Billy Brescia of Columbus began selling real estate in 1947.
Billy Brescia of Columbus still selling real estate at age 94.
COLUMBUS, Ga. -- Some people can't wait to retire, some can't, and some just don't want to.
Billy Brescia of Columbus falls into that last category. At age 94, he's still selling real estate.
"Sold my first house in 1947 and still selling," he said Monday.
Brescia began working as a kid, as a soda jerk and delivering the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer newspaper on his bicycle. On Monday he made their front page as Georgia's Realtor of the Year.
"I was utterly surprised, I really was," Brescia said of being honored from among thousands of other Georgia real estate agents.
After serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War Two, he began selling real estate part time in 1947. He went full time after retiring from the textile business in 1970.
Still married to wife Claudia after 70 years, they have two children, five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
His desk at the Coldwell Banker/Kennon, Parker, Duncan and Key office in Columbus is stacked with years' worth of contracts, which were only one page long when he first started out. Now he keeps up with listings on a computer.
Brescia says he and his wife have a fairly comfortable life, but he's still working for the extra money. "I need to, really; I need to add a little money to the kitty," he said.
He also loves going to the office to see his many friends each day. He's known as "Mister Billy" to his co-workers who call him their mentor and their inspiration. "He showed me how to get from place to place and everything about the business; I'll ever be indebted to him," said fellow realtor Smokey Bowers.
"He has a compassion that I just can't describe, something I've never, ever seen in anybody," said realtor Barbara Kennon.
After 64 years in the real estate business, Billy Brescia has seen good times and bad. He's had to slow down a bit after a recent bout with congestive heart failure, but hopes to be driving again soon.
His best advice to others is to save up for the rainy days. "They're going to have ups and downs; they're going to have to put a little bit aside every month to take care of the next month in case they don't have a good month," he added.
Trust him.
Mr. Billy knows. He and Claudia still live in their first home, which they bought in 1954.