Up on the Housetop
Shirley Hathcock, standing confidently on the roof of a house, greets me by shouting, “Come on up!” Easy for her to say—she’s been roofing houses for more than a year.
Shirley’s appearance is full of contradictions: her blonde hair pulled into a neat ponytail, perky blue eyes and the assortment of earrings adorning her lobes contrast wildly with her hardy brown overalls and thick work gloves. At a youthful 51, she scales up and down ladders with ease, hoisting bulging packages of shingles for up to 14 hours a day. It’s obvious Shirley is no stranger to work. “There really isn’t anything I haven’t done,” she says. “Whether it’s rough and tough or delicate and dainty.”
Shirley joined her son’s roofing company, Gallant Inc., in February 2008. Her son, Cody, needed the help, and she needed a job. Shirley had helped out at construction sites before, so she wasn’t new to the idea of physical labor. “I think I get the dirtiest out of all the guys,” she says.
But physical work does take a toll on her body, whether she’s laying felt or helping with clean-up. In August 2008, Shirley slipped off a roof and landed hard on her back. She just packed an ice pack and went right back on the roof. “I’m not much of a quitter,” she says. Aside from injuries and farmer’s tans, working construction also has health benefits. “Skip pilates,” says Shirley. “Roofing gets you in shape. If not, it just may kill you.”
Aside from being a roofer, Shirley takes pride in her other job title: grandma. Cody has a 19-month-old son named Creighton, and Shirley’s stepson, Jamie, has a 3-year-old named Chandler. And Jamie’s wife is expecting twins in April. “If I could, I’d stay at home and take care of all the kids,” says Shirley. “I’d spoil them, so they can go home and their parents have to deprogram them.”
Shirley takes pride in her work no matter where she’s employed or whether she’s helping repair someone’s home or chasing around her grandkids. And she’ll always keep her job options open. “Plans in life change,” says Shirley. “There’s nothing I don’t like or won’t try.”
