After 73 years at macy's, employee retires

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST: Rose Syracuse has held one job - one job only - for her entire life. For 73 years, she worked mainly in the accounts department at the Macy's department store on

34th Street in Manhattan. She's worked for Macy's longer than anyone else - ever. And last week, after all those decades, she retired. Rose Syracuse joins us on the line from New

York. Thank you very much for taking the time to talk to us. ROSE SYRACUSE: Oh, that's fine. And Rose Syracuse would not have retired if she hadn't broken her hip. WERTHEIMER: Oh,

dear. SYRACUSE: My son is not too happy. I want to go back to work and he says, I don't think so, mom. I think maybe it's time for you to stay home. But what are we going to do,

right? WERTHEIMER: Right. Let me ask you, what brought you to Macy's in the first place? SYRACUSE: Well, at that time, it was hard to get a job. And that was 1939. So, when I graduated,

that very same day, I went down to Macy's and I had an interview and they took me. WERTHEIMER: Mrs. Syracuse, you're 92 years old now, right? SYRACUSE: Yes, uh-huh. WERTHEIMER:

You've worked almost 30 years past the age at which most folks retire. SYRACUSE: But it was good for me. WERTHEIMER: Yes? SYRACUSE: Yeah. I was happy and I went to work every day. It

was great. WERTHEIMER: Now, I assume there were lots of changes over that period of time. SYRACUSE: Oh, absolutely. When I first started to work there, it was not even a third of what it is

now. Now, it's absolutely gorgeous. I don't know whether you've been in there. WERTHEIMER: Oh, yes, I have. Of course I have. SYRACUSE: Do you live in New York? WERTHEIMER:

Nope. I live in Washington, but my in-laws live in New York. SYRACUSE: Oh, OK. If you happen to be in New York, stop in Macy's. They're having a whole new renovation, which is

gorgeous. Fifth Avenue shops have nothing on Macy's. (LAUGHTER) WERTHEIMER: So, you were working in accounts? SYRACUSE: Yes. WERTHEIMER: So, what did you do? SYRACUSE: Well, I operated

the NCR bookkeeping machine. WERTHEIMER: National Cash Registers, that is. SYRACUSE: Yes, that's right. And then the computer came into existence, so we learned to do the computer.

WERTHEIMER: How old were you when you learned to do the computer? SYRACUSE: Ah, let's see. I'm 92. Yeah, I think I was in my 70s. WERTHEIMER: Wow. SYRACUSE: Yeah. It was really -

we learned. (Laughing) WERTHEIMER: So, do you have any plans for how you're going to spend your retirement? SYRACUSE: Oh, no. It's day by day. How many plans can you make?

It's day by day. I'm living here, so it's fine. WERTHEIMER: Do you plan to keep shopping at Macy's? SYRACUSE: Well, if my son takes me, yes. That's my store.

WERTHEIMER: Rose Syracuse worked for the Macy's department store for 73 years, and last week she finally retired. Ms. Syracuse, thank you. SYRACUSE: Oh, not at all. Thank you very much

for calling. It's your time too. Take care, OK? WERTHEIMER: You too. SYRACUSE: Anytime. WERTHEIMER: This is NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.