Melba Mebane, a 90-year-old Texas woman, finally retires after 74 years of hard work and no missed days. She celebrated her retirement after a long career at Dillard's in Tyler, Texas.
At the age of 17 in 1949, this dedicated employee began her career at Dillards in Tyler, Texas. She works as an elevator girl. She later earned a promotion to the cosmetics department.
According to Fox News, Dillard’s store manager James Saenz told that: “Even [with] the changing times, from where she started to where we are now in the modern world, her values and everything still stand.”
Mebane became an integral part of the retail store. Throughout her impressive career, she always appeared with a smile and left a positive impact on everyone she encountered.
Upon her retirement, a multitude of colleagues and clients who had the opportunity to work with her admired and grew to love her.
Melba is renowned for her unwavering dedication. She works every day with a smile on her face and never having taken a sick day throughout her entire career.
She was not only exceptional at sales but also adored by every customer and coworker.
James Saenz, the store manager at Dillard's in Tyler, expressed that Melba 'touched' so many lives.
In an interview with Fox News, James shared: '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 commended her for not only offering valuable life advice to customers and the team but also for effortlessly forming friendships with everyone she encountered. Melba's go-getter attitude and genuine kindness endeared her to all.
She exclaimed to the outlet about the immense joy of working alongside 'great ladies who love to eat, laugh, and cut up' at the retail giant.
The 90-year-old found that these relationships only further enhanced her love for her job.
According to James, he would frequently spend time with his mother at the department store.
He shared that she would bring her own lunch, quickly eat in 25 minutes upstairs, and then return to the sales floor. She understood that many people used their lunch break to shop at the mall, and she didn’t want to miss her opportunity.'
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.'
In her 70s and 80s, Melba continued to work a full 40-hour week, with Terry driving her to and from work.
However, after facing some health challenges, Melba made the decision to say goodbye to her Dillard's family at 90 years old. She offered advice to others, encouraging them to approach work with dedication and to view it as more than just a means to receive a paycheck.
To commemorate Melba's retirement, Dillard's organized a celebration where she was honored with the beyond excellence award.
Watching the video below:
