Meet the 101-year-old New Jersey woman who refuses to retire

At 101 years old, Cresskill’s own Ann Angeletti is proving that passion really might be the best anti-aging secret.

Cresskill’s Sparkling Gem Still Shines

She’s the proud owner of Curiosity Jewelers, a family-run business she operates with her daughter and granddaughter, and she’s still clocking six days a week.

Five of those are spent in her Bergen County shop, and the sixth is reserved for a trip into New York City’s diamond district, where she hunts for the best deals and newest pieces.

Most people her age would be retired for decades by now, but Ann says that’s exactly what keeps her alive, she told ABC News.

A Lifetime of Hustle: From Brooklyn to Bergen County

Her days are full. She spends them bargaining with vendors, chatting with customers, checking every last detail of a repair or custom order.

She grew up in Brooklyn and then had to drop out of school to work in her family’s corner grocery store.

Instead of playing with dolls like other girls, Ann was learning how to count change and hustle customers before most kids her age could ride a bike. When World War II hit and her husband went off to serve, she didn’t sit around waiting; she went to work at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, then waited tables.

Basically, she’s been working hard since working hard was invented.

Still Sparkling: The Centenarian Behind Curiosity Jewelers

These days, she’s still at it; selling diamonds, chatting with customers, keeping her daughter and granddaughter in line, and probably running circles around people a quarter her age. She’s proof that retirement isn’t for everyone.

And she keeps her advice refreshingly simple: take care of yourself, stay active, and do something you actually enjoy.

Easy to say, sure, but she’s 101 and thriving, so maybe she’s onto something.

For Anne, her jewelry shop isn’t just work, it’s her reason to get up every morning, throw on something fabulous, and keep moving.

It’s her key to longevity and we should all try it if we’re given the opportunity to live long enough.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.

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