Mrs. Hallie Maxwell

MAXWELL, Mrs. Hallie Pylant, of Franklin, TN, March 6, 2010, age 107 years, 9 months and 9 days. Preceded in death by parents, Charles B. Pylant and Nola Elizabeth Gammill Pylant, six sisters and two brothers and her husband, Ernest C. Maxwell. Survived by: several nieces and nephews and one special niece, Gwen (Calvin) Parker. Hallie was a member of the Berry's Chapel Church of Christ where she attended faithfully until she was 100. Before moving to Franklin in 1976 she resided on Westlawn Drive in Nashville. At age 15 she became the youngest telegrapher ever to work at Western Union which was housed in the old Stahlman Building. Until the age of 105, she was still able to tap out the Morse Code correctly even though her memory had begun to fade on more recent things. It was at Western that she met and married Ernest Cleveland Maxwell at age 17. They eloped by train to Birmingham. Her next employment was with Nashville Roller Mills which bagged and shipped flour and meal to large and small grocers and commercial outlets throughout the Southeast. This company ultimately evolved in to Werthan Bag Company. She then became credit manager for Montgomery Ward at Fifth and Union for several years before assuming the same position with Castner-Knott. Handling credit brought sales in furniture to her attention along with commission that could be earned and so she switched to sales. Along the way she encountered a good deal of hostility because women in furniture sales were generally unacceptable. Hallie not only bucked tradition but did it so well that she knew she had found her niche. Hanging in there with the top salesmen she worked with the Cain-Sloan Company until retirement. "Aunt Hallie" was a loving, kind and generous soul who truly loved the Lord, her family, friends, beautiful things, going out to eat and people in general. She had a wonderful zest for life. She was so proud to be a Southern lady and loved the traditions that came with it. Often boasting of the fact that her father helped put the statue of Mercury on top of Union Station, that her uncles came to town just to help in the construction of the Parthenon in celebration of the centennial or that her family had the first electric light bulb in the neighborhood. She received her education at Murphy and Tarbox schools in Nashville and Haylong in Mt. Pleasant where she worked in a grocery store for 25 cents a week and all the over ripe bananas she could carry home for her family. Ironically, Aunt Hallie went home on her beloved sister, Esther's, birthday and what a grand reunion it has been. They are probably deciding where to go out to eat. Our sincere thanks to everyone at Southern Care Assisted Living who gave their love and patience over such a long time and to the professional way Alive Hospice handled her last days on earth. In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to Mission Lazarus in % Berry's Chapel Church of Christ, 1777 Berry's Chapel Rd., Franklin, TN 37069 or Healing Hands International, 445 McNally Dr., Nashville, TN 37211. Funeral services will be conducted 11:00 AM Saturday, March 6, 2010 at Williamson Memorial Funeral Home, Calvin Parker officiating. Interment Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Visitation will be 4-7PM Friday and one hour prior to service at WILLIAMSON MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME, 615 794-2289. www.williamsonmemorial.com

Service Information

Saturday, March 6th, 2010 11:00am, Williamson Memorial Funeral Home

Interment Details

Mt. Olivet Cemetery