Jim Evans
Jim Evans turns 99 years old in October 2018, but he’s still an active welder in Ocean View.
He learned the craft growing up around the Evans family garage that opened in 1918. His father and uncles all worked in auto repair, and the World War II veteran hasn’t stopped using the skills he learned from them to this day.
Jim still stays active in his own shop behind his house off of Granby St. He even teaches welding at the shop.
Evans is in great health, doesn’t take any medication outside of eye drops and still starts his day at 4 a.m. every day.
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Zachrey Gill
A welding student at the Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College (WITC) campus, Zachrey Gill is proving he can be successful despite having very limited hearing. He became deaf at 7 months old, therefore he is only able to detect loud noises.
Initially, Gill was nervous, but then he decided that he can do it, by telling himself and to his mom. Gills’ mother motivated and today he is comfortable.
He is able to work within a group setting, and is also able to understand the blueprints, the terminology used. Gill puts all the pieces together, and learns just like any other student, it’s very rewarding. Now Zachrey himself hopes to inspire others in his position.
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Adam Lenard
A 91 year-old New Iberia welder – Adam Lenard has no plans to hang up his torch. Lenard keeps busy doing what he’s done nearly all his adult life.
He was born and raised on a farm. At 17 years old, he started working with a welder. Lenard didn’t work as a welder right away. He did a bit of moving from job to job. He was initially working in cleaning yards, for a living. This same job lit the path to Lenard for a welding career. He requested for a welding machine and a torch to a working welder in cleaning yard to fix the bracket. The working welder thought he was joking, but Lenard did the fixing.
Thereafter, the welding career in his life expanded, wherein he recruited six other guys under him. The working welder, eventually, at age 76 retired, but Adam still continues as a Welder. He has his own welding shop.
