BOELUS, Neb. (AP) — Gene Whitefoot has been in the grocery business in Boelus since Feb. 8, 1941. Seventy-five years later, he still works six days a week.
"I've never had another job," 86-yearold Whitefoot tells The Grand Island Independent (http://bit.ly/1PHymhs ).
He's also never lived anywhere but Boelus. His entire life has been lived in a two-block area.
Whitefoot was born a block away from the grocery store. He now lives a block south of there.
"That's being in a rut, I would say," he says, smiling.
When he was 11 years old, Whitefoot started working at the store, which is at the corner of Delaware and Sixth streets. He's been coming to work at the store ever since. He's been the sole owner of the business since 1992, when it became known as Whitefoot Market.
His son, Wayne, is in charge of the very successful Whitefoot Catering, which operates out of the same building.
That business caters events over a wide area. Last fall, Whitefoot Catering handled nine weddings in one day. Three other groups picked up their meals at the store.
If not for the catering business, the grocery store wouldn't be around. "Small stores are going by the wayside," Whitefoot said. "Wally World" has taken care of them, he said.
Whitefoot gets to work at 7:30 a.m. and goes home at 6 p.m. He doesn't work Sundays and Wednesday afternoons.
Whitefoot has no problem being on his feet all day.
The 5-foot-5-inch grocer weighs 158 pounds. In 1962, he weighed 162.
Whitefoot has a good sense of humor. Standing at the counter, he says to a visitor, "This is the express lane."
For many years, Whitefoot Market has long given free candy to kids.
Last May, Whitefoot had his right knee replaced. The operation was done by Dr. Scott Franssen, who was born in Boelus. Whitefoot jokes, "I gave him suckers and he gave me a knee."
Whitefoot has been around downtown Boelus long enough that he remembers when area farmers came into town every Thursday night. A free movie would be shown outside for the kids. Farmers brought in their eggs and cream and get groceries in exchange. Neighbors would visit with neighbors. On those nights, the grocery store sometimes stayed open until 1 a.m.
Every town had a bustling evening like that, he remembers. The only thing that varied was which night it was.
When Whitefoot was very young, Boelus had three grocery stores, a hardware store, a meat market, two elevators, two banks and two bars. In a town of 320 people, six places had gas pumps.
Boelus, which is now home to 185 people, is still doing all right. In addition to the grocery store and catering operation, Boelus has a steak house, filing station, bank and fertilizer plant.
Whitefoot graduated from Boelus High in 1948.
"My dad was the barber in town for 39 years," he said. His mother worked as a dietician at the school and at Centura School for 29 years.
His uncle, Andy Jensen, asked Whitefoot to come work at the store when he was a youngster.
The business was started by Andy Jensen's father, Pete, in 1896 — 11 years after Boelus was established.
Pete Jensen, who lived in Dannebrog, drove a buggy to Boelus every day 11 miles each way. When the weather was bad, he stayed at the store overnight.
The store, which was originally across the street, has been in its current location since 1936.
After Pete Jensen died in 1938, Andy ran the store until 1956. Whitefoot then worked for Andy's son, Kenneth.
Whitefoot and Kermit Ericksen bought the business in 1970. Whitefoot bought out Ericksen in 1992.
After Whitefoot got married in 1948, Andy Jensen asked him what he planned to do.
He said he'd probably work a few more months at the store and then move on.
"Well, that was in 1948 and I'm still here," Whitefoot said.
He never decided to move on. Andy, who'd married his mom's sister, was a great guy, he said.
"He was like a second dad to me," he said. His own dad died at 53.
Whitefoot and his wife, Alma, had three kids.
Wayne lives above the store. Mike lives in Grand Island. Their daughter Velda, and her husband, Tom Butters, live in Kearney.
Before Wayne returned to Boelus, he and his father owned the grocery store in Scotia for 17 years.
Alma passed away in 1999 at the age of 70.
Whitefoot has been village clerk and on the village board since 1952.
Boelus has a strong baseball history.
Whitefoot, who played left field, quit playing when he was 39.
Inside the store is a huge bat, made from a telephone pole, that celebrates the Boelus 1930 team. Among the names on the bat are Whitefoot's father and three uncles.
The grocery business has changed over the years. Customers buy more frozen food than they used to.
Ericksen still works two days a week in the store.
The store is also staffed by Wayne and his wife, Julie, and Mary Ann Anderson.
Whitefoot goes home for lunch every day. In the mornings, he gathers with other local men at the Golden Nugget from 8:15 to 9 a.m. The women assemble after the men.
Morning coffee is where everyone hears all the local news.
Alma used to say that in small towns, "Everybody knows whose check is good and whose husband isn't."
Whitefoot, who used to slaughter cattle and hogs, can't carry a quarter beef like he used to. But he likes coming to work every day in the store, which measures 135 by 45 feet.
Whitefoot doesn't want to retire because he's already doing what he likes to do. He looks forward to coming to work.
He will continue to work as long as he feels like he's helping, and is not in the way.
He's comfortable in the place he's worked since before Pearl Harbor.
"I know what I'm doing — most of the time," he said. "Some of them around here don't think I do. But I do."
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Information from: The Grand Island Independent, http://www.theindependent.com
An AP Member Exchange shared by The Grand Island Independent.
