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A Harlan County woman is celebrating a career that has lasted for 50 years at a local bank, and she has no plans to call it a day anytime soon.

Beverly Jones, Vice-President and Branch Operations Manager at Hearthside Bank (Formerly Home Federal), has worked with the company for 50 years, beginning her career in Middlesboro before the Harlan branch opened. She took some time to talk about her time at the job and in Harlan County during a recent interview.

“On February 4th it will be 50 years, and I’m just 39,” Jones said jokingly.

When she began her career, what would eventually become Hearthside Bank was known as Home Federal Savings and Loan.

“I was looking through the phone book, and there was an ad in the back for Home Federal saying they were opening an office in Harlan in 1975,” Jones remembered. “Me and my parents were in Middlesboro one day and my mom said, ‘why don’t you go and get an application?’”

Jones asked her mother to go in and pick her up an application, which she did.

“She went in there and got it,” Jones said. “I went back for the interview, and I was hired. I worked in Middlesboro for a while before the (Harlan) office opened.”

Jones remembers the Harlan branch opened in March of 1975.

“It doesn’t seem like it’s been that long,” Jones said. “I’m proud of this bank…I love the customers; they’ve always been wonderful.”

Jones said her coworkers have always been like family to her.

“They’re just wonderful,” Jones said.

Jones worked other jobs before beginning her banking career, including stints as a carhop at a drive in, a grocery store, and at a market in Evarts.

“I enjoy people,” Jones said. “My kids say I get energy from people.”

Jones mentioned she has seen a lot of life during the time she has worked at the company.

“I’ve seen the birth of my children, the deaths of my parents, my husband, my brother and sister,” Jones said. “Getting saved during that period, that was one of the best blessings you can ever get.”

Jones mentioned she feels fortunate to have had excellent coworkers throughout her career.

 She added she also enjoys working with the bank’s customers.

“I’ve always worked with the public,” Jones said.

She advises young people to always look for the good in people and not to give up when it comes to their career.

Jones does not currently have any plans to retire, saying she prefers to continue helping people and simply does not enjoy saying goodbye.

“If I didn’t work, what would I do?” Jones said.