90-year-old woman retires after 74 years of work

‘Amazing’ 90-year-old retail worker finally retires from her job at Dillard’s after 74 YEARS – having never missed a single day of work

• Melba Mebane, 90, has retired after 74 years of working at Dillard’s 
• She never missed a day of work or called in sick
• Her coworkers threw her a retirement party and gushed about her work ethic 

A 90-year-old woman has retired from her retail job – having never missed a day of work for the past 74 years. 

Melba Mebane celebrated her retirement after a long career at Dillard’s in Tyler, Texas, this month after a career spanning more than seven decades. 

She started working for the retail giant in 1956 when she was just 17 years old, beginning as an elevator girl before being moved to the cosmetics department. 

Now, after an impressive career, the 90-year-old has retired, leaving behind a score of colleagues and clients who grew to love her. 

Melba Mebane, 90, has retired from her retail job – after having never missed a day of work for the past 74 years

She recently celebrated her retirement after a long career at Dillard’s in Tyler, Texas (Melba pictured with her son Terry)

Now, after an impressive career, the 90-year-old has retired, leaving behind a score of colleagues and clients who grew to love her

Melba was known for showing up to work everyday with a smile on her face – having never even called in sick once. 

She excelled in making sales and there wasn’t a customer or coworker who didn’t love her. 

The store manager of Dillard’s in Tyler, James Saenz, said Melba ‘touched’ so many  lives. 

Speaking to Fox News, he said: ‘Melba sets the tone for everything, every expectation, every customer service quality that we look for in a luxury experience.

‘She provides all of it to the team. Can you imagine how many people she coached and taught and trained to aspire to be more?’ 

He added that it was ‘amazing’ to think about how many people the 90-year-old touched. 

James praised her for providing both the customers and the team with life advice. 

Because of her go-getter and kind personality, Melba quickly formed friendships with everyone. 

Melba was known for showing up to work everyday with a smile on her face – having never even called in sick once

She told the outlet she was overjoyed to have worked with ‘great ladies who love to eat, laugh, and cut up’ at the retail giant. 

Th 90-year-old cherished the friendships she made while on the job and those relationships made her love her job even more. 

Melba’s son, Terry Mebane, has fond memories of his mom going to work everyday because she loved what she did, adding that he was inspired by her work ethic. 

He told Fox News that he would often hang out with his mom around the retail giant, noting that he ‘grew up in Dillard’s.’

Terry added: ‘She’s a grinder. The store would open at 10 and she wanted her parking spot, so she got there between 9 o’clock and 9:15. 

‘She was the first person in the door and had her counter ready. She did the prep work. She only took 30 minutes for lunch. 

She brought her lunch, went upstairs to eat lunch in 25 minutes, and then she was back on the floor because she knew that people often took off [during] their lunch hour to come to the mall to buy what they were going buy, and she didn’t want to miss her opportunity.’ 

https://youtube.com/watch?v=VZzipJuEb9A%3Frel%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26hl%3Den-US

After some health issues, Melba decided that it was time for her to say goodbye to her Dillard’s family at 90 years old

When Melba reached her 70s and 80s, she was working 40 hours a week, with Terry driving her to and from work. 

After some health issues, Melba decided that it was time for her to say goodbye to her Dillard’s family at 90 years old. 

Melba advised others to ‘come to work’ and ‘never see it as a ‘paycheck.’ 

Dillard’s hosted a retirement party for Melba, where she was given the beyond excellence award. 

A plaque featuring her photo is now hanging on the wall inside the Tyler store. 

James told the outlet: ‘It will remain here for as long as Dillard’s is around. Beyond Excellence is for her decades of service beyond expectations. 

‘Even [with] the changing times, from where she started to where we are now in the modern world, her values and everything still stand.’

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