by Linda Norlen
Maria McCully
Maria McCully remembers how on her first day of work at the Lighthouse in 2001. She arrived in sandals and was quickly informed that she couldn’t start work until she changed them. Fortunately, at that time she practically lived next door to the Lighthouse. She was 24 years old then and had no job skills, but the Lighthouse gave her a chance and hired her, for which she is grateful.
Since then she has worked at a number of different positions; the highest position she has held so far is Senior Machine Setup. Her current job, making felt moisture barriers for aerospace parts, is her favorite thus far. Each of these parts is made by hand, and tens of thousands of them are used on a single aircraft. Though the parts have formal titles (like “fabricated interior left-wing filling”), she and her co-workers have their own nicknames for each of the parts. The ones she’s making now look like purses, so that’s what they call them. Other parts they call “devils” (because they’re hard to make); there are “big devils” and “little devils.” Parts with a hole in them are called “belly buttons”. These parts are either “big belly buttons” or “little belly buttons,” depending on the size of the opening.
When Maria looks back on Lighthouse colleagues who have been inspiring and helpful to her, she thinks first of her husband Craig, who has encouraged and guided her. Early on he told her to make herself as valuable as possible. She also feels respect and gratitude toward Don Helsel, now retired, the supervisor who originally hired her and was “a kind and good person” in his dealings with her, and Carol McBride Peterson, who was once head of Human Resources. “Carol was no nonsense,” Maria says. “Carol wasn’t popular with everyone because of her leadership style, but she addressed issues directly and would treat everyone fairly.” Now retired, supervisor, Jerry Kopp, would actually do hands-on tasks on the shop floor and step in to run machines for various workers on his team while they were on break. Finally, Maria remembers Linda Elliott, an early supervisor of hers, and Ed Elliott, a lead on the night shift, both retired—yet another couple who met at the Lighthouse—as being very kind.
Craig and Maria have been together 17 years and married for 16. They spend a lot of time together: at work (always working the same shift), at home, and commuting back and forth (counting their bus commute, their day is 11 hours long). Though both work a lot of overtime, on their days off, they like to watch sports on TV. They are both auto racing fans: Craig likes “the ones going in circles”; Maria “likes the ones that go in a straight line.” They enjoy walking in their Greenwood neighborhood, gardening, being members of the Elks, and they have a two-year-old rescue cat named Luna. “We’re kind of boring,” Maria says.
Many people who know them ask how they can both work and live together. Craig and Maria says, “what’s home stays at home and what’s work stays at work.” At work they aim to be professional at all times.
