Freddie W. Wauford & Thomas D. Cooke retirement announcements

Headlines From Dupont's Company Paper(Old Hickory, TN)
Rayon Record  Newspaper Aug 5, 1953
Two Veteran Maintenance Men Retire Effective August 1
Freddie W. Wauford and Thomas D. Cooke(my grandfather)




Freddie W. Wauford, Maintenance Locker Room Attendant, retired from the Company under the age requirement on August 1, after more than 24 years' service.

Mr. Wauford was born in Alexandria in DeKalb County, Tennessee. He was engaged in farming before joining the Du Pont Company in 1929. He first worked in Plant 1 Textile and was then a Wash and Bleach Operator until that operation was discontinued. After short periods again in the Textile Areas and Inspections, he was sent to the Maintenance Department in April 1941 as Locker Room Attendant. He remained in this job until his retirement.

He was married in 1910 to Miss Ida Washer. They now live at 1302 Jones Street in the Village, where they own their home. The Waufords have three sons and one daughter. Two of the sons are plant employees, Orvestil, who works in Plant 2 Laboratory and William, of Plant 1 Spinning. The other son is a former employee and the daughter is married to Bill Willoughby, who works in Plant 1 Chemical Building.

Mr. Wauford says he has no immediate plans following his retirement. Speaking of his career with Du Pont, he said, "It comes from my heart when I say you could travel the world over and not find a better company than Du Pont for which to work. And that group of men in the Maintenance Department is the best bunch of fellows I've ever known. I count every one of them as a friend and want to wish them well."





Rayon Record: Dupont Newsletter--August 5th, 1953

Thomas D. Cook, spindle motor mechanic in the Maintenance group also retired under the age requirement, effective August 1. With an adjusted service date of November 25, 1952. he had more than 27 years service at the time of his retirement.

Mr. Cook was born at Fruit Valley, Bedford Co. Tennessee. Prior to coming to work for Du Pont, he was a sawyer for three different cedar mills in Shelbyville Tenn.

His entire twenty-seven and one-half years with the Company was spent in the Maintenance Department. He started as an oiler and later became a mechanic. Since September 1941, he had worked as a spindle motor mechanic in Spinning Maintenance.

Mr. Cook was married to Miss Pearl Gray Jakes of Bell Buckle and they have seven children. The Cooks reside at 1209 Calvin Avenue in Nashville. One son, Billy Joe, is a former employee and in military service in Korea.

Speaking of his service on the plant, he said, Du Pont, is a wonderful company to work for. I practically helped start up the plant and have seen many changes take place, practically all of them for the better." He was also very complimentary of the people with whom he had worked.