HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-06-22, Page 23PAGE 2A—GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 1978
Round `n'About
' Things will not be the
same at Andrew Dairy
with Emma gone. This is
the end of an era.
Emma Thompson,
come September this
year, will have been 31
years at the dairy at 45
West Street. Recently she
decided to retire and
Saturday, last week, she
did just that. RETIRED!
Emma started with the
Besse family at that
location and she, and
Rose Hill carried on with
the "new people" when
Amos Andrew bought the
place in 1949. Rose left
some years ago but
Emma has stayed on
through thick and thin.
Things were quiteg
different in those earhy
days with the dairy
business in the back part
and the ice cream and
lunch business along with
the dairy products being
sold over the counter out
in the front area. The
place was hopping in
more ways than one! An'd
so were the kids who
congregated there every
day after school. For
about half an hour you
couldn't even think for
the noise and confusion..
Amos would almost go
out of his mind - so he
would take off. But the
girls didn't mind - in fact
on looking back they say
they enjoyed it -- it was
exhilarating!
"We all loved these
kids - no trouble with
them - we enjoyed them.
"Thinking back over
the years of the hundreds
of young people who
created that babble, of
how they have scattered
all over the world, have
grown in stature and
wealth with most of them
married with noisy kids
of their own - it sort of
staggers you. It is hard to
believe you could have
known so many people in
your lifetime - and en-
• joyed every one of them,"
said Emma.
(Martha now talking) --
It is the same with the
young folk who once
congregated there. I
recall asking my son and
daughter-in-law, when
they were overseas, what
they really missed about
Goderich. Top of the list
was Pete's hotdogs and
Andrew Dairy. I asked if
they remembered Emma
- asked them this
weekend in fact - and they
said they did. They, like
the rest, enjoyed.the girls
who put up with them as
much as they enjoyed the
clowning around. So they
too with Emma, have
many happy memories.
She says, "I'm going to
miss . it . all, believe me.
There are so many people
who came here often - we
got to know whether they
liked their coffee loaded
with cream and sugar or
just cooled a with an ice
cube. Some depended .on
us for their Meals every
day - yes - some even on
Sunday. Whoever was
cleaning that day would
see that they had a meal.
For instance little Steve
Wilkes has been coming
in every day as long as I
can remember. He would
be quite upset when we
closed for a holiday -
couldn't ' see why the
place shouldn't stay open.
Miss Williams and I had a
real hot-line set up
keeping tabs on Steve -
his eat'ng and his health.
He must be now in his
nineties. We really cared.
about people who came to
the dairy:"
Emma has seen a lot of
changes over the years.
She says she likes being
busy ' - it's a real
challenge when you have
orders to get out in a
hurry. Strangers were
made to feel at home
right away.
"We have no strangers
only friends.
"Noon hours were
always hectic. Some of
the regulars would get
their take-out orders in
early but many would
rush in because they
knew they wouldn't have
to wait long and we really
tried. Often in the rush,
the toaster, after con-
tinuous popping up and
down, would throw out
some black ones, but that
was usually our fault - we
should have been wat-
ching it."
Asked what she would
do now, Emma said,
"Stay home and do
housework."
Her family
travel - get
herself, but
be pretty hard
the pattern after
wants
out
it is
and
her to
enjoy
going to
change
to
30
Emma wanted
on her retiring
(nee Andrew)
years.
no fuss
but
Mary
and hubby
Gary Sptchard invited a
few friends, mostly girls
who had worked for years
with Emma, to their
home on Quebec Street.
Irene Freeman who
with her for
gave her a
had
nine
worked
years
lovely birthday necklace,
"How did you know my
birthday--" stammers
Emma.
"Well! after all those
years I know a LOT about
you," says Irene.
The main gift - Emma
opened a long list of well
wishers accompanied by
a )ovely hanky. After
ohing and ahing, she
opened another - a fine
camera to take those
instant photos of her
friends. The first package
was just a teaser.
The evening of
reminiscing, with Mary
and Gary as excellent
hosts, was one of chit chat
and laughter enjoyed by
everyone. Happy
retirement, Emma.
'Tho Emma ` and I
didn't go out together, we
...with Martha
did have something in
common - had our gall
bladders out together. We
were purely a couple of
sick gals but we managed
to console each other and
I'm proud to say we have
been good friends .. ever
since our lonely stay in
London.
Saturday, grand-
daughter Sharon -
married a nice boy., Tom
Smith - one of the regular
"Smiths, of Windsor. The
whole MacPherson clan
was there, even to Uncle
Turn to page 3A •
Martha Rathburn ap-
pears weekly in The
Signal -Star
ark Jtumbrr
35 South St. Goderich
EVERYTHING GOES!
RIGHT TO THE BARE WALLS!!!
RED HOT
SAVINGS
FROM
21,
:L.v>ivwr�,,,,,rJ>j:y.?Y
CARPET, LIGHTING, PLUMBING, LUMBER, HARDWARE, SHINGLES,
,NAILS, APPLIANCES, HOMECARE PAINT, WALLPAPER
AND MUCH, MUCH, MORE!
or
CHARGEX/ MASTERCHARGE
AND FINAL
ACT NOW!!
DOORS CLOSE FRIDAY, JUNE 30th at 9 P.M.
PERMANENTLY!! .,,.. .... SNCRP!! ....
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