How Many Know Someone Who Retired Then Became Seriously Ill Or Died?

[Mr._johngalt]

Actually, it's a fact that 100% of retirees become seriously ill and/or die.

Knowing this was the primary driving force behind my own ER.

In my circle of close friends, classmates, fishing buddies and former
business associates, I can't think of anyone who has died. A lot
are still working (why this is puzzles me at times) and some are in bad
shape health-wise. I like to say that "Elvis is dead and I don't feel so good myself"
(Lewis Grizzard, deceased).

JG

 

[Donzo]

A close friend of my family retired at 56 and developed Parkinsons disease shortly after - he went from a very outgoing fun/happy man to hiding away in his home - very sad.

My Dad retired at 58 and lived till 2 weeks before his 80th B-day

My Mom is still going strong at 82 - she is very busy and having fun..

 

[USK Coastie]

My dad retired at 58 after 30 years with MegaCorp. Still going strong at 87. In July he'll have been retired as long as he worked for MegaCorp.

 

[Andre1969]

My family has been pretty lucky so far with regards to retirement...

Grandad on Dad's side of the family: retired in 1974 at age 60, still alive today. Recently turned 92, and still pretty healthy. He can't hear so well, and while he seemed pretty well-preserved for awhile, he's starting to look more his age these days. Still, it's only been in the last couple years we talked him into not getting up on the roof to clean the gutters, touch up the chimney, etc. He seems pretty laid back and happy, and doesn't let anything bother him.
Grandmom: retired in 1975, died in 1994 (I forget how old she was)

Granddad on Mom's side of the family: retired in 1971 at age 55. Died in 1990 (lung cancer)
Grandmom: retired in 1980 at age 56, but worked part time/on-call sporadically through 1994, to keep busy. Still alive and kicking at age 83. Macular degeneration took her off the road back in 1999, but otherwise she still seems pretty healthy.

As for the event of one spouse often dying within a year of the other, I can think of once incident here at work that was somewhat publicized. There was a woman who passed away, from cancer IIRC. I don't know how old she was, I'd guess 50's or early 60's. Her husband just couldn't cope with losing her, and he shot himself within a year. I guess it must be really rough, living and loving only one person for most of your life, and then having that person taken away from you. It must really leave a hole in your life.

I do remember Grandmom having a nervous breakdown in 1995. I think too much happened in her life all at once. For most of her life, she had been around people. Granddad, kids, foster kids, grandkid (me) etc. In 1994, I was living with her, and so was my uncle. Well, Grandmom quit working completely in 1994, so she suddenly had a lot of free time. In late 1994 I bought my condo and moved out. Her dog died at the age of 13 about 2-3 months later. And my uncle works long hours, and would often come home around 7:00, eat dinner, read a book, and go to bed. So Grandmom became almost totally alone very quickly, and couldn't handle it.

 

[Martha]

When my mother died of a heart attack at age 39, my father two days later had a minor heart attack.

Similar thing happened to parents of a friend of mine. His dad retired, he went on the golf course and died of a heart attack. His mother on learning the news had a minor heart attack.

 

[Glo]

I've know several people along the way that died soon after retirement. My father took early retirement due to illness and lived 10 years. My mother retired at 60 and lived until 86. Since I'm newly retired (September 29, 2006), I hope I have a few years left. I've looked forward to retirement for at least 25 years! LOL

 

[Moemg]

Maybe the clue is not to work .My Mom who only worked two years is alive and well at 90 .Maybe it's not the retiring that kills us but the work !

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

i'd planned for years to spend the rest of my life traveling the world by sailboat with my best friend who wound up dying way too freakin early. i'm still a little pissed off. long ago he said to me he'd rather die than give up his cigarettes and martinis. well, congratulations bitch, ya got yer wish.

in life he was an amazing guy. retired early from a successful hollywood career, this tv heart-throb (sorry girls, but we fooled ya again) lived the american dream, fans requesting autographs and a house in the hollywood hills. his neighborhood sported, among many others, frasier (who later moved out) and raymond's tv mother lived just around the corner.

once while on vacation there i called my family to wish them happy thanksgiving. i was telling my niece that just outside my room i could see the famous hollywood sign so she could picture where i was. she asked "if i turn on the television, will i see you?"

money doesn't mean crap, fame doesn't mean crap, intelligence doesn't mean crap, accomplishments don't mean crap and frankly, even with all due respect, early retirement doesn't mean crap. non of this has permanence as all this can be taken away in the blink of an eye. nothing matters. enjoy what you can while you can. be healthy, be happy.

here's some views my friend traded in from his balcony. his view is even better now.

there's the hwood sign in the upper right hand corner. it looked much bigger in person.

looking down on the mini-mansions...

 

[SteveR]

Late retired after 34 years with the same company. She died of septicemia 7 months later.

My grandmother died at 65 and my grandfather died less than a year later of a massive MI.

My father died 15 years into retirement and my mother is still living 7 years later.


People die everyday. The connection to ER may be causal or just sugestive. The point is that we don't know when our number will come up so live each day like it might be your last...but plan for the future at the same time...in case you live though the day.

 

[Sand Pounder]

My best friend's father was ready to retire at 65, but his boss begged him to stay another year. A year later, he was again ready to retire, but his boss begged him to stay yet another year. He worked one more year, then retired despite his boss's pleas. He died two weeks later.

Made me think.

 

[Dawg52]

My brother retired at 51, cancer surgery at 53, dead at 56. Obviously you can't blame cancer on early retirement, but he did become a couch potato and became over weight. May not help, but I assure you I'm gonna get plenty of exercise and not become fat.

 

[ScaredtoQuit]

My Dad worked as a painter until he was 69. Then worked in his own business until he was 88. Was diagnosed with cancer shortly after he divested his business and was gone 6 months later.

He always warned me about not doing anything. He often talked about several people that he worked with who would retire, go home and watch TV for a year or so and then die.

I think a fundamental difference between his world and mine is the type of work that we do. I think painting was a low-stress, high exercise activity that (except for the fumes) actually promoted health. I find working for MegaCorp incredibly stressful and I am very glad I won't have to be here when I am 69.

 

[mountaintosea]

Just an update, retired co-worker is still in the hospital. Apparently he was up and walking around last week and this week he's had a tracheotomy! Apparently he also has pancreatitis and he reacted to the antibiotics?