Ron Gibbons isn’t one to sit still. At 98 years old, the World War II Navy veteran still clocks in three half-days a week at Lowe’s, tending to the garden center and keeping the plants, his coworkers and customers in good spirits. “I don’t want to sit around because you rest, you rust,” Ron said, laughing.
For Ron, service never really ended. A fireman first class aboard the USS Hornet CV-12 aircraft carrier during the war, he credits the military with shaping who he became. “It taught me to be on my own. All of a sudden, I am a man, and it helped through life”.
These days, he shows up not because he has to, but because he wants to.
“I enjoy going to work every day,” he said. “The camaraderie with the guys, it’s fantastic. I’m treated fantastically. Maybe they feel sorry for me because I’m 90 years old, but they treat me very well, and I like it. I go to work with a happy attitude. I’m the joker."
Ron’s pride in what he does is matched only by the pride his team feels in working alongside him.
“My first impression of Ron was this guy is the happiest person to be at this place that I’ve ever met in my entire life,” said Store Manager Chad. “He exudes joy. He takes super pride in making sure that all the plants are taken care of, watered and pretty. Some people are shocked he’s here at 98 years old, still slinging plants, but he loves it”.
Chad added that veterans like Ron bring qualities that elevate the workplace for everyone.
“In the military, they’re taught respect, urgency, leadership, and all of that shows up in how they serve our customers,” he said. “Ron is a perfect example of that. We’re proud to work alongside him.”
Today, Lowe’s honors Ron Gibbons and the more than 26,000 veterans who choose to continue serving through their everyday work. “Veterans many times can’t get jobs other places and they still have the qualifications,” Ron said. “Lowe’s hires them, and they work hard. That’s something to be proud of”.
And for Ron, pride is something he carries lightly, like the watering can he picks up each morning.
