Wilbert F. Webb

Citations

1. After and before graduation I didn't have a
   direction or path to start down so I just enjoyed the good
   life working where I could find it, spending what I made as
   fast as I made it and life was good. My first real job was
   with The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. located on E.
   Baltimore Street in Hagerstown and that happened around the
   summer of 1958. I applied myself and before long, 1 year to
   be exact, was promoted to Budget Mgr. and was transferred
   to Towson, Md. Don't let the title fool you as budget mgr.
   was a glorified account collection person and one who
   repossesses delinquent account merchandise. Still I had a
   good job except when I arrived at Towson to assume my
   duties and looked at the books I found I was the lowest
   paid person there. The guy who changed the tires made more
   than me. With not to much effort the Company knew that
   couldn't be so a small raise was given to keep the peace.
   That would have been around the summer of 1959. I know this
   because on June 19, 1959 I was married to my still lovely
   wife Patricia Ann Sellman and we soon will reach that
   Golden anniversary mark. The store in Towson collection
   problems were brought to Company standards and yes another
   promotion. Where was I promoted to? You guessed it… I was
   returning to whence I came, back to Hagerstown where the
   collection problem was larger and needed my expertise which
   was, working 70 hours a week and with little glory. Let's
   see… we're now up to 1960. I worked a year at the
   Hagerstown store and with hard work, 70 hours a week, I
   was, and you guessed it, promoted and transferred again
   this time to Harrisonburg, Va. By this time Patricia didn't
   know she had a husband and our first born didn't know he
   had a father because Harrisonburg had a collection problem
   also... We spent three years in Virginia and it was back to
   Hagerstown in 1963. Pat and I had talked and decided as we
   were being transferred back to Maryland I was going to look
   for other employment. This was a good career change as I
   most likely would have been injured by my collection
   clientele as I was often threatened, once with a rifle to
   my head. (I never went back to that home…they could just
   keep the stuff and I would do a write-off).
   I was hired by Eyerly's dept. store as the hard lines
   merchandise mgr. This was a basic 40 hour a week position
   and except for the evening hours was a step up from the
   tire and appliance business working conditions. At least I
   had disposable hours to devote to my family.
   My son David was born in Baltimore (1960) and is now
   married with two boys, one daughter. David was graduated
   from and is currently working for Frostburg State
   University.
   Jennifer was born in Harrisonburg, Virginia (1962) and was
   graduated from Towson State University, Cum Laude, living
   in the New Market area with her husband, home schooling her
   two sons.
   Anissa was born in Hagerstown, (1967) is living in Canada
   preaching Christianity with her husband and two children.
   Anissa also has two children living in Hagerstown from a
   previous marriage.
   Alison, born in Hagerstown, (1970) married and working for
   a Christian Academy in High Point, North Carolina where her
   three children attend school.
   Oops: Something I forgot to tell you: I was an Actor!? Yep,
   it all started with a play I did once with Zion Evangelical
   Church play group. The play was "Adams evening". I have no
   idea now what the play was about but being a church play
   I'd bet Adam had a wife named Eve. After that it was on to
   the big time with the Potomac Playmakers: 1958: "Ah
   wilderness" 1961: "Night of January 16" Hmmmm: I did two
   that year: "The Great Sebastians" was the second one. After
   that I did the lead with the Playmakers and Hagerstown's
   first "Theater in the Round". No stages as you perform
   directly in front of the audience. It was exciting but I
   soon realized I was a workaholic and my dear family was
   suffering. No more plays and more time to be spent at home
   with my family was the solution.
   After 5 years with Eyerly's now owned by the S. Grumbacker
   group another career change and I was soon working hard
   again to make my mark and this time it was with Sears
   Roebuck and Company. This tour of duty lasted for twentyfive
   years and kept me busier than ever. I started with-in
   the hardware department and soon had several departments
   under my charge. After about five years I was promoted
   again…. This time as manager of the Service department in
   Hagerstown and soon was back in the thick of it. I never
   did transfer again but it wasn't long before I had more
   than one hat to wear.
   The Hagerstown Service Center grew and encompassed a
   service area with perimeters from Chambersburg, Pa.,
   Berkley Springs W.Va. and Middletown, Md. It's been a while
   so I may have taken liberties on the area we services but
   you get the picture. At this time corporate Sears made a
   positive decision and, at least in my opinion, decided to
   make the Service Center a separate division, removed it
   from retail environment and control. This was the happiest
   times of my work career as the Hagerstown Service was
   functioning like a well oiled clock and soon was ranked
   within the top 10 units in the nation. My staff and
   employees felt as I did about the separation from retail
   and the Hagerstown Service Center's success was proof of
   it. The unit functioned so well I was asked to join the
   Baltimore - Washington Region staff and keep my unit
   manager duties in Hagerstown. I didn't need to move as the
   computer was just making inroads and I soon realized the
   time saving things it could do. (There was a moment I
   suspected this was going to put me back into the 70 hour a
   week crowd but that never happened… 50 perhaps but not 70.
   In 1993 Sears offered a buyout package for those
   checklist employees over the age of 55, and I qualified for
   that. It seemed like the thing to do as the company was
   changing and business pressures were increasing so along
   with 4,500 or so dedicated employees I accepted the buyout
   offer.
   Now what to do? This was a new experience as I was out of
   work, spoiled because I was being paid full salary for one
   year as part of my buyout package. There wasn't much need
   for a self made manager without a college degree. Sure
   everyone wanted to hire me at entrance level pay. Ok… I
   needed to do something so I started my own business. This
   wasn't one of my award wining decisions as I was 56 yearsof-
   age and I choose to become a general contractor and I
   would be doing everything from laborer to business manager.
   After this venture failed I swallowed my pride and looked
   for something I could do well and enjoy. One of my valuable
   supervisors from the Sears service unit often commented to
   me that as-much-time as I spent on the computer I should
   have chosen that as my profession so I looked around and
   sure enough soon I was working for First Data Merchant
   Services in Hagerstown. What I thought I knew about
   computers and such was soon made evident as I was able to
   play with the big boys and girls in this field but needed
   to stay alert, learn and take advantage of the many
   educational coursed offered by them. My youngest daughter
   was moving to North Carolina so Pat and I decided to sell
   the house, retire and move there also. It was hard to
   believe I was retiring finally after spending ten years
   with this company. My job title was Senior LAN
   Administrator when I retired. This was also an exciting and
   pleasurable time working for First Data.
   I started Genealogy research back in the 1980's and now
   have more time to devote to these time consuming pleasures.
   I also am the keeper of our school website and that takes a
   good deal of time but I also enjoy seeing a new page come
   to life and hopefully for the class to enjoy. I have made
   my life events rather long and hope other classmates will
   send their story to Petie and I to be published on the
   site. You can hand write or type and put in any format and
   I'll build to publish your story.
   As Jim Hanson said when ending his feature story: "My
   philosophy: Being 70 may not necessarily be all it's
   cracked up to be….but, it beats the alternative!"
   Enough said on this matter. Stay healthy, be young at
   heart and live life as it was intended... just a little
   slower.