By Staff
Senior Living
(This week The Atmore Advance spotlights 82-year-old Charles Comer. Comer spent many years in the military as a military policeman. He ended up making ice cream for an entire island and also working at a beer garden until he was shipped back to San Francisco. Now that Comer is out of the military, he likes to crochet and fill out workbooks in his spare time.)
Q: When and where were you born?
A: I was born on July 20, 1923 in Webberville, Mich. I have been down here for 14 years.
Q: Who were your parents?
A: Pearl and Melinda Comer.
Q: Do you have any brothers or sisters?
A: I had two, an older sister and a younger sister, Tryphena and Rosebell. They are both gone.
Q: Where did you attend high school and college?
A: I went to Webberville High School. I had no college, I went into the service. I was in the Army Military police.
Q: Do you do a lot of traveling?
A: We used to, mostly around the United States. We lacked six states from going to all of them. We liked Arizona pretty good, Michigan pretty good. I like Alabama really good.
Q: What jobs have you held?
A: Well, when I got out of the service I worked making blocks for a while. Then, I worked at Michigan State College building buildings. Then, I spent 32 years at Fisher Body Lansing Oldsmobile in Lansing, Mich. GM has torn down that building since then.
I used to mow lawns for about 35 years for old folks who couldn't do it themselves. I used to work 30 years at Ox Roast grinding the meat.
I do a lot of crocheting, I do latch hook rugs. They used to call me the 'happy hooker' because I made a lot of hook rugs.
Q: What did you do in the service?
A: First off I was military police. We went to Boston and guarded the Boston Harbor for six months. We got on a trooper ship and I was one of them that guarded the ship as it went overseas. We went to an island where the Japanese had just left. Our job was to clean the island. We cleaned the island and then they transferred us to Noumea Caledonia, another island and that's where the fun started. We made ice cream for a while, we made ice cream for the whole island. It took seven minutes to make five gallons of ice cream. We worked seven to nine hours a day on making ice cream.
Then they transferred us to PX (post exchange). I worked there for a little bit. That's where you went to buy cigarettes, shaving cream, candy, pop, all that good stuff. I'd take money down to the main office. Lots of times I'd have $7,000-$8,000 on me, it was something.
Then, they transferred me to the beer garden and then they found out I was a marine police. They took me out of the beer garden and put me as guarding the beer garden. I did that until they shipped me back to San Francisco.
Q: Did you ever marry?
A: I am married to Burbie Maudine. She goes by Maud. We've been married soon to be 15 years.
Q: Do you have any children or grandchildren?
A: Yes. Marie and Melinda are my daughters. John is my son and he is gone now. Marie and Melinda are both still in Michigan. We saw Melinda Saturday and we saw Marie about a month ago. I have five grandchildren.
Q: What brought you to Atmore?
A: My son was married to my wife's stepdaughter. When my late wife passed away, I came down here to see John and met my wife and the rest is history.
Q: Where do you attend church?
A: Brooks Memorial
Q: What keeps you busy these days?
A: I don't keep too busy other than crocheting and doing workbooks because I don't get around too good.
Q: What's your favorite TV show?
A: I like "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy." I like to watch RFD TV, they have tractors and all that good stuff on there.
Q: What advice would you like to give people on staying healthy?
A: I have trouble doing that myself.
(If you would like to recommend a senior to be spotlighted please contact Adrienne McKenzie at 368-2123 or e-mail her at lifestyles@atmoreadvance.com)