St. Clairsville
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The 75-year-old barber, whose shop is in the heart of downtown St. Clairsville, said many people retire too early and then find they aren’t happy with their lives.
“I tell people I am retired because I think retirement is doing something you enjoy, and I enjoy what I do every day,” Horsfall explained.
The young-at-heart businessman said a lot of people retire and depend strictly on Social Security benefits.
“Barbers don’t make a lot of money so their Social Security benefits aren’t much. But I really do keep on working because I can and it’s what I like. I meet a lot of intelligent people here.”
Judging by the number of hats, photographs and various paraphernalia adorning his barbershop walls, Horsfall has made plenty of friends.
He said while he enjoys lively discussions — whether about politics or sports — he lets his customers do most of the talking. Some stop by for a cup of coffee flavored with a heaping helping of friendly conversation.
“Sometimes a guy will come in and complain about the last haircut they got somewhere else. I tell them they should go back to that barber and give them a second chance. And they have to speak up and tell them what they want,” Horsfall said.
He said longtime customers often ask when he plans to retire. Horsfall said he can’t really answer that because he’s living his retirement years just the way he want to — cutting hair.
St. Clairsville resident Phil Loweecy has been bringing his business to Horsfall for four decades. “I began bringing my boy here when he was just a kid and that was 41 years ago,” Loweecy observed.
As for Horsfall, he said retirement means something different for everyone. He said he’s content with things just the way they are for now.
Retired? Not really.
If you ask Fritz Leithe of Benwood what he likes about retirement he will tell you that it’s working again.
Many people who are offered early retirement or who retire just as Social Security kicks in believe they really are too young at 62 or even 65 to stop working altogether.
Retirement also usually means the end of benefits such as health insurance. For that reason, some folks continue to work for the insurance.
Leithe, who retired after 32 years as a truck driver for Carenbauer Wholesale Corp. in Wheeling, said he was 58 years old when he quit delivering beer in 1999. He said he knew right away that he wasn’t going to take to a rocking chair on his front porch.
“I’m a people person. I spent 32 years out in the public while I delivered for Carenbauer’s. I would be nuts to just sit around all day,” Leithe observed.
So Leithe talked to a friend who worked part time at Oglebay Park and decided he might like to work for the park system as well. That was three years ago and Leithe said he is loving his job as doorman and bell hop at Wilson Lodge.
“I don’t have hobbies or anything like that so I looked around for a job, just part time,” he said. “When I got on here at Oglebay, I found out I really liked working with people. You meet so many nice people who come to the lodge and a lot of them come back each year and remember me.”
While Leithe has begun collecting Social Security benefits, he said he only works four days a week and only the allotted amount for him to be able to collect his government check. He said the job at Oglebay provides him just enough time out of the house and some nice perks.
“As an employee, I can come up here and use the facilities at the park. We love to bring the grandkids up here,” Leithe added. “Since my wife is still working, there’s no reason to just sit home.”
Leithe’s wife Linda works full time as a nurse at Ohio Valley Medical Center in Wheeling. Her job provides the health insurance coverage for the couple.
Leithe said health insurance is one of the biggest worries for retirees, especially for those who retire early. A member of the Teamsters union, Leithe said he is fortunate to have a decent pension. He took advantage of the 30-years-and-out pension offering at his job.
“All of those years with the Teamsters, we fought for better hourly wages and every year our union leaders worked real hard on our pension. In the long run, I’m glad it worked out this way,” Leithe said.
Money matters
Meanwhile, Wheeling resident Ralph Mason said working after the assumed retirement age is a must for him. The 69-year-old opted to begin collecting Social Security benefits at age 62, but has continued working at various part-time jobs to be able to afford health insurance and prescription coverage.
“Even with Social Security and Medicare, it’s still not enough to make ends meet,” Mason said. “I have to keep working to be able to afford my insurance and medicine. If I didn’t have a drug prescription plan I would have to pay $130 a month for my stomach medicine and who can afford that?”
With the ability to afford a supplemental insurance plan, Mason now pays $5 per month for his medication.
Mason has held several part-time jobs acquired through an AARP-sponsored work program which encourages older folks to learn new skills at different jobs. He explained most of the jobs in the program pay minimum wage and are limited to 20 hours a week to allow participants to still be able to collect their Social Security benefits.
He did custodial work at the West Virginia State Police barracks in Wheeling where he said the people were “really nice.” Mason said he learned a lot about the duties of the state police and earned a new respect for what they do.
“I enjoyed my time there. I got to know the people pretty well. I wouldn’t want to do their job, though.”
Then in November of 2006, Mason began his job as a greeter at a local Wal-Mart. Mason said he has really enjoyed his latest endeavor in the working world.
“I like being with people and this is a good fit for me,” Mason commented. “There are a lot of nice people who come here and I enjoy it.”