94-year-old woman serving smiles at McDonald's for last 44 years

EVANSVILLE, Indiana (KTRK) -- A 94-year-old Indiana woman has been greeting hungry customers for more than four decades, adding some extra gold to those familiar arches at McDonald's.

"She's more like the sunshine of this place," loyal customer Andrea Feller told WEHT. "You come in, she's always smiling, always doing her best."

Her customers say Miss Loraine is someone who will cross a room just to give you a hug.

"She is a sweet, sweet lady. Makes everybody feel welcome when they're coming in," said customer Bob Shoulders.

For 44 years, Miss Loraine has been that person working under those golden arches.

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"I didn't come to stay. I didn't come to stay," Miss Loraine said. "I just needed something to do after my husband had to retire."

A McDonald's employee since 1973, her job has been serving friendship.

"When people come in, they always want to meet her and want to know her story and so just, they may never come back to our restaurant again, but she's somehow affected their lives for that few minutes," McDonald's owner and operator Katie Kenworthy said.

At 94 years old, Miss Loraine has worked at a number of McDonald's locations in Indiana over the years.

But it doesn't matter where she's located. Her friends will cross town just to see her smile.

"She's been to different McDonald's, so, I've seen her at all of them just about. So I've been seeing her for about 20 years," Shoulders said.

"She has a memory that's amazing," Kenworthy said. "She can tell stories about McDonald's from 44 years ago or 5 minutes ago. She remembers things and she remembers faces and it makes people feel special when they come to our restaurant. Loraine knows her customers so well that sometimes she even has their order prepared for them before they even walk through the door."

"I told them, I said, well if you called in I would have delivered it. They said, how would you get out? I said I'd jump the counter and bring it over to you. I did one time," Loraine said.

And today, marking 44 years of someone's quiet strength that has lifted up so many.

Some of her loyal customers say: "She's an inspiration" and "She's our friend."

"That's why I work," Loraine said. "Because I love them all."

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