Home Depot's 100-Year Old Employee Is Not Ready To Retire Even After Quitting And Getting Cancer Three Times

Imagine dedicating decades to a job, then retiring—only to return, not just once, but three times. That's the extraordinary story of JoCleta Wilson, a 100-year-old Home Depot employee who continues to defy expectations.

Wilson has no plans to stop working and is eager to share her secrets to longevity. Even at a century old, she works two mornings a week, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., at a Home Depot in Louisville, Kentucky—making her the oldest employee in the company across the United States.

A Century of Living, Still on the Clock

The centenarian chose to return to work for the social connection, finding retirement dull. 'I want to communicate with people,' she told WAVE 3 News. 'If you're not working, you lose the art of conversation.'

'I've retired three times. Each time was 10 years, and I've gotten so sick of myself, I couldn't stand it,' she added. Last October, she marked her latest birthday with a fun gathering at her place, complete with two pianists and 80 friends, plus a 'huge party' thrown by Home Depot.

She lives alone in her house, drives herself to her workplace and shops, and cooks her own food. She enlists help for cleaning and outdoor tasks, explaining to TODAY.com, 'I could do it, but I don't want to. I've gotten a little smarter by this age.' Notably, Wilson doesn't really feel her years.

'I feel like I'm 39 heading into 40. That's how it feels,' she said about turning 100. Even though she's overcome breast cancer and lives with emphysema, COPD, and a pacemaker, this vibrant woman asserts that 'everything else works just fine' and stays remarkably active, as she always has.

'You can't sweat the small stuff. So, I just don't think about it,' she said. She shares her basic advice for a long, healthy life.

Wilson also has several tips if you want to live AND work a fruitful long life like hers. Here are her top lessons:

Movement is Key

Wilson is a former professional dancer who has always incorporated movement into her daily life. She started learning dance as a child, continued through high school, and eventually joined the June Taylor dancers, performing rhythm tap.

She went on to own the Louisville Dance Academy for 37 years, where she taught people how to dance. Wilson values good posture, so she stands with her back to a wall weekly to check her alignment and correct any slouching.

Wilson considers staying active 'very important' for a long life, and she's still dancing at 100. 'I have the radio everywhere. Thank goodness for Alexa. I tell her to play something that's really good to jump to, and I have at it,' she says. 'I let go and move and do what I want to do and it feels good. That's my exercise.'

Modify Your Food Choices

Two different health challenges led Wilson to make changes to her diet. First is breast cancer - after receiving the diagnosis three times, an oncology nurse informed her that 'cancer feeds on sugar' and suggested she cut it out. 'I said, I can handle that,' Wilson recounts.

According to the National Cancer Institute's present guidelines, sugar doesn't appear to worsen cancer, and removing it won't make tumours disappear. Still, consuming too much sugar can cause obesity, which increases cancer risk.

Next is her problem with cholesterol. Upon learning she had very high cholesterol, Wilson cut out bacon and cheese. She consulted a nutritionist and now prioritises lean protein like chicken, fish, and steak while steering clear of white flour. 'I eat well. I don't eat out a lot. I do my own cooking and enjoy it,' she said.

Find Joy In Simple Things

Wilson doesn't completely avoid treats.' I always have a chocolate cake in my freezer,' she says. 'I take a slice but maybe once a week.' She also stores ice cream and enjoys a spoonful occasionally. When given candy, she stretches it out for months by cutting each piece in half and eating one half weekly.

Wilson suggests that the trick is to enjoy treats sometimes but in moderation, which requires considerable self-control.

Nurture Your Creativity

Aside from dancing, Wilson finds joy in singing and has taken to the stage in recent years. She's also put together a cookbook, created paintings, and maintained an Instagram account dedicated to her artistic creations.

Let Go Of Minor Worries

Wilson attributes her ability to overcome challenges and live a long life to 'stubbornness and determination' and practical thinking. She also works on letting go of negativity and maintaining a positive outlook, which is associated with living a long life.

'I always say, don't sweat the small stuff. Don't worry. Don't let everything make you angry. Anger takes a lot of muscle and a lot of good out of your life,' she says. 'It's so much easier to think positive than to think negative. It takes a lot less effort. And that's what I try to do.'