Willie Alford

Willie Faye was born on August 23, 1925 in Whitney, Texas to William Preston and Stella Lee Ard Harlin. She was the third child, having three sisters, Wilma Lee, Dorothy Ruth, and Imogene. Raised in the Hill County area after she was born, her parents later moved to the Littlefield area. A graduate of Littlefield High School, she furthered her education graduating from Draughans Business College in Dallas. A telegraph operator for Western Union Telegraph, she retired after approximately 35 years service with the company. Not one to be idle, she then pursued a career in real estate after receiving her real estate license in Fort Worth at the Real Estate Institute of Dallas. On July 7, 1945 she married John Alford in Gainsville. She and John had been married for 58 years when he passed away on March 28, 2003. One of her dreams came true in 1968 when she was able to attend the World Series in St. Louis, Missouri for the telegraph company. During the game, she sent telegraph information throughout the country. While there, she also was honored to meet Vice President Hubert Humphrey. Another dream of hers was to visit New York City. Accompanied by her daughter and best friend, Vestal Sanders, she was also able to achieve that dream. They met her sister and family The McCormicks on the trip and took a sight-seeing excursion in and around New York City. While in New York, she was on the Good Morning America Show and met her heros, George Stephanouplus and Diane Saywer. It was a very exciting time for her. On a later cruise, she enjoyed a trip to Nova Scotia and Halifax and into Canada. Her hobby was mainly selling real estate. She could sell the shirt off your back! Real estate and traveling were her passions. She also wrote a song and had it published, ?In A Country So Beautiful.? She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Joshua; Woodmen of The World; Texas Real Estate Commission; Littlefield Chamber of Commerce; and the Rotary Ann?s. Survivors include two children, Bob Alford and wife, Marty, of Alvarado and Brenda Schupbach and husband, Allen, of Quitman; five grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; seven step-great grandchildren; and she was very fond of her many nieces, nephews, and their families. Memorials may be made to the Child Advocacy Center for Johnson County, 103 Poindexter, Cleburne, TX 76033.