After graduation, she went to work at Lawrence Brothers in Sterling, IL. After numerous operations, she took over the variety store in the Carlson Building in Erie in October of 1937. She later purchased a building from Max Henwood. During World War II, she combined her business with her father’s Royal Blue Store due to the shortage of help. The two businesses stayed together until 1947, when she moved into the strore next door and expanded her business into Erie Dry Goods. The merchandise was expanded to include ladies ready-to-wear, men’s work clothes, and shoes for the family. She owned the business for over 41 years, selling it in April of 1978.
After retiring, she did a lot of baking and took short trips. She was Grand Marshall of the Erie Area Chamber of Commerce in 1990 and served as honorary grandmother for the Erie kindergarten class for five years.
(Information from May Shaheen)
