WWII Veteran, 98, Explains Why He Still Works 3 Days a Week at Unexpected Job

Retirement doesn’t always mean giving up work — at least not for Ron Gibbons. The 98-year-old World War II veteran continues to put in three days a week at Lowe’s in Ulster, N.Y., working six-hour shifts in the garden center.

Known affectionately as “Mr. Ron,” Gibbons has been an employee at the home improvement chain for 17 years. Before that, his life looked very different.

He grew up near Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and went to high school there, though he never received 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,” he recalls. “I went to boot camp, and after completing boot camp, I was assigned to a ship’s company for three months.”

He served in the Navy between 1945 and 1946 and was stationed on the USS Hornet (CV-8), one of the earliest ships to launch operations following Pearl Harbor, spending six months docked outside San Francisco.

“I finally got on the Hornet for six months. I didn’t see any action, and thank heavens for that,” he says. “It was a good experience. Service teaches you many things that you don’t learn on the outside.”

After serving, Gibbons attended college briefly and later joined General Electric. When a layoff followed, a friend suggested he try IBM — and that turned into a 35-year career before he eventually retired.

After leaving IBM, he worked several odd jobs and even ran a part-time lawn-care business to help pay for his children’s college expenses. A few friends later encouraged him to join them at Lowe’s, and 17 years later, he still enjoys showing up.

Gibbons often says, “If you rest, you rust,” which is why he gets up bright and early every day. He starts at 5 a.m. and clocks in an hour later. He says he especially loves working in the garden center because of the daily contact with customers and coworkers.

“I enjoy meeting people, and that’s a big part of why I stayed here — because the people are so great to work with,” he explains. “When I first joined, they were so helpful. Anything I needed, they were there. It’s a compliment to the staff and the management.”

He adds, “I keep coming back to work because I’ve seen so many people retire who don’t do anything, and they waste away. This keeps my mind active, keeps me physically moving, and gives me something meaningful to do.”

For him, the best part of the job is “working with a customer.” He also enjoys supporting fellow employees and staying engaged with the public. His background directing barbershop quartets for 30 years taught him how much he enjoys interacting with people.

After nearly two decades at the same store, he says customers now seek him out. “Two months ago, I was talking with a couple — we were both in the Navy — and a month later he came back and gave me a model of an aircraft carrier that he built. It’s fantastic,” he says.

Even on his days off, Gibbons keeps himself busy. “I work around the house and outside. And in the wintertime, I work down in the basement. I have a lot of tools. I do a lot of woodworking,” he adds.

But despite his impressive work ethic, he says the brightest part of his life is his “wife and children.” He met his wife while working at IBM, and the two have been married for 67 years. His philosophy on marriage is simple: “You have to take every day that the sun’s gonna come up and be ready, whether it’s sunny, cloudy, or a gut punch. We’ve had ’em all.”

They share four children, 10 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren. He says his drive comes from his mother, who was a “people person,” while his father worked until nearly 80.

Today, two of his children are retired, and one of his sons runs the lawn business he started decades ago. His nephew, who has served in the National Guard for eight years, will be joining him at Lowe’s headquarters to be honored for Veterans Day.

Despite his age, Gibbons has no plans to slow down or leave his role in the garden center.

“‘What are you gonna do when you reach 100?’” people often ask him. He replies, “Well, get new teeth and wear a diaper.”

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