Aubrey Leon Hallum was born in Red Oak, OK to James William Hallum and Annie Mae Free Hallum. He was an only child. They moved to Milford, IN, where he attended school. In 1946, the family moved to Tracy, CA. He joined the US Navy in 1948 and attended Corpsman School in San Diego, CA becoming a Physician’s Assistant. He was stationed at the Oak Knoll Naval Hospital in Oakland, CA when he met and married the love of his life, Barbara Blevins, in Tracy, CA. During the Korean War, he was transferred to the Hospital Ship USS Benevolence. While on the trial run, after being struck by a freighter ship in heavy fog, the ship sank just outside the San Francisco Bay. He was rescued by a fishing boat. He was then transferred to the Hospital Ship USS Haven and sailed for Korea where he spent the next 13 months. During this time, his wife presented him with a son, Lonney. Upon leaving the Navy, he became a machinist at the Caterpillar Tractor Co. in San Leandro, CA. During that time, they were blessed with a new addition, a daughter, Linda. A few years later, he moved his family to Delhi, CA, where he tried his hand at raising turkeys and a second daughter, Kathy, was born.
In 1958, he was offered a position as General Manager for the Williams Hatchery and Turkey Breeding Farms in Oakdale, CA. The couple completed their wonderful family with the birth of daughter, Nancy, in 1959. He owned and operated Archie’s Old World Delicatessen in McHenry Village for three years. He sold the business after he was offered a position as Vice President for Longmont Foods in Longmont, CO, where he spent the next 14 years. He then retired and moved “home” to Oakdale, CA. He was very well-known in the turkey industry and was offered, and accepted, a position in Turlock, CA, with Foster Farms where he spent a few years and retired a second time. He liked the water and boats, so you could find him on his boat on the Delta. He also liked classic cars and won many plaques and trophies for his cars over the years. He was diagnosed with dementia and fought a long, hard battle for many years.
He entered into Heaven peacefully, with his loving family at his side, at Alexander Cohen Hospice House in Hughson, where he also spent his 68th wedding anniversary. He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Annie Mae Hallum, and three grandchildren, Rachel and Anna Hallum, and Andrew Halls.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Hallum; son, Lonney Hallum (Lynn); daughters, Linda Shafer (Lee), Kathy Texeira (Larry), Nancy Bowen (Jim); seven grandchildren, Jim Shafer, Kristie Romiti, Mark Hallum, Mason Stephens, Jake Stephens, Joshua Adkins, and Lacy Adkins; five great-grandchildren, Cole Shafer, Mia and Audrey Romiti, Wyatt Jones, and Leela Adkins.
He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and uncle. Aubrey will be greatly missed. A celebration of his life will be held on July 7 at 5:30 p.m., Oakdale Sportsman’s Club. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Community Hospice Foundation, 4368 Spyres Way, Modesto, CA 95356 or Alzheimer’s Society, 700 McHenry Ave # B, Modesto, CA 95350.
The Oakdale (Calif.) Leader
June 28, 2017