Indiana’s oldest state worker is retiring. He’s 102 years old

Bob Vollmer is ready to retire after almost 60 years at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

The 102-year-old World War II veteran was hired as a land surveyor in 1963 and has worked there ever since, according to a department spokesman.

Vollmer’s job has taken him all over the state over the years and he said he occasionally had to deal with some pretty rough customers. He said disputes over property lines can get pretty heated.

“I’ve had people shoot at me, I’ve had people sic their dogs on me,” he told CNN affiliate WXIN.

One problem brought Vollmer face-to-face with one of notorious mob boss Al Capone’s top lieutenants.

“We got along real good, we got along real fine. There was a problem but we worked it out,” he told the station. “I couldn’t believe a gangster could be so nice.”

Vollmer walks with a cane, has hearing aids and told WXIN that “my legs are giving out.”

That’s why he decided it was time to stop working.

“The time comes when, heck, you have to give it up,” he said. “I guess your body tells you when it’s time to go.”

Gov. Eric Holcomb honored Vollmer for his service back in 2016, and congratulated him on his upcoming retirement on social media.

Even though Vollmer’s retiring, he doesn’t plan to slow down.

He told WXIN that he plans to do a lot of reading and farming. He also wants to travel to some of the South Pacific Islands where he served during the war.

His mom lived to be 108.

“Evidently, I’ve got some pretty good genes,” he told WXIN. “Doctors tell me that’s one reason I’m still going. I got good lungs.”

Vollmer plans to retire on February 6, which is already special to him because it’s also the day he got married.