BANGOR – Today, Anna Bart turns 89.

Even though it’s her birthday, Bart did not take the day off from her job at Bangor Motor Inn.

“I’m not only the oldest person working here, I’m also the one who has worked here the longest,” said the birthday girl.

Four days out of the week, the Levant resident drives herself to work at the laundry room at the Bangor Motor Inn, a position she has held for 81/2 years.

“For the first six years I worked five or six days [a week],” Bart said. “Now I’m working four days a week.”

Having a social life is the main reason she continues to work, Bart said.

“Financially, I’m not too bad off. I own my own home, and my son lives with me on weekends and my grandson stays with me,” she said. “Every year I say ‘I’m going to give my notice.’ However, as long as I can work, I’ll work.

“I get so bored sitting down,” Bart said. “If I stayed at home all the time, I’d stay in bed and get lazy. This way I get to socialize and see my family.”

During her lifetime, Bart has been a touring ballroom dancer, an airplane mechanic, a waitress and mother of three.

“I grew up here in Bangor and lived here until I got married at 19 and moved to Massachusetts,” she said. “That was in the 1930s, and I went on tour, ballroom dancing with my husband.”

Bart spent considerable time touring in Michigan and Canada before returning to Maine.

“When I came back to Maine I went to aircraft mechanic school in Brewer,” she said. “That was during World War II.”

After completing the 10-week aircraft mechanic school, Bart and two of her sisters moved to Connecticut to work on airplanes for the U.S. government.

“I was at the Bradley Air Field in Connecticut doing aircraft hydraulics for two or three years,” Bart said. “I’m a jack of all trades and a master of none.”

After the war ended, the three sisters worked at a Howard Johnson’s near the Boston Airport before returning home.

“I had a crazy life,” she said.

Bart is the oldest of 14 children. Her folks migrated to Maine from Prince Edward Island in Canada before she was born.

“I have five sisters and one brother still alive,” she said.

All now reside in Maine, except for one, who lives in Florida. And Bart’s three children, who were born in Braintree, Mass., all live in Bangor. For many years Bart was a waitress at the now-closed Pilots Grill.

“I worked at Pilots Grill for 16 years,” Bart said. “I had to retire at age 72.”

After retiring, Bart spent five summers cleaning rooms in Bar Harbor with one of her sisters. It was there that she was recruited by Cathy Coston, Bangor Motor Inn general manager.

Coston has known Bart since the mid-1980s and has been best friends with one of her daughters for 20 years.

“There is no question she’s an inspiration to everyone who works here,” Coston said. “Laundry is a physically hard, hot job and there have been many much younger people who didn’t last one week. If you understand just how demanding her job is, you would realize that her accomplishments would be amazing for someone half her age – literally.”

Not only is Bart a hard worker, Coston said, she has great virtue.

“The best part about Anna is her attitude in life,” said Coston. “She is a very spiritual woman and that spirit is so prevalent that it just kind of rubs off on anyone around her. There are no bad days when Anna is around because just being herself, she represents what is good and true and those around her can feel that.”

At one point in her life, Bart owned land in Florida, but she gave it up.

“I had a place in Florida and I thought I’d retire there,” she said. “But I found out I like to go there for a month or so but not to live.”

Bart is a member of St. John’s Catholic Church in Bangor, and she said having faith and patience are keys to a long, healthy and happy life.

“I really believe faith helps a lot,” she said. “Faith and church help with all of your life.”

To Coston and the people that run the Bangor Motor Inn, Anna is family.

“Over the course of our lives there are only a few that tend to leave a lasting impression on us,” Coston said. “Anna is one of those.”

The Bangor Daily News is profiling people age 70 and older who choose to remain in the work force. We welcome suggestions for people to profile. Contact us at 990-8138 or e-mail bdnnews@bangordailynews.net.