Still young at heart: Merl Aydelott celebrates 97 years

With plenty of life stories to tell family and friends, Merl Aydelott recently celebrated his 97th birthday Saturday at Rick Martin Memorial Park in Riverside.

Aydelott was surrounded by many friends and family members who helped celebrate with an outdoor barbecue at the family-oriented park. He spoke about various jobs he worked, which included driving a fuel truck and a gas truck in the 1930s, and how he became a college grad nearly 70 years ago.

“I graduated from college in 1945 and moved back to help on the ranch,” Aydelott said. “I once worked for the University of Wyoming in Laramie, but the University got a budget cut and of course being one of the newer employees I got cut. I bounced around and worked for a lumber yard for a while and a moving and storage company for a while.”

Aydelott said he then worked for a company in Laramie for 16 years before retiring and moving back to the Platte Valley, where he spent nearly three decades working as a volunteer firefighter.

“I retired from there in ‘78, and then moved back here to take care of my mother because she was getting about into her 80s,” he said. “I ended up joining the volunteer fire department as a fireman for 28 years. Now, I ain’t doing nothing.”

Although he joked about not doing much at nearly a century old, Aydelott still remains a member of the tractor club.

“I don’t do much, but I get by on my little tractor,” he said.