When I worked for Honeywell the average number of monthly retirement checks was 18. I knew men who retired healthy and then died. If you’d have asked them about themselves the first words would be, “I’m a (xxx) with Honeywell.” They identified with their roll in the company and with the company itself. That was their whole identity. It wasn’t unusual to attend a Saturday night party and find they were in their work clothes and wearing their badge despite not having been to work that day.
Sad, really. (This was in the ‘80’s and they were all 30 year employees.)
Sad, really. (This was in the ‘80’s and they were all 30 year employees.)
Same thing at Hughes Aircraft in the late 70’s and early 80’s.
The monthly company newsletter would have an obituary section and give ages. Lots (most?) passed away in one to three years of retiring.