BILLINGS— McDonald’s honored a former employee on her 100th birthday Tuesday with a gift basket as her family celebrated with her.
Kathryn Pickett worked at the first McDonald’s restaurant in San Bernardino, Calif., when she was 16 years old as a carhop.
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“A car would pull up to the side and order their meal, whatever they wanted, and we'd bring it out on a tray…. they would leave probably a quarter tip,” said Pickett.
When one of her family members called to let the food chain know about the birthday, the restaurant responded with gifts. The family celebrated with McFlurries and McDonald’s coffee as well.
“I was really surprised,” said Pickett.
Picket said she worked as a telephone operator for 27 years following her time at McDonald’s, sometimes transferring phone calls for celebrities such as Frank Sinatra.
“He was in Palm Springs. He called Hollywood. Of course, being Frank Sinatra at three o'clock in the morning, you're going to open that switch and all you had to do was open it and you could hear what's going on. I don't remember what they talked about. That was fun,” she said.
As for the secret to a long life, Pickett said it is staying active.
“I often wonder why I went this long. I think it might be the fact that I ran a lot,” she said.
“I just love to run. It's such a free feeling. You get out there and you run and run, and pretty soon you're just in another world,” she added.
Pickett also hiked and biked often, traveling to places such as Yellowstone National Park and Machu Picchu.
“I've always loved Kathy from the minute I met her. Once she moved up to Billings, I ran a lot. So, we got to, she would show me places that she would run, and we would go together,” said Pickett’s stepdaughter, Linda Patenaude.
“She looks like she's 100 going on 80. And if her body hadn't kind of begin to fail her, she would still be in the mountains,” said Pickett’s son-in-law, Jim Patenaude.
Even though Pickett uses a wheelchair now, she said she did not feel 100 years old when asked.
“No. I don't. That sounds awfully old. But there I am,” she responded.
Pickett now has four great-grandchildren, all of whom she’s been able to meet.
