Aug 7, 2015 3 min read

“I knew something fishy was going on,” Sophia Braddock said as she was guided into a cordoned-off section of the Canonsburg McDonald’s restaurant where she’s worked since she was 64.

At the end of her four-hour shift Friday, Canonsburg Mayor Dave Rhome and McDonald’s staff presented her with a proclamation as well as an oversized birthday card with a photo of her smooching pop singer and Canonsburg native Bobby Vinton. “Boy, I really puckered up for that one,” she said, as coworkers and her two adult children, Darlene Bunevich and Vince Braddock, smiled and laughed.

“She moves and hustles like a teenager,” said McDonald’s owner and operator Ron Galiano.

“I’ve worked with her since I started in 1996,” he said.

When it wcame time to blow out the candle on her cake, she paused and said, “I’m wishing I’m here for another 26 years.”

The now-90-year-old Imperial native resides in Canonsburg and still mows her lawn and whips out the weed trimmer during the summer months, according to her daughter, Darlene.

“When my dad retired 30 years ago, I tried to get her to quit working, but she just kept on going. And I’m glad about that,” she said.

“It just went so fast, the time just flies, I’m so busy. I love working here, in the kitchen, with everyone. We have a lot of fun here. I have good bosses,” Sophia said.

She was referring to manager Scott Kausky, one of her bosses for the past 16 years.

“She was the first employee I met when I came to this location. I never see her in a bad mood. Always a smile on her face,” he said.

Reiterating she’s not about to retire any time soon, she said she’ll leave when Kausky leaves.

Until then, the part-time kitchen worker will be whipping up fast-food favorites she still enjoys herself.

“The grilled chicken sandwich. That’s my favorite,” she said.