We’re of the opinion that people should work as long as they’re able and happy doing it. Being productive and getting out and about keeps you in better physical and mental health, not to mention the financial benefits. Considering the decline of pension plans for anyone but government workers, more and more people are going to have to do so out of necessity.
An example of how to do it right is Dr. Walter Rose. The Indianola physician and recent retiree continued practicing medicine through age 84, an amazing accomplishment for such a demanding profession.
Rose, who was honored last week during a reception at Community Bank, estimates he’s delivered 5,000 babies, and the number of people in Sunflower and surrounding counties he’s treated must number in the untold thousands. He’s also helped bring better health care to many in Honduras through annual mission trips he’s led along with Jim Woods since 1982.
In an age where many seem to be entering the medical profession to make money rather than help others, Rose embodies doing it for the right reasons. The longtime Rotarian has lived that club’s motto, “Service above self.”
We congratulate him on his career and contributions to civic life in Indianola.
It reminds us also of the benefit a state and community can reap from investing in developing young professionals. Rose is an Augusta, Ga., native and probably would have never ended up in Mississippi except for a regional scholarship at Ole Miss for out-of-state students. He later received a public health scholarship to go to medical school, leading to him beginning his career in Sunflower County as a public health officer before beginning his longtime practice as a family physician. That investment paid off many times over for Mississippi.
And while we’re on the topic of retirement, here’s how this editor plans to do it: A.) Subscribe to about five daily newspapers and leisurely read them each morning. B.) Play 18 holes of golf daily. C.) Do freelance coverage of courts for the local newspaper. Maybe that’s not your dream, but it’s a lot cheaper than going to the beach.
