Episode 151: Mary Lou at 94

I expected to get married...all my friends were getting married...I started taking law courses, but it never occurred to me to stop and become a lawyer - never occurred to me.
— Mary Lou
Mary lou in october 2019

Mary lou in october 2019

In this episode we meet a 20th century woman who has bucked convention in more ways than one.

Mary Lou in her 1942 high school yearbook under her nickname, ‘walla’

Mary Lou in her 1942 high school yearbook under her nickname, ‘walla’

Mary Lou landed her first job as a telephone operator in 1941, and went on to become a social worker and then a teacher.

Along the way she married, had six children, divorced, and became a (very) independent woman. She’s had a lot of adventures.

Today, at almost 95, she’s settled down with her partner Al and tells me, ‘I’ve had a fantastic life.’

She’s a true broad.

You can also read a transcript of the show.