Morbley, Gertrude Mae Nero
(born: 1918 - died: 1988)Gertrude M. Morbley was the "Colored Notes" writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader from 1962 until the column was abolished in 1969. Morbley was 18 years old when she was hired in May of 1937 as the elevator operator at the old newspaper building on Short Street in Lexington, KY. Her move to the "Colored Notes" column came after an automatic elevator was installed, and by that time Morbley had learned much about the newspaper business. When the "Colored Notes" column ended in 1969, Morbley moved to the accounting department. In total, Gertrude M. Morbley was employed at the Lexington Herald-Leader for 44 years. Her employment is one of the longest in the history of the newspaper. She was also a member and past Grand Matron of the Dorcas Chapter No. 29 of the Order of the Eastern Star. She was the wife of Cornelius Morbley. Gertrude M. Morbley was born October 28, 1918, in Lexington, KY, the daughter of Elijah and Eva Haggard Nero [source: 1920 U.S. Federal Census; and Kentucky Birth Index]. [Elijah Nero was a jockey and horse trainer.] For more see J. Hewlett, "Gertrude Mae Morbley, Herald-Leader worker for four decades, dies," Lexington Herald-Leader, 03/23/1988, p. B7.
