Fay Kapke has been retreading tires for six decades

LINCOLN, Neb. — It was June 1959.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower joined Queen Elizabeth II and Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker at a ceremony to open the St. Lawrence Seaway. The U.S. Air Force Academy graduated its first class, commissioning 207 officers. Voters in Hawaii overwhelmingly approved plans for the territory to become the 50th state.

Johnny Horton's "Battle of New Orleans" was playing on transistor radios, while Charlton Heston's "Ben-Hur" and Marilyn Monroe's "Some Like it Hot" dominated the movie business.

It was that month when a scrawny 5-foot-5, 140-pound 18-year-old, fresh from acknowledging his dream of becoming a forest ranger wouldn't be possible, set out looking for a job.

He first went to a meat processing plant. Strike one.

Then to a scooter manufacturer. Strike two.

The third time, was, indeed, the charm for Fay Kapke.

"I don't know why the guy hired me," Kapke said. "I guess he was looking for help."

Vern Walker, then owner of Walker Tire Co. in Lincoln, hired him as a technician, changing tires and making service calls.

"I was a little bitty fart," Kapke said. "I'm sure he thought, 'What are you going to do with a tire that outweighs you?'"

Kapke found he liked the job, but when Walker offered him a choice — either go to another store in Omaha, Neb., and continue servicing vehicles, or remain in Lincoln and work in the retreading facility — Kapke elected to stay put and learn a new trade.

More than 64 years later, Kapke still works for the same dealership, now called Walker Tire Point S in Lincoln, doing that same job.

Let that sink in. Sixty-four years working for the same employer. Six-plus decades retreading tires.

"The more I did it, the more I liked it," he said. "The way I look at it, every day is a challenge; every tire is a challenge. I kinda got hooked, I guess"

Kapke married Vonda in 1959; they recently celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary. Their two living children — their youngest died of cancer three years ago — are nearing the age for social security.

"Jiminy Christmas," Kapke said, considering that thought. "Scary, man."

Kapke will turn 83 on Oct. 4. Several months ago, he negotiated to reduce his hours: He works 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

He finds himself with plenty of free time on Fridays.

"My honey-do list is getting smaller and smaller," he said.

Kapke said he was surprised that his supervisor, Steve Gewecke, didn't balk at his request for reduced hours.

"He said 'OK,' just like that," Kapke said, shaking his head. "Surprised the heck out of me. I was ready to negotiate. Made me feel good. I guess I'm semi-retired. I'm starting to phase out a little bit."

Hardly.

Kapke certainly harks back to another era, when employees loved their job and remained at the same employer from the teenage years through retirement.

"He's one of the hardest working guys around," said Mark Colborn, who works in outside sales delivery for Walker Tire Point S, with four locations in Nebraska. "He enjoys what he does."

".... And he's proud of it," said Rob Barlow, a former co-worker who recently retired from Walker Tire Point S.

"Fay is from the generation you work hard," Colborn said. "You never ask for a raise. If you deserve it, you will get it."

Kapke figures he works on about 25 to 26 tires per day. The process, from start to finish — inspection, repairing, buffing, filing, wrapping, curing — takes about four hours per tire.

In 62 years, that's a lot of time and a lot of tires.

"Every day is a challenge," he said. "I don't think there has ever been two days the same. Ever. I like coming to work and accepting whatever the day offers. That's what keeps me going."

He takes great pride in the work he does.

"There is satisfaction in doing a good job," he said.

He seldom hears from customers happy with his job. They will, however, debate him if he deems that a casing cannot be retreaded. He calls it the most difficult part of the job.

"Can it be saved or do we junk it? A lot of it depends on customers," he said. "If it's for a garbage truck or dump truck, you can get away with a lot. But if it's an over-the-road truck, you've got to be particular. That is the most challenging part."

He said if a tire is more than five years old, junk it.

Ask him about a retread failing, and his passion is evident.

"Most of the retreads that fail are the casings," he said. "That isn't the retread. 90% of that is because of heat. Or it got a nail. It's not the cap; it's the casing. I like telling people how wrong they are."

When he's not spending time talking retreads with his wife and family, Kapke pitches horseshoes and bowls. He learned to pitch horseshoes from his wife's father, before they were married.

He still competes in state tournaments today, and he bowls in a league, representing Walker Tire Point S, now operated by Nick Vuko.

Kapke and his wife used to vacation at Lake of the Ozarks annually, but it's been four years since they traveled that far.

"We now take a Nebraska vacation," he said. "We don't leave the damn yard."

Kapke quit smoking and drinking more than a decade ago. "I don't have any fun at all," he said, laughing.

He has one vice: He chews on an unlit Arturo Fuente cigar daily. He said each one costs $8.

He will cut each one in half and chew it all day.

"They are 100% tobacco," he said. "That's why they chew so good."

He said when he got hired, he was taking home $45 a week.

"Now I spend that much on cigars each month," he said.

Kapke knew he liked retreading from that very first day.

"It's taking an old piece of junk, fixing it up and making it look pretty, and selling it for a bunch of money," he said.

"It's not really work because it's the same thing. It's repetition — over and over and over again. It's just how you do it. And it's easy to learn."

The hardest part, he said, is training fellow co-workers, most of whom leave for other opportunities.

"Right now we have a pretty darn good crew," he said. "It's making me feel I could step out and not be missed, which is a good feeling, but I'm not sure I'm ready to step out."

With his health good and his work schedule manageable, the octogenarian said he has no immediate plans to retire.

"I like working here," he said. "Why? The challenge. Things are getting easier every day, with advances in equipment, the process of stuff. I can use my head instead of my back."

What's the secret to career longevity?

"You gotta love what you are doing," he said. "Not just like it. You gotta love it. And look forward to it every day. I do. You always try to plan ahead, what's coming up. If there is any changes, work them out …

"Love what you do. I can't emphasize that enough."

Fay Kapke has been retreading tires for 64 years