Bob Jesse hit his 100th Birthday! He originally owned his own construction company but when he felt it was time to retire Bob sold the office to Geary Buchanan. Now he keeps his office and remains a part of the Buchanan family. Here are some excerpts from our one-on-one interview with Bob Jesse or you can watch the video below.
And now you still have your office:
“I still have it, I had the office here when it was my building, it was my office. And he said I want you to be in that office. I said well, okay, well after, after they got this place was pretty well filled up I said, I said Geary why don’t you take this office, ‘cause it’s a lovely office, and I’ll go home or go somewhere else, and he said. And I’ll never will forget this he said, I’ll tell you when you’re gonna move out of this office, you’re not going to tell me when. He’s that kind of a guy.”
But Geary’s steadfast mind isn’t all he has. His generous and caring nature extends to everyone he meets, making him truly remarkable.
How has your experience with the Buchanan Company been:
“My experience? It’s been fantastic, of course I don’t work for him or anything. Uh, and uh, I still have this office, I have a parking place, and uh, they don’t charge me anything, and, so it couldn’t be a better deal as far as I’m concerned. I’ve told him several times I think it’s about time I leave, and he’d say again, I’ll tell you when you’re gonna leave. And so that’s the way it’s been, they are just fantastic, he and Becky are just unbelievable people, they’re just the kindest people, hardworking. They really work hard and they deserve everything they get…”
Being 100, Bob Jesse has learned a lot about life and if advice was worth gold, we would all be rich from his words.
Do you have any advice for other people how they can get to 100:
“Yes, Laugh a lot. Just uh, don’t take life real seriously, at times you have to of course. But uh, when you got a family, why, stay with em, and live and enjoy em while they’re around ‘cause they leave after awhile but do things with em and laugh and don’t take yourself too seriously, or don’t think for crying out loud that you’re better than anybody else. I don’t care if it’s somebody who’s sweeping the floor, you’re not better than that guy but, or woman, but you’ve been fortunate, maybe more fortunate than him, got a better education or whatever. But uh, you’re not better than anybody else, but laugh a lot, and enjoy life, and do some things that you can do together as a family that makes you close together and that is very, very enjoyable.”
And after all this time Bob Jesse remarks the best thing that ever happened to him is his loving and caring wife.
How would you describe your journey to 100:
“Fulfilling, except for a time during the second world war. But other than that it’s been a very fulfilling life, and uh, and enjoyable, and uh, and uh, oh just been an enjoyable life. I’ve had a wonderful, wonderful wife, and three wonderful kids, now grandkids and great grandkids, it’s been stupendous. Most of all, the best thing, I’ve had a lot of good things happen to me in my life, but the best thing that’s ever happened to me is my wife. She’s been a, she’s been a stalwart… best thing that ever happened to me, and she’s gonna be 100 in June.”
Bob first closed his business, Indiana Construction, and sold his office to Geary and Becky 21 years ago for their business, Buchanan Hauling and Rigging, Inc. Since then, Bob has continued to drive himself to his office which Geary insists he keeps. However, before this he was born April 1st, 1924, grew up in Fort Wayne, graduated Central Highschool, and served in the Merchant Marine during World War II. During his service he survived a torpedo attack while 20 miles from Normandy, his ship sank but he was pulled from the oily water and spent several months in a hospital in England before being transported to New York for more rehab. Bob Graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1949 and was a member of their Board of Trustees from 1976 to 1999, and he served on the search committee to replace President Arther Hansen. From there he worked in Construction, purchasing Indiana Construction which focused on water and wastewater treatment plants. Bob was active in supporting local organizations like Junior Achievement. He even hosted a visit by President Reagan while he was visiting Land Grant Universities through out the US. Bob and Reagan discussed the Merchant Marine’s not receiving the GI Bill as a Bill was going through Congress to change this. Even still, it’s Bob’s marriage of 75 years to his wonderful wife Donna that remains the most amazing thing to ever happen to him and inspires those around them.
