At 94, Ralph Picht of Bella Vista brings his years of experience to benefit customers at TH Rogers Lumber Company.
Manager Daniel Dewitt said of Picht, "He has a wealth of knowledge. With him being 94 he's been around the block a few times. I can only imagine 94 years ago how many things didn't exist. He grew up in a society where, if something is broken, you fix it to keep it going. Nowadays we live in a throwaway society. I've seen him over and over and over -- something comes in broken, he fixes it and it's good as new. He has that mechanical knowledge, that electrical knowledge to save an item from a landfill. We have a lot of customers ... everybody bringing in lamps for him to rewire. I've seen him fix vacuum cleaners; I've seen him fix power tools. That's kind of a trade that's lost."
Picht was born during the Depression in 1928 and grew up in central Iowa on a farm. He graduated from a small school with nine in his graduating class. It was during World War II at the time, but he was only 17 when he graduated. Upon turning 18, he was immediately drafted, he said. He served in the Army two years and then started college at Iowa State University, which was on a quarterly basis rather than on a semester basis. He majored in agricultural engineering.
He progressed to the first quarter of his junior year, and the Korean War began, he said. He was recalled to service in Korea. Following his service there, he wanted to get on with his life, as all his friends had completed college. He worked at a seed company for a while and married his wife, Glennice. The opportunity arose to start a farm, so he farmed and Glennice taught school. The farm consisted of row crops and some livestock. Eventually he decided to liquidate the farm and buy a hardware store, which he owned for 20 years.
The hardware store, which he purchased with the name, was called Peterson Hardware.
"It was easy to spell and say, and I never had the desire to have my name up in lights," he said. "I always had an interest in retail of some type."
He enjoyed getting to know his customers.
"You get to know people. Most of them are good. Sometimes you find a rotten egg," he said.
After running the hardware store for 20 years, he retired and did odd jobs for a little while, he said.
Then he and Glennice moved to Bella Vista in 1993. He said he loves it here. They toured Arkansas and got acquainted with the state. Then he told Glennice that he missed having a regular schedule, so he decided to apply at the hardware store, which at the time was Ace Hardware. He has been with the store through it becoming True Value Hardware, Village Home Center and then TH Rogers. He works two days a week.
"I really like it," he said. "Mighty nice company and the manager here is one of the best managers. TH Rogers is an excellent organization."
He added, "I'm so fortunate of having good health. I keep busy. I'm active in church and I sing in the church choir and have many friends there. I like to be friends with everybody."