Newspapers / Amco News (High Point, … / Dec. 1, 1984, edition 1 / Page 7
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r Employee On The Job Page 7 Seamer Recalls Fashion, Fads IThis article is the sixth in a series featuring an employee in one of the many job ratef(ories in Atlams- Millis Cor/mration. The employee featured will be, as nearly as ran be determined, the one with the lonftest service record in his or her job category, i Lucy Mae Icenhour Hosiery styles have seen a lot of changes in the last 38 years and Lucy Mae Icenhour can walk anyone through them. That’s how long she has worked in the hosiery industry. She’s been a seamer for 13 of her 38 years with the company, starting with Knit-Sox before it became part of Adams-Millis Corp. Now she is an inspector with the company — making sure that seams are right. “Yes I’ve seen-a lot of changes in hosiery,” she said. “Bobby socks, knee socks, leotards, designer hosiery...I’ve seen the styles come and go.” It’s been an interesting proces sion for Lucy and not without leaving some memories that were not so pleasant. “Those bobby socks were a pain,” she recalls of the 1950s and early 60s craze among young peo ple across the country. “We weren’t used to that heavy material and it took some getting used to.” But like other fads, the bobby sock faded away with the hula hoop only to be replaced in the production line by the knee sock. That was an easier sock to make, he said. Leotards and designer .losiery have taken their places too on the production line and Lucy seamed them all. She has witnessed many Willises Retire After 50 Years Service Vance and Lucy Willis, employees of Plant 6 in Hickory retired from Adams-Millis August 1 after giving more than 50 years service to the company. Vance joined the company in 1947 and has more than 37 years of service in plant maintenance. Lucy was employed as an outside looper prior to coming into the plant in 1967. She has been a knitter, rider operator, and was a folder at the time of her retirement. About retirement the coupU say they are riot quitting work — just changing jobs. Lucy said she plans to work in her garden, sew, cook, ci(K'hel and travel. Vance plans to work on their farm in Vale, N.C. They say they are especially proud of their six children. Kaye graduated from Gaston College and is an executive secretary. Ann is an educator having received a degree from Appalachian State University. After receiving an M.S. in Public Health from the Universi ty of Utah, Dean earned a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a budget director in Florida’s Department of Public Health. Sue is a high school graduate From left: V.J. Johnson, Finishing Supervisor, Danny McNair, Vice President and Group General Manager, Lucy Willis, Vance Willis, Roger Grant, Plant Manager. and a housewife. Joe is an N.C. State University graduate and he and his wife each recently receiv ed Ph.D’s in plant pathology from the University of California at Riverside. They are now employed in research at the University of Kansas. Jan attends N.C. State Univer sity while employed as head of the drafting department for ITT in Raleigh. developments in machinery too. The seamer was preceded by the looper. Lucy is glad the seamer came along. “Seaming is much faster than the looper,” she said during a break at Plant 6 in Hickory. “I jumped from 60 dozen to 250 dozen a day.” In addition to her present duties as seamer inspector, Lucy also is the First Aid attendant for her department. “That means I’m the one who goes to get the pills,” she laughs. But it has been more than that on occasion. “One time I had to remove a needle from someone’s hand,” she explained. “I feel fortunate that I was able to help in that case.” She’s glad though that most of her first aid duties are mostly dispensing aspirin and bandages. Aside from her work she finds time for working with 6-7 year- olds in Sunday School at Antioch Baptist Church. She is married and has two children and one grandchild. “We’re expecting another grandchild too,” she ad ds proudly. There have been a lot of changes in the hosiery industry in 38 years as Lucy will attest. “But we have a better variety for all types of hosiery now than we’ve ever had before,” she said. And when she goes shopping? “I look for our socks in the store,” she said. “I check the seaming to make sure it was done right. I check the competition too. I want to make sure if they are good like ours. To me it’s fascinating to see the final pro duct.” Retirees Margie Vaughn, Plant 7, High Point Leauna Griffin, Plant 11, Mt. Airy Annie Inman, Plant 11, Mt. Airy Eloise Leonard, Plant 7, High Point Malzy Hicks, Plant 11, Mt. Airy Juanita Hobson, Plant 1, High Point Lucy Willis, Plant 6, Hickory Vance Willis, Plant 6, Hickory Edith Bodenheimer, Plant 75, High Point Mae Hester, Plant 6, Hickory Mae Beane, Plant 2, Mt. Airy Gladys Bowman, Plant 7, High Point
Amco News (High Point, N.C.)
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Dec. 1, 1984, edition 1
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