Well, I Guess You Can Retire Now

Thirty years ago, at an age when most people retire, Steve Minnich was starting a new job as a salesman at a cooling- and heating-equipment company.

Now that he’s 98, he has decided to take some time off.

He got into sales in 1925 at the Philadelphia office of Cleveland Heater Co. When the company went out of business in 1962, he began working at William E. Kingswell Inc., now located in Beltsville, about 15 miles northeast of Washington.

Although he retired last month, he still shows up at the office, where he keeps fit by doing push-ups against boxes in the Kingswell warehouses. Kingswell owner John Lenahan said customers love him.

Minnich is eager to share some of the wisdom he gained from experience. Some of his nuggets:

“Be not hypocritical. Be analytical.”

“Books that stay shelved and not delved need dusting.”

“Be thankful being vertical and not horizontal.”