Woman, 85, has no plans to retire just yet

Worker celebrates 85th birthday, 17th year with company

Patricia Plumley recently celebrated her 85th birthday and her 17th year as an administrative assistant.

EAST VINCENT >> Ask anyone what they most look forward to when they’re 65 and they’ll probably tell you retirement.

Ask that same question when they’re 85 and they probably still won’t tell you they look forward to working.

It’s a different story for Patricia Plumley, who recently celebrated her 85th birthday and her 17th year as an administrative assistant with Great Valley Publishing in East Vincent.

“She does customer service, she’s front reception, she handles phone calls. Anything we need in the department, she’s there,” said Great Valley Publishing’s CEO Mara Honicker.

Plumley said she has worked nearly her entire life and that she had several jobs over the course of her career. Plumley first worked at a manufacturing job for a couple years before leaving in 1961 to have a child. When she was unable to return to work, she found another job at Jones Motor where she worked for 24½ years before leaving to work for General Electric at the age of 52.

“It was a great place to work for. I was in technical documentation and received the pride award, a professional recognition for individual dedication and excellence,” said Plumley.

Plumley took the job at Great Valley Publishing after her “retirement” in her 60s. A widow since 1992, Plumley said she became bored with being at home by herself so she went looking for part time work.

It wasn’t long before she landed her job at the publishing business on Aug. 8, 2002, after she was told they weren’t even hiring.

“I looked at this place and I thought, ‘I wonder what they do here.’ I opened the door, I walked in and Mara was walking past the door and I said, ‘I would like to know if you’re hiring.’ And she said no and I said ‘Perhaps I can leave my resume here,’ and handed it to her. I got a call that afternoon and got asked to come in for interview,” said Plumley.

Plumley also has a history of exceeding expectations at her jobs. Not only did she receive an award for her work at General Electric, but she also won employee of the year during her very first year at Great Valley Publishing.

“I think all of us women here strive to be her. I do, personally,” said Honicker. “She is probably the most dedicated employee we have. She has amazing work ethic, she’s so pleasant to work with every day. I want to be 85 years old and still going strong. She’s a machine.”

When asked what keeps her going at work, Plumley said simply that the pleasant work environment, the closeness to her home and the opportunity to get up each day with somewhere to go is why she still works every day.

“It’s close to home, it’s interesting, it’s very diversified and everyone treats me nicely,” said Plumley. “I feel very fortunate to still be working.”

MARIAN DENNIS — MEDIANEWS GROUP Patricia Plumley, who recently celebrated her 85th birthday, has no intentions of slowing down at the job she’s held for 17 years. Plumley took the job at Great Valley Publishing after she had officially “retired” in her 60s.