[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 147 (Wednesday, September 5, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H7832]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CELEBRATING THE BIRTHDAY AND LIFE OF NORA MAE PIERCE GAULDEN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
South Carolina (Mr. Norman) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the birthday and 
the life of Nora Mae Pierce Gaulden, born August 27, 1930, in Rock 
Hill, South Carolina.
  Nora Mae originally grew up in Cullowhee, North Carolina, in part of 
what is known as the Nantahala National Forest.
  She would grow up on a rural farm during the Depression and 
experience all the hardships associated with that era. ``If you didn't 
farm, you didn't eat,'' she would say, and the family would often 
barter and trade for their needs as they navigated life.
  Around the time of her 18th birthday, times began to change, and the 
family heard about a large company that would be hiring to fill shift 
work and laborers for a large facility being built down at the 
Piedmont. That company would be known as Celanese, and it was this turn 
of events in her life that brought her to her present hometown of Rock 
Hill, South Carolina.
  The family would uproot and set out across the mountain to see what 
this new place could bring.
  As a new employee, employee number 47, Nora was tasked with learning 
the job and then training others to fill shifts. She remembers sleeping 
on a bench while others worked and trained during these times, 
sometimes staying all night while work was ramping up.
  She would work there for 21 years, marry, grow a family, and 
eventually set on a direction leading her to today.
  Celanese was going to place her on shift work, so she decided to take 
a package instead and went to the unemployment office. There, she ran 
into Woodrow Byrum. ``He told me not to even sign the papers, and come 
with him. I didn't even get to draw my first check.'' He needed someone 
to do food for the workers, so of course she went straight to work.
  That path led her to M. Lowenstein Corporation's Rock Hill Printing 
and Finishing plant located in downtown Rock Hill.
  She would begin working there in 1959 and would stay on through the 
many changes, from the height of the textile boom to its slow demise 
within the Carolinas.
  Many role changes and job requirements would come and go. The Rock 
Hill Printing and Finishing Company would eventually be sold to Springs 
Industries, and she would see even more changes in her life up until 
her expected retirement in 1993.
  However, one large change was looming on the horizon. That retirement 
would be postponed due to the loss of her husband, Rufus, who suffered 
an unfortunate drowning accident 6 months before their retirement. 
Several friends and family close to her advised her to continue 
working, so that is exactly what she decided to do.
  ``I told Rufus to build me a porch, so we could sit and rock and look 
out once we both retired.'' She would go on to say, ``He never got to 
enjoy that.''
  She stayed on with Springs continuing to do the things she had done 
all of her life: love work, love family, love God, and never treat any 
one person better than another. That is her defining legacy.
  ``God made all people,'' she would say, ``and He didn't make one 
better than the other,'' with her trademark finger pointing and one eye 
closed.
  Years would come and go. Time marched on, and part of Springs 
Industries-Springs Creative would be born out of that time in 2007. 
Many things changed during those days, but Nora Mae did not. ``I just 
stayed with the building.''
  She has continued to work with Springs and each year mulls over 
retirement. ``Maybe this summer,'' has been repeated over the last 
several years, ``maybe not.'' She keeps working hard, calls everyone 
her children, stays true to God, never changes, and reaches a milestone 
88th birthday this year.
  For 70 years, she has been a part of the Rock Hill community, sharing 
herself with her love to everyone she meets and making this world a 
better place than when she found it. She would say, ``God doesn't 
change. Why should I?''
  Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to say what a great life this lady has 
lived. She is a great American, and she represents all that is good 
with this great country.

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