Phil Hodgson tried retirement in the 1960s but found that it wasn’t for him.
Many people are eager to retire. Not so Australian Phil Hodgson, who at 106 still doesn’t want to hang up his hat. The man, who was featured in LADBible, fought in World War II as a teenager, and after returning from the front, made his living as a barber for decades.
He retired in 1962, but after a short time he realized it wasn’t for him, because he was bored.
Therefore, he found a hobby and proved that lifelong learning made sense.
Phil Hodgson turned sixty when he realized that he loved working with wood and since then he has volunteered at the Sutherland Shire Toy Restoration Centre in Syndey, where he repairs children’s broken toys with incredible skill. These days he mainly makes miniature dolls’ furniture.
The elderly master toy maker, who lost his wife five years ago, was recently interviewed by Current Affair. When asked what motivates him to continue working, he replied, “What else could I do?”