NJ Public Employee Retires after Never Missing Day of Work in 62 Years – The Jewish Voice

A NJ public employee can easily be named a role model for today’s children.

Willie Sumlar, of Orange, NJ, had reason to celebrate his final day of work last Friday. Sumlar, 84, began his employment with the maintenance department for Essex County government in Newark, on Aug. 12, 1957. After 62 years, he has retired, with the accomplishment of never having missed a scheduled day of work.

“I was trying to get stuff done,” Sumlar said. “You know me, I complete the day.”

He has never taken a sick day, even going to work and doing his best when he was under the weather. As reported by the NY Post, every day he pressed on to be at work by 5 a.m., an hour before his shift began at 6 a.m. “There’s so much that needs to be done,” Sumlar said.

On Friday, over 200 county workers showed up to surprise the senior repairman with a standing ovation. After all, it was the last day for the county to thank him for doing his utmost in playing his part each day.

It was hard to pry the pliers out of Sumlar’s hands even on the last day, as he still had work to do. Someone managed, however to take the pair of pliers from him when the applause began in the lobby of the Hall of Records. There were hugs and pictures awaiting him outside as he walked out to the parking lot, escorted appreciatively by his bosses.

“I tell ya, it really draws tears to your eyes,” Sumlar said.

For 62 years he did all that was asked and more. His fingerprints are everywhere throughout the government complex. He repaired the furniture, rearranged rooms, shampooed courtroom rugs, waxed floors, washed windows, scrubbed and cleaned the building, and removed snow. “I can’t say enough good things about Willie Sumlar,” said Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo. “Whether you were a longtime or new employee or just a visitor to our county complex, Willie extended his kindness to you, welcomed you to the county and always was ready to lend a helping hand.”

Other employees at the county also benefited from Sumlar’s generosity. He amassed so many vacation and sick days that he donated them to other workers in need. Before he left last week, he still had another 10 days leftover.

Each day, at the end of his shift at 2 p.m., Sumlar didn’t stop working. He went on to his second job at a caterer in Newark, where he delivered food, cleaned, and checked inventory till late at night. He admits that he never missed a day at the caterer in the past 15 years.

Sumlar’s unrelenting dedication extends to his family life. He has been married for 60 years to Rose, his childhood sweetheart. Together, they raised two sons in their home in Orange where they have lived since the year 1964. He doesn’t sit down too much, not unless he’s really tired,” said Rose, describing his hard working personality.

Sumlar grew up on a farm with his grandmother in Branchville, Va. He came to New Jersey in 1957, determined to escape the segregated South, and find a better opportunity. He hoped work would be his ticket to a better life with dignity. “Down there in Virginia, you had to walk bent over a little every time,” he said. “I used to watch my grandmother, how she had to deal with that. It used to aggravate me so bad.”