Many count down to retiring at 65, but not Nelson man John Beeching. In fact, it wasn't until the day of his 100th birthday last month that he finally hung up his tools.
Beeching had been working three mornings a week at the Cawthron Institute, fixing everything from mircroscopes to test tubes.
He joined the country's largest science organisation after he'd hit retirement age.
"Time just goes you know. One year came, then another year. So in the end I'd been at the Cawthron for 33 years."
Cawthron Institute section head Mark Englefield said without Beeching a lot of broken equipment would have gone to waste.
"I don't know of anyone else who has done what John's done and has been as capable as John. We're going to miss him greatly. Replacing John is going to be incredibly hard."
He celebrated his 100th birthday with a party and his family flying in from around the world. Nelson Mayor Nick Smith also visited, gifting Beeching a bottle of whisky.
Beeching's had many jobs over his life including working on oil rigs and as a motorcycle mechanic. He left school at 14 and joined the airforce at 17 to fight in World War II.
He is one of the few remaining pilots who flew the de Havilland Mosquito planes, the fastest bombers in the air at that time. Beeching said it was a "hazardous job, for 23 shillings and six pence a day".
Despite that, he looks back on the time fondly.
"I think some of my happiest times were in the air force. All the young blokes, all the same age, all heavy boozers."
Despite retirement Beeching may not be slowing down. He's reading at least one book a week and is writing down his life story. He also proudly showed off his "iPhone For Dummies" book, showing it's never too late to learn something new.
SHARE ME