Melba Mebane is a Dillard’s sales associate who has worked at the outlet in Tyler, Texas, for the past 74 years. During that time, she never missed a single day, but now she’s ready to retire. She joined the store’s predecessor as a 17-year-old elevator operator in 1949 and always made sure she arrived by 9 a.m. to bag a parking spot during her decades with the firm. However, when her former 15-minute commute reached 30 minutes, she decided she had finally had enough. "As soon as I walked through the door, I put my car keys on the table, looked at my son, and said, 'I'm done.’” The 90-year-old went on to say that if you’re happy doing what you’re doing, you should keep right on doing it, which is what she did for over 7 decades. After transferring from the elevator operator position to the men’s clothing department, Melba made her name on the cosmetics counter, where she remained until her retirement. She refused repeated offers of promotion because she said nobody likes management because they have to make tough decisions. She liked her friends at work and wanted to keep them, so she chose to remain a sales clerk. She now plans to enjoy time with her children and grandchildren.
