20 September 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Betty Olds is 85 years old and has worked at Zepick Cardiology since 1983. Her coworker Myra Winsor is 88 and has worked there since 1972. They say working is something they love, and it keeps them healthy.
“Gives me some purpose, keeps me sharp and abreast of the things that I have done for 40 years,” Olds said.
“I really feel like I like to be out with the general public,” Winsor said. “I’ve always been, and like to keep up with things that are going on, and I was married for 57 years. I lost my husband 16 years ago, and I just feel like this is something for me to do to keep busy and feel important.”
Olds says there is simply no reason to quit.
“No reason to even look at retiring. I’m healthy, I’ve got a good health background, so I’m, I’m doing okay,” Olds said.
They say patients always check in to make sure they are still there.
“Every day that I come here, at least two or three patients will ask to see me to make sure that I’m still here,” Olds said. “It’s comforting for them, as well as me, knowing that I haven’t been forgotten, and they don’t have to come look at a new face every year. They get the look at my old face. They felt comforted to see a familiar face, and that brings me back every day.”
“We’ve had patients for so many years. They ask for me, they come back to my office to talk to me and can’t believe I’m still here,” Winsor said. “I think it’s very important. They all tell us it’s so good to still see you here, and it gives them an uplift, and I enjoy seeing them.”
They don’t have any plans for retirement anytime soon.
“I just enjoy getting up and coming here and accomplishing something, and patients look to me to get a good success story, and I like to be here to give it to them,” Olds said.
“I just think it’s very important to stay active in life and keep learning, keep working,” Winsor said. “Especially when you’ve got someplace that you enjoy.”
They share the knowledge they have learned over the many years working there.
“They do come to me quite a bit and say how do we do this? What am I supposed to do? Who do I call? And that makes me feel good that they know a little bit about the knowledge that I have gained over the 51 years,” Winsor said.