My uncle was illiterate too dropped out of school third grade during hard times to work the farm. He never received government “handups” and lived well with a good job. He often referred to having attended the “school of hard knocks” laughingly.
My Dad only went to 4th grade. He injured his leg at a young age, and ended up with Osteomyelitis, but worked his whole life on the railroad...first as a laborer, then as a Track Foreman. Despite his lack of education, he was able to read and write, even cursive. Every night he'd sit at the kitchen table and fill out track reports, and time records for the crew.