72-year-old McDonald's employee can finally retire thanks to lottery
Filed under: Retire
Many of us have dreams of retiring and just enjoying our later years, but few who work for fast food restaurants for their entire careers, like McDonald's, have the savings they need to retire. Nell Pierce-Boykin, a 72-year-old McDonald's employee outside the Atlanta area, was in that boat. She worked for McDonald's restaurants in the Atlanta area for 39 years before hitting it lucky with a $750,000 win in a Georgia State Lottery scratch-off game.
Pierce-Boykin paid off her house and replaced her '94 Buick with a new Toyota Camry. She now finally has the money she needs to stop working and do the things she's always wanted to do. She plans to travel more, especially to visit her daughter in Tampa, Florida. She told the local newspaper, the Clayton News Daily, that, "I have a 1,000 things I want to do now."
Even though she didn't earn a lot at McDonald's, she did build a world of friends and memories. She met her second husband, Joe Boykin, who was a regular at the Mt. Zion Parkway McDonald's when she managed the store there. He was an employee at the Clayton County Sheriff's Department when he came into the store regularly.Her daughter, Donna Langston, of Tampa, Florida, met her husband Miles Langston, while she was working at the Forest Park location with her mother. Miles Langston is an Air Force air traffic controller.
Pierce-Boykin told the Clayton newspaper, "We're all McDonald's people. . . we have ketchup in our blood." She may have ketchup in her blood, but now she gets to enjoy her life outside the world of managing a McDonald's restaurant.
During her 39 years with McDonald's she managed five different locations. She started her career with McDonald's in 1970 in Forest Park, GA and moved up to management in 1984. Since then she's managed five different stores in the area. Ray Justice, 75, who owns the franchise at Mt.Zion Parkway McDonald's, where she was working when she bought that lucky lottery ticket, says he's worked with Pierce-Boykin for most of his 50 years working for McDonald's. He said she made a difference in every store she worked.
The philosophy that she taught her employees and that stuck with many of them, "There were times when I did have problems at home, but leave your problems at home. The customer doesn't have to bear the weight of it. If you can stay positive, the customer will feel it."
That positive attitude helped make Pierce-Boykin successful the the last 39 years and will help her now enjoy the retirement she deserves.
Lita Epstein has written more than 25 books including "Working After Retirement for Dummies."
Even though she didn't earn a lot at McDonald's, she did build a world of friends and memories. She met her second husband, Joe Boykin, who was a regular at the Mt. Zion Parkway McDonald's when she managed the store there. He was an employee at the Clayton County Sheriff's Department when he came into the store regularly.Her daughter, Donna Langston, of Tampa, Florida, met her husband Miles Langston, while she was working at the Forest Park location with her mother. Miles Langston is an Air Force air traffic controller.
Pierce-Boykin told the Clayton newspaper, "We're all McDonald's people. . . we have ketchup in our blood." She may have ketchup in her blood, but now she gets to enjoy her life outside the world of managing a McDonald's restaurant.
During her 39 years with McDonald's she managed five different locations. She started her career with McDonald's in 1970 in Forest Park, GA and moved up to management in 1984. Since then she's managed five different stores in the area. Ray Justice, 75, who owns the franchise at Mt.Zion Parkway McDonald's, where she was working when she bought that lucky lottery ticket, says he's worked with Pierce-Boykin for most of his 50 years working for McDonald's. He said she made a difference in every store she worked.
The philosophy that she taught her employees and that stuck with many of them, "There were times when I did have problems at home, but leave your problems at home. The customer doesn't have to bear the weight of it. If you can stay positive, the customer will feel it."
That positive attitude helped make Pierce-Boykin successful the the last 39 years and will help her now enjoy the retirement she deserves.
Lita Epstein has written more than 25 books including "Working After Retirement for Dummies."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 10)
1-21-2009 @ 11:25PM
obabystar said...
God Bless her. You see, fast food IS good for something
Reply
1-22-2009 @ 10:55AM
Tom said...
Thats what God did for her,looked after her after 39 years of working for what we might think of as a nothing, job i would think,McDonalds is for young people and not adults at her age!
1-22-2009 @ 12:50PM
zarafa said...
McDonalds has no obligation of course -- and has to be careful about setting precedents -- but I'm wondering if they do anything special for employees of that tenure?
1-24-2009 @ 8:25AM
lisa said...
I too worked for Ray Justice And Mr Shoeman when they franchises in the area. They are good people to work for and I am glad to see her win. That is wonderful Nell. You go!! Enjoy all the things you want to do.
1-22-2009 @ 6:13AM
jbjg24m said...
AT LEAST WONN IT THAT WAS''T ALREADY RICH!
Reply
1-22-2009 @ 6:21AM
me said...
congradulations-{ honestly }
Reply
1-25-2009 @ 7:38AM
Lisa said...
It isn't congradulations....it is congratulations...but it was very nice of you to say that.
1-22-2009 @ 6:40AM
chuck said...
A Toyota Camry, eh? She should`ve bought an American brand. Stupid old woman; it`s always those old people that win those lotteries.
Reply
1-22-2009 @ 7:09AM
R said...
Chuck you are a sad person; be happy for this lady and this is still America she can buy whatever type of car she wants!
1-22-2009 @ 8:26AM
trkrhett said...
wa wa wa !!! jealous huh?
1-22-2009 @ 8:35AM
BigBoy said...
your the stupid one your so bitter you cant be happy for somone else good fortune. But I guess in your small world things and brains and very small. Congrats Mrs. B you deserve all the and your new Camry. Buy a big Mac for me love Ya
1-22-2009 @ 8:37AM
Ken said...
chuck by american brand do you mean GM, Ford or Chryslers that are truly north american. 1/3 made in Canada 1/3 in Mexico and 1/3 in the U.S. can't get any more american than that
1-22-2009 @ 8:48AM
ERN said...
Toyota has 13 manufacturing locations in the U.S.A.
1-22-2009 @ 8:50AM
Deb said...
Wow Chuck, maybe some stupid old woman in your family will win the lottery, and cut you out of the family for your stupid comment. What a sad moron you are.
1-22-2009 @ 9:27AM
trisha said...
How sad for you. Why would you call her a stupid old woman....and why should she buy an American car. Sorry, but every American made car I have ever owned was a piece of junk. Why do you think the industry is in such trouble. Build better cars and maybe people will buy them.
1-22-2009 @ 11:16AM
Wendell Franklin Wentz said...
That Toyota she purchased was made in the United States of America by Americans! Good for her, she spent her money in the USA! At least she didn't buy a Chinese automobile. She has already felt and experienced the Change that is coming to America. Amen.
1-22-2009 @ 11:00AM
bnc603 said...
Hey Chuck....where was the computer made that you're typing on? Why don't you call their customer service and ask them, I'm SURE that's in the US!
1-22-2009 @ 11:40AM
dave said...
The Camry was probably built right here in America.
And why would wnyone buy an American car right now?
22 years in the car biz, both foreign and domestic, Won't see me in an American car.
1-22-2009 @ 12:26PM
kattyjen said...
Chuck, where do you think the cell phone you use was made? Where do you think the computer you are typing on was made? Who CARES where this woman chooses to buy her car. Good for her, that she can afford it now. Maybe if the "Big 3" made reliable cars, then that would be a different story. I've had 2 cars by GM and they are crap. But it doesn't matter! Good for her!
1-22-2009 @ 11:51AM
Niki said...
Thats the dumbest thing Ive ever heard. Buy an american brand (that most likely was manufactured in Mexico or Canada) instead of buying an import which was made in KENTUCKY! How many jobs and income has Toyota given the US? A lot!
I say this because Ive owned an american domestic, a foreign domestic, a foreign import and an american import. Where was your domestic made? Check the sticker on your door sill.