Katrina's Lives Lost:	Falley, George 1915-2005
			Falley, Shirley Mae 1932-2005
Submitted By: 		N.O.V.A March 2006
Source:			Times Picayune 

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My daughter lived for two things: family and work," said Cecilia Galle, 92,
of her daughter Shirley Mae Falley. "There was no one who loved their
family more or worked harder."

Shirley Falley and her husband, George Falley, had that in common. Married
for 51 years (each had been married before), they both held multiple jobs
over the years. George Falley was an Army sergeant during World War II. He
worked for 40 years for the Illinois Central Railroad as a messenger.

"He also cooked and catered food for official Sugar Bowl functions," said
his daughter Jane Johnson, "and worked for Johnny Lynch Sporting Goods,
where he told us about meeting Jackie Robinson.

"My stepmother rose to a managerial position at Maison Blanche," Johnson
said, "but one of her earliest jobs was delivering medicine for a downtown
pharmacy, Trahan and Robertson's. Those were the days when every business
in the city delivered. She took the bus all over town."

"As a result," said daughter-in-law Melba Green, "she was the 'Bus Queen,'
knew all the bus schedules, all the connections, to the end of her life.
She loved shopping and could tell you how to get anywhere by bus and would
hop on one at the least excuse. You need one thing at Wal-Mart? She was on
her way."

"George Falley was a father to me since I was 3 years old," said stepson
Jerome Green. "I know my father, but he was the man who raised me. He was a
good man, a loving man, we never wanted for anything. He kept me in school,
telling me, 'You never know, there may come a time you have to take care of
things.'

"He was also a fun man, belonged to the Bon Temps Social and Pleasure Club
-- I believe he was their oldest member -- and all kinds of organizations.
He loved to go fishing and crawfishing, barbecue. If he was going over to a
house and you had a roast or turkey, he would insist on carving it and
everybody let him, because no one could do it better. He was practically a
father to a lot of people who were just friends."

No one seemed to know exactly how the Falleys met, except for Cecilia
Galle.

"It was at a party," she said. "They both liked good times."

The Falleys had lived on Alfred Street in Gentilly for the past eight
years, and that was where they perished in the waters that submerged their
neighborhood after the levees failed.

"They were regular old people who figured they'd just ride the storm out,"
Melba Green said.

"He wanted to leave, but she didn't want to go, so he stayed with her,"
Johnson said.

"I begged my mother to leave," Jerome Green said, "but the last thing she
said to me was, "I'm making stewed chicken and potato salad and sitting
this thing out."