At 90 years old, Maggie Poston has made the decision to retire. Her remarkable career started in 1978 when she became a crossing guard at PS 282 in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Maggie’s dedicated work at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Lincoln Place earned her the affectionate nickname of “Miss Maggie’s Corner”. As a widowed mother of two, Maggie has made a significant impact on her community throughout her many years of service.
Ida Ripo-Ramos, the School Crossing Coordinator, shared with the New York Post that Poston is always standing at her post and never sitting down.
According to the Post, Poston started her job as a crossing guard at the age of 44, during the presidency of Jimmy Carter and the mayoralty of Ed Koch. The Bee Gees were ruling the music charts, and the movie “Grease” had just been released in theaters.
After the department store she worked at went out of business, she found herself searching for a new job. It was through a friend that she discovered the opportunity to become a crossing guard, and she applied for the position soon after.
As she reminisced, she mentioned, “I was in search of employment, and my passion lies in working with children.”
For four decades, the intersection where she has been stationed remains virtually unchanged.
She expressed that the place is peaceful and calm, where people tend to keep to themselves.
When asked about the increasing number of cars and drivers, she confidently replied, “I have no problem. If I ask them to stop, they stop. And when I tell them to go, they go.”
When she turned 90 in January, her colleagues were surprised.
Ripo-Ramos expressed surprise, saying, “I had assumed that she was 83.”
At the end of the school year, she is excited to retire her yellow reflector vest and embark on new adventures. One of her plans includes a trip to Jamaica, where she hopes to explore the beautiful surroundings and soak up the local culture.
“She expressed her desire to travel by saying, ‘I’ve been working all my life. All my life. It’s time to travel.'”