Paul,
My name is Frank Gallagher & I started at the Philadelphia Plant, oh, so many moons ago. As we all say, we've blinked & it is now. I don't believe we've met but I've seen your name along the way many times over the years, so I know some things about your career at Budd. I might even have all the Beelines ever sent to me. I just thought it was a good time to write & express my gratitude for the chance to be a part of The Budd Company. It was grand.
I apprenticed as a Tool & Die guy, moved to assembly tooling, then to Supervision, did a stint in H&S & finally ended my career with early retirement out of Shelbyville just before the sale. Such a wonderful path I've traveled. Not always easy, but so very rewarding.
Anyway, I look at this blog almost everyday & am surprised there are not more postings. There must be a zillion folks from Budd but maybe many don't know about it. I've sent the link to all in my address book when you first started it just to spread the word. I was so glad to see Lynn Miller(Hatter) post early on. It gave me a contact of a special lady whom I've met while I was working in Shelbyville. She retired after I returned to the Philly Plant so I didn't get the chance to thank her for her kindness & say good-bye.
Aside from telling our individual stories, your site can help us rekindle these old acquaintances. Many folks never ventured, nor had the opportunity to venture, to other facilities, as I have, where I've met so many good people. I saw traveling as a chance to explore all the variations of what Budd was. Some may have seen it as a burden, while others, a new path chosen & taken, with eyes wide open, & eager for a new experience. That's what life is all about. How lucky I was.
As I reflect, which we all do, I sometimes think that it has all been a dream. How could so many years pass by so quickly? Must be a dream. It's akin to reading a good, long story & finally coming to the last chapter. I just wanted to share my gratitude at this special time. Gratitude for the chance to be a Budd employee, for all the people along the way who were in my corner. One cannot succeed alone. Even the folks not in my corner, I learned a lot about life & relationships from them also. I made my share of lemonade but that's ok too.
The next story is the story of Life After Budd. I trust the Good Lord will keep me & my family in good health, along with all the Budd people, but there are no guarantees. I spend 24 HOURS-A-DAY with my lovely wife, Dottie......but I keep busy. We're still in the Philly area. Some of my 'ol pals have relocated & it could happen to us. After Philly closed, many ended up in foreign lands, ala Michigan, Kentucky, Kitchener, etc., which then became home & have since moved again, scattered like seeds in the wind, as they say.
I'll close with a Hell-o !!!! to everyone & a special thanx to Paul for this forum. Maybe this post will encourage others to do so also.
My e- is bluepeople@comcast.net ........Long story, a remnant from a friend of my years in Kentucky.
B' well ...........Frank Gallagher
