Sterling Taylor is set to retire at the end of March after devoting 40 years of his young life to Hefner Furniture in Poplar Bluff.
“I started in 1983 at this desk right here,” he said with a smile as he tapped the front desk at the Westwood Boulevard business with his pen. “There were only two salesmen here when I started.”
The store has grown substantially since that day, with seven to eight salespeople now.
Taylor went on to say his career choice had afforded him and his wife a comfortable lifestyle over the years.
“It’s been a good living for me. I’m probably going to miss it, who knows,” said Taylor.
Taylor and his wife raised two daughters and a son together and are lifelong residents of the Poplar Bluff area.
“Well, we live in the country so we will have plenty of things around the house to take care of,” said Taylor of his upcoming free-time.
He said more travel was in the near future.
“We’re going to make more trips to Florida and I’m going to do a little more fishing,” he added.
Taylor said his wife of 62 years retired before him so the couple is looking forward to spending time together once he is retired.
“In June we’ll have been married 62 years,” said Taylor.
“We knew each other three weeks and got married, it worked out good,” he said with a smile.
When asked how the couple had managed to keep love alive for all those years, Taylor replied, “I just say ‘yes ma’am.’ There was no fussin’, maybe 30 or 40 years ago or something.”
Taylor said he has worn many hats throughout his working life.
“I worked 15 years for the United Steel Workers Union. I had my own businesses and I’m in my 40th year here. I don’t know just how well it’s going to be to sit, not having a job to go to, but at least here they told me if I got bored I could come back here anytime I wanted to.”
He went on to say he didn’t foresee himself getting bored any time soon, “but if I do I’ll go back to work, here or somewhere.”
Taylor will celebrate his final day at Hefner Furniture on March 30, then it’s off to a fishing hole.