Telephone Operator. Homemaker. Volunteer. Paintbrush Resident.

Alma’s Lasting Connections

Leaving the Dust Bowl Behind
Alma was born in Arkansas to two wonderful parents, Byran and Sally Lou. She was the middle sibling of four sisters and one brother.

Despite being an accomplished and versatile carpenter, Byran struggled to find work to support his family during the Depression. A phone call with his friend Gus in California convinced him to look for better opportunities out West.

Like many families in Dust Bowl at the time, he packed up the car and drove his family to California.

“My dad took a big chance but he hoped we’d have a
better life in California. I was very young, but I remember that we camped out along the way.
For food, we would buy a stick of bologna and crackers from the local grocery stores.”

For their first few years, Alma’s family lived on the west side of Fresno near Five Points on the ranch of her father’s friend Gus. Byran’s carpentry skills came in handy in a number of ways. With schools out there few and far between, Gus and Alma’s father built their own, right on the ranch.

“Gus built a barn-like structure that Dad helped convert into
a one-room schoolhouse with 12 tables. Each table represented one grade.
They brought in teachers and we got a pretty good education.”

Smooth Operator
Her family moved to Kerman and she spent her teen years as a student at Riverdale High School. It was there that Alma began her first real job—working as an operator for the Kerman Telephone Company.

Her outgoing personality served her well in this capacity. She quickly learned how to handle the lines and how to keep the callers happy. If there were delays, she would strike up a conversation and make each caller feel they had a friend at the phone company. She also developed close bonds with her fellow operators many of whom were young like her.

“I loved meeting new people. Being a telephone operator
allowed me to be myself to hundreds of people very day.
It was the perfect fit for me.”

Family Life
It was in Kerman where Alma met her future husband, Joe. Together, they raised six children who later blessed them with 14 grandchildren.

Joe was a local farmer who grew cotton and alfalfa. He was one of the first to grow almond trees in the Central Valley. To this day, those almond groves of his are still there.

While Joe farmed, Alma focused on raising their children. She loved all of the activity around the house, throwing herself into cooking, baking, gardening and yard work, while the kids helped with laundry and washing dishes.

“We didn’t worry about babysitters. We took care of each other’s kids.
We just got together with friends and neighbors to play cards, celebrate birthdays
and have barbecues. It was a good life!”

Volunteering
Alma joined the PTA during her children’s school years and would volunteer for any and all events that needed her help.

As a lifelong member of the St. Patrick’s Church’s Altar Society, Alma, along with her friends Mrs. Balisko, Mrs. Turner, Mrs. Braggor and a team of other woman volunteers, enjoyed making, cooking and serving ravioli at the annual St. Patrick’s Ravioli Dinner fundraisers.

“After I learned how to make ravioli and sauce from scratch,
I just loved how it tasted and how satisfying it was to make.
That was the start of my lifelong love of pasta.”

Making Lasting Connections
Alma was one of our first residents. Her most cherished possessions here are the lasting connections she has made with other residents. She never stops meeting new people, while looking forward to frequent visits from her children and grandchildren.

As she sews, reads, and watches her favorite programs, she makes time every day to maintain her friendships here at Paintbrush.

“I love the company I have here. There’s usually never
a dull moment here. On those rare occasions when there is one,
I make something happen!”

Beautiful Living
Arts and crafts, musical performances, bingo, cards, movies, drives in the country, exercise, sing-alongs and art appreciation classes are all part of Alma’s daily life here at Paintbrush.

“There’s so much to do here! I enjoy the variety of interesting programs.
I also like the Chili Cook-offs, birthday parties, the Pizza Oven and the Happy Hours
where we share stories about our lives and our families.”

Alma is just one of the many amazing people who make Paintbrush their home. It’s where beautiful living begins, every day.