My Mother Was One of Orlando’s First Hires

She worked in an airport hangar while the plant was being constructed

by Kenneth W.

In 1957, my family moved to Orlando, Florida, from Michigan. My mother, Ella Mae, was one of the early hires at the new Glenn L. Martin Company plant. In fact, she worked in a hangar at the airport while the facility was under construction. Over time, she worked her way from building Lacrosse missile harnesses to quality control inspector. In 1960, after high school, I applied and was hired to assemble printed boards. My starting salary was $1.25 per hour, which was more than fair wage at the time. Several years later, I was laid off, and I didn’t return until 1985. I stayed until early retirement. Over the last 50 years, I have seen vast improvements in our technology and was proud to be a part of it.