High School ‘Lunch Lady’ Celebrates 95th Birthday

A New Jersey high school brought in its marching band, choir and cheerleaders to celebrate the 95th birthday of a lunch lady who served generations of students.

Evelyn Kiss, who has been working at Edison’s Stevens High School since it opened in 1964, greeted students and teachers near the cafeteria exit during each lunch period on Tuesday. She wakes up at 5 a.m. every day, arrives to work early and spends time with other workers before getting ready for lunch.

“There is never a dull moment,” Kiss said. “You come in and the young people are really always happy. It makes you feel young. After that, I just wanted to come back every year and meet them all.”

Colleagues said Kiss insists on coming to work even when she’s sick — a trait that inspires students and staff.

“I can’t imagine at her age still working at 95, so I find her an inspiration,” said Kim Carpenter, a cafeteria worker. “If she can go to work, I can get up, too. She leaves her problems at home and does her job. If the rest of us do half as good a job as she does, we’d be lucky.”

This article appeared in print on page 4 of the October 19th, 2015 edition of Hamodia.