The World's Oldest Working Plumber Has Died

Vindog11/05/2020 10:30 PM

Global News of Canada has reported that "Lorne Figley, a Saskatchewan-born, Second World War veteran, and the world’s oldest working plumber (Guinness Book of World Records), has died. He was 96."

Photo by Brice Perkins / Global News

Lorne Figley was a former student and graduate of Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Saskatoon, and in 2016 the Institute held a celebration in his honor and established an award in his name. Age 92 at the time, Figley was the oldest working plumber then and he had some words of advice for up and coming students of the plumbing trade. “Plumbing is a good trade and you’ll never be out of work. It best suits someone with strong math skills and problem-solving ability.”

Figley, an eternal optimist, attributed his longevity to a passion for learning. “I don’t know, I’m addicted to learning so I’ve taken virtually hundreds of classes about things and I think that’s what keeps you going,” Figley said.

Although he was proud of his accomplishments, Figley was even prouder of the accomplishments of his children. “My children and grandchildren include three engineers, four PhDs, a nurse, a lawyer, and a veterinarian, but I’m the only one with a Guinness world record.”

Figley became an apprentice plumber in 1948 and went on to operate Broadway Heating LTD. for nearly 70 years. In 2016 he had no intention of retiring anytime soon and said he "hoped to die with a pipe wrench in his hand". When Figley passed away on October 28th he had only just put the wrenches down at the end of August, nearly accomplishing his goal.

"Despite being well past retirement age, he kept Broadway Heating open to keep busy and help others, according to his oldest son Don."

“He liked to work. He liked to do things for other people,” Don said.

Don told Global News his father “made virtually no money” in the past 30 years because he helped people who couldn’t afford the components and repairs they needed.

“But he did a lot of work and had a lot of fun. A lot of his clients were his friends.”

Don credited his father’s work ethic and generosity to his time growing up on a farm and living through the Great Depression.

Lorne Figley after he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Supplied to Global News by Shirley Figley

Lorne Figley was born in 1924 in Sanctuary, Saskatchewan and worked on a farm until he enlisted in 1942, joining the Royal Canadian Air Force and later becoming a member of the No. 664 Air Observation Post Squadron of the British Royal Air Force where his unit located Nazi positions and radioed them back to Allied Artillery. For his part, Figley updated the security codes every day so the Germans couldn’t listen in, sleeping on a bed in the back of his truck in order to keep constant watch.

When the war ended, Figley was awarded several medals, but according to Don, his father rarely spoke about the war. “He didn’t think it was something to brag about, it was just a job you did.”

Speaking to Global News on Saturday after the funeral, Don said he, his siblings, and all of Figley’s grandchildren were sad but are also very grateful for his life.

“He won the lottery — that’s an amazing life to have had. You’ve got to give it up someday so he got his money’s worth,” Don said.