Gladys and Margaret helped earn their way with baby sitting, getting 25 cents for an evening, which often-included ironing and cleaning.  As soon as Gladys turned 16 she got a job a Dibbles five and dime store on main street in Caro, making 10 cents a hour and working after school and Saturdays.  She was still able to take part in school activities, sports, debates, music and more.  She then got a job at Hooper’s Drug Store making 15 cents an hour working at the soda fountain and learning to stock shelves. After graduating as Salutatorian of her class of 1931 Gladys attended Tuscola County Normal.  She got certified and began to teach in the county schools while still working part time at the drug store.

It was while working part time at the drugstore that Mr. Hooper hired a new pharmacist, Wm. Harold Galloway.  Harold had lost his mother when he was three and was being raised by his aunt until his father Wm. Arthur remarried to a Caro girl, Alice Herford.  He came to live with his father, soon acquiring a half-sister Margaret.  Harold graduated and went onto attend pharmacy school in Sandusky, Mi.  He then worked at Moore’s Drug Store in Caro until Mr. Hooper hired him.

Gladys had been teaching at the Tappen School in Vassar, Mi, making $30 a month, when she and Harold decided to get married.  It was 1939.  Married women were not allowed to teach in the county normal system so Gladys had to give up her job.

Shortly after their marriage Mr. Hooper hired another pharmacist, Fred Campbell, formerly of Bad Axe, Mi.  He, his wife Eleanor and daughter, Bonnie Lee, moved to Caro.  When Mr. Hooper suddenly passed away from a heart attack Harold and Fred found themselves buying a business.  This partnership lasted 18 years until Fred sold to Harold and went to work for the Caro Regional Hospital where his wife was a nurse, and they both could retire with benefits.  Harold loved his business and his associations on Main Street.  He stayed there until 1971 when he sold out to a pharmacist he had hired, Bob Davidson.

Gladys and Harold had two children, Bonnie Jean born in 1941 and Wm. Thomas in 1944.  She remembered her childhood and was determined to give their children the advantage of a hometown with activities in their Methodist Church, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, music lessons, plays and fun times with family and friends at home and at their cottage at Pretty lake in Mecosta County.  It was a busy, fulfilling life with lots of love.

Bonnie graduated from High School, loved her four years at Adrian College, and started her teaching career with kindergarten children.  She was a wonderful teacher and retired after 30years in the Bridgeport, Mi area in 1994.  She has touched many lives in a wonderful way.

Tom, too, graduated from Caro and graduated from Albion College after attending pharmacy school at Ferris University in Big Rapids and serving in the Air Force during the Vietnam War.  He had planned to come back to be with his Dad but decided while spending his time in a hospital in the Air Force that pharmacy was not what he wanted to do.  His Dad told him if he had found out at his young age what he did not want he was lucky, and it was all right.  Shortly after graduation from Albion Tom came down with a rare virus, which totally paralyzed him.  After a full year in the hospital he was bought home and slowly recovered over the years.  He is now living in Tucson, Az and happily building an art tile business known as Tile Canvases. (www.tilecanvases.com)

Margaret Kincaid, Gladys’ sister married Bob Korte.  He enlisted in the Air Force and made a career of it.  They had one son Robert.  After retiring from the military Bob went back to school and graduated with a degree in hospital Administration.  He worked as the administrator at Caro Community Hospital for ten years before again retiring.  He and Margaret (Peg) moved to Hilton Head, SC where they still reside.

Brother, Ray William also served in the military but went on to get a masters degree in geology from the University of Michigan.  He moved to Colorado where he married.  Ray passed away in 1999, survived by 5 children.

Sister, Virginia moved to Chicago after graduating from Caro.  She married Tom Golf.  She returned to Caro with her 5 children to be with her family, remarried to Bob Leach.  She passed away 2 years later from breast cancer at the age of 48 in 1977.  Gladys’ niece, Cindy Lee Golf was 15 and came to live with Gladys.  She stayed for a wonderful 8 years until she married Robert Korsinski of Pigeon, Mi.  They have 2 children.

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