Ann Angeletti, a 101-year-old centenarian from New Jersey, continues to work six days a week at her jewellery shop, Curiosity Jewellers, alongside her daughter and granddaughter. She credits her longevity to staying busy and insists that retirement would be fatal. “If I retire, I die, so I cannot stay home,” she said.
Ann’s work ethic was forged early in life. She left school to help in her family’s grocery store, later worked in a Navy Yard during the Second World War while her husband was serving overseas, and eventually became a waitress before discovering her true passion in fashion and jewellery.
Beyond hard work, Ann emphasises the importance of self-care and personal happiness. “You must get up. You must shower. You must eat. You must take care of yourself,” she advises. She also encourages people to change their circumstances if they are unhappy: “If you don’t like what you’re doing, then change. Always focus on building relationships first.”
Ann values the connections she builds with her customers above sales. “I don’t care if customers don’t buy. They come in and we have coffee,” she said. Her energy and dedication have made her a pillar of the local community, inspiring those around her to stay active and engaged well into old age.
