instead she set store and regional sales records and was personally recognized for her outstanding performance by senior Sears executives. Paul Winkelmann and Vern Hedges became close hunting buddies for squirrel, rabbits, and quail. In 1974, Paul and Mary were married in Emenice MO and lived in Ballwin until 1984 were they moved into the country in Franklin County. Mary retired from Sears in 1989. She and Paul had 34 years of marriage and deeply loved each other. Paul passed away on March 30, 2011 and is buried beside her. He was the one that insisted that they be buried at Atkinson Chapel Cemetery because of a promise that he made to Blanch Hightower, Mary's mother.
Beloved wife of the late Paul Winkelmann, the late Vern Hedges and the late John Robert Harris. Dear mother of John (Carol) Harris II and Steven (Caroline and the late Melodye) Harris. Grandmother of John Robert (Lisa) Harris III, James (Jillian) Harris, Jennifer Jarosz, Micheal Harris, Marcus Harris, Ronald Todd (Rebbeca) Harris and Keelyn Nicole (Dan) Schwegel. Great grandmother of 10 and the late Trevor Harris.
Mary was 93. She grew up on a farm in southern Indiana, that had no electric nor plumbing. When she graduated the 8th grade, she had to go live with her sister so that she could attend high school at the Petersburg High. In 1943, she graduated from high school and went to work at the Republic Aircraft Company in Evansville, Indiana building P-47 Thunderbolt fighters. In the 50's she started working for Sears as a clerk in the accounting department.
Somehow, she got the Sears Management to let her try selling vacuum cleaners. This was a "man's" job and she was not welcome. She worked extra hard and became their leading salesman. When Chrysler moved to St. Louis, she managed to get a temporary position as vacuum cleaner salesman. She was not wanted in this man's department either at then new Crestwood Shopping Center. She went on became not only the top salesman at Crestwood but also the leading salesman in the St. Louis region. She set sales record after sales record and resulted in other women being hired to sell vacuum cleaners all over the United States. She lost her husband in 1969 to a heart attack and continued to work. She later started going with her former boss Paul Winkelmann who was the love of her life and they had 38 years together.
Mary will be laid to rest Atkinson Chapel Cemetery∼Mary (mother of John and Steve Harris) grew up in Pike County on her parents (Rev Ray and Blanch Hightower) farm. Her parents farm had no electric until 1949 and no running water. There was a hand pump outside between the house and the smoke house. Her father, Rev Ray Hightower, farmed on a small farm, hauled coal and grain with his truck and also became a Baptist preacher and preached at Atkinson Church as well as several other churches including Olive Branch and a church in Otwell, In. She had to go live with sister in Petersburg to attend high school. She graduated in 1943 and went to work at Republic Aviation plant in Evansville building P-47 Thunderbolt fighters for the war. In 1944, she married John Harris of Petersburg. John Harris was drafted into the Army in 1943 after graduation. They separated in 1954. In 1957, she married Vern Hedges of Newburg, Indiana. They moved to Ballwin, Missouri in 1959 when Chrysler moved its car plant from Evansville to Fenton, MO. Vern died on 16 June 1969 of heart failure. Mary started working for Sears Roebuck in Evansville as a office clerk and then persuaded the store to let her sell vacuum cleaners. At that time there were no women selling any appliances at Sears or any other department stores. She was the first and she worked hard to do better than the men in sales. When she and Vern moved to Ballwin, she was able to get a transfer to the Sears store in Crestwood MO. Her supervisor was Paul Winkelmann and he later admitted that he expected to fire her. But instead she set store and regional sales records and was personally recognized for her outstanding performance by senior Sears executives. Paul Winkelmann and Vern Hedges became close hunting buddies for squirrel, rabbits, and quail. In 1974, Paul and Mary were married in Emenice MO and lived in Ballwin until 1984 were they moved into the country in Franklin County. Mary retired from Sears in 1989. She and Paul had 34 years of marriage and deeply loved each other. Paul passed away on March 30, 2011 and is buried beside her. He was the one that insisted that they be buried at Atkinson Chapel Cemetery because of a promise that he made to Blanch Hightower, Mary's mother.
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Married Nov. 9, 1975
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