It’s one thing to find a job that you’re good at. It’s another thing when you find something you’re passionate about that you can do for the rest of your life. At 101 years old, Callie Terrell has literally done both.
She is a hairstylist and beautician who has been doing this for almost her whole life and yes, she still has clients. You would think at over 100 years old she would just sit down somewhere and enjoy grandchildren like many her age, but nope, not Mrs. Terrell. She simply loves what she does.
That’s right. On any given day you can find Mrs. Terrell doing a roller set, maybe doing a bob or a cut-and-style. Oh, and she still drives to work too.
“I work because this is what I’ve enjoyed doing all my life from a little girl,” says Terrell. “I always loved messing with my sister’s hair. They had beautiful hair and I always enjoyed doing this.”
Mrs. Terrell now only works to keep busy and to satisfy a few longtime customers, like her daughter Inez. Terrell is still sharp with her mind and her scissors as she enjoys life after a century of living (A century! That’s incredible!).
Local station, WREG Channel 3 checked the state of Tennessee, and found out that they first issued her license to operate on Jan. 30, 1945 which makes her the oldest living beautician in the state (At the time of this article, we are checking to see if she also sets the oldest record for in the country, too).
Since that time, she’s outlived almost all of her customers. “People my age that I used to be buddy-buddy with, I don’t have a single one. I was in a bridge club. I’m the only one in the club that’s living.”
When asked about the secret to long life, she says work is part of that.
“I’m not used to just being up in the house. You see, I worked so long I’ve just been around people and doing something exciting,” she said. “Most old people, they’re so dry and droll. I can’t deal with that. I gotta live and do the things that make me happy.”
Working brings her joy. But she plans to finally retire soon.
It is true that aging involves physical changes, but it doesn’t have to mean discomfort and disability. While not all illness or pain is avoidable, many of the physical challenges associated with aging can be overcome or drastically mitigated by exercising, eating right, and taking care of yourself.
A recent Swedish study found that exercise is the number one contributor to longevity, adding extra years to your life—even if you don’t start exercising until your senior years. But it’s not just about adding years to your life,…
… it’s about adding life to your years. Exercise helps you maintain your strength and agility, increases vitality, improves sleep, gives your mental health a boost, and can even help diminish chronic pain. Exercise can also have a profound effect on the brain, helping prevent memory loss, cognitive decline, and dementia.
Even in her retirement, don’t expect Mrs. Terrell to find her sitting around the house doing nothing.
“I just be waiting on somebody to call and say, ‘Callie, you busy? Well, come on over here.’ They say we’re doing so and so. So I jump in the car and go. I just want to do something.”
Long live Callie!
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