Many in the elevator industry are passionate about what they do and continue doing it long past typical retirement age. A perfect example is Larry L. “Poppy” Pummell. His son, Jim Pummell, general manager at Tri-State Drilling & Repair, Inc., headquartered in Arcadia, Florida, shared the following with ELEVATOR WORLD, including a picture of Poppy hard at work on a five-stop cylinder replacement in Miami Beach. Jim Pummell shared:
“This is a picture of my father, Larry L. “Poppy” Pummell. He is a hydraulic elevator driller/cylinder replacement specialist. At nearly 80 years old with more than 60 years’ experience in the trade, he still works circles around the younger guys. Certainly, some members of the younger generation could take a work-ethic lesson from him. He learned the trade from his father, Russell Pummell, who passed away last year at the age of 98. I learned the trade from my Poppy and am teaching it to my sons. That makes four generations. Poppy is an energetic, charismatic person who is known far and wide for his ability to enthrall people with his quick wit and charm. I feel extremely blessed and fortunate to be privy to his wealth of knowledge and abilities. That’s my Poppy! “
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