98-year-old WWII Veteran reveals reason why he still works 3 days a week at Lowe's

People often look forward to retirement, but that might not be the case for all. Take 98-year-old WWII veteran Ron Gibbons, for instance; after serving in the Navy and working at General Electric, he did not choose to "retire." At 98, he continues to work three days a week at a home improvement store with no plans to retire because, to him, "if you rest, you rust." On November 9, speaking to People, Ron looks back at his life without retirement.

Ron Gibbons has been employed at the home improvement store for 17 years. Before that, he was born in Saratoga Springs, New York, where, although he finished high school, he could not pursue his diploma. "When I was drafted out of high school, the war in Europe had just ended. They didn't know what to do with a large number of people who had just been inducted. I went to boot camp, and after completing boot camp, I was assigned to a ship's company for three months," he explained. Gibbons is thankful for not witnessing any trauma. "It was a good experience. Service teaches you many things that you don't learn on the outside," he said.

After serving in the Navy, he attended college and secured a job at General Electric. After a layoff, a friend recommended IBM, where he worked for 35 years before "retiring." It was also where he met his wife, with whom he has been married for 67 years. Gibbons wasn't planning on retiring. He took on several odd jobs before a few friends suggested he join them at Lowe's, where he has now worked for 17 years. He begins his day at 5 a.m. and clocks into work an hour later. Gibbons works at the garden center and enjoys interacting with customers and other employees. "When I first joined here, they were so helpful, and anything I wanted or needed, they were there. It's a compliment to the staff and the management and the department that I worked in and all over Lowe's," he shared.

For Gibbons, his work gives him the physical activity to keep his mind active. After nearly twenty years at the same job, Gibbons says customers now "look for me" when they're in the store. Despite his age, he has no plans to slow down. "What are you gonna do when you reach 100?" Gibbons says he often gets this question. "I said, 'Well, get new teeth and wear a diaper.'" Gibbons isn't alone. According to a 2016 study by the University of Chicago, more than half of people above the age of 65 in the U.S. continue to work. However, this doesn't necessarily mean they are continuing with the same employment circumstances indefinitely. Just like Gibbons, many are either reducing their hours to part-time status or planning to switch to a new employer or even a new field.

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