Mementos that Charles Preston Sr. collected during his life laid scattered on a TV tray as he sat in a green armchair inside his West Manchester Township home recently.

An honorable discharge certificate lay under pictures of him as a young sailor during the tail end of World War II. There was the Social Security card he received when was 14 and a thick green folder containing a piece of paper he had waited more than 50 years to receive: his high school diploma.

Back in 1945, Preston left high school at 17 to join the Navy.

But, en route to his post in the Philippines, the war came to a sudden end.

"On the way over, news came that Truman dropped two atomic bombs on Japan," he said.

In 2001, Preston was presented with a

At one point, Charles Preston took a job as a railroad brakeman in addition to three part-time jobs. 'You can't make it working eight hours a day,' he said.
(Daily Record/Sunday News - Jason Plotkin)
high school diploma from Fairfield Area High School, which is in the district he was attending when he left to serve his country.

After he retired in 1996, Preston called the school to see about getting his long-overdue diploma. The district was happy to comply.

Preston, a native of Adams County, spent the better part of his education attending one-room schoolhouses in the county and parts of Maryland.

During his youth, Preston picked up odd jobs after school mowing grass, picking apples or anything that was available.

The work ethic stuck as he took a job as a brakeman with the Pennsylvania Railroad while holding down three part-time jobs.

"You can't make it working eight hours a day," he said.

In his working career, Preston held a plethora of different jobs and titles. He was a factory worker, mechanic, car dealer, business owner, part-time employee, real estate developer, construction worker -- the list goes on.

Preston got into the car dealership business after he asked for a raise while working as a mechanic for a garage in North York.

In the early 1950s, he was making $1 an hour but wanted more. His boss offered him a nickel extra an hour, so Preston gave him his 30-day notice. "You have to make quick

Charles Preston in 1945, when he left high school to join the Navy. He was presented with a high school diploma in 2001.
(Daily Record/Sunday News - Jason Plotkin)
decisions and don't back off from them," he said.

Preston opened his own dealership and operated five other businesses in the area: a miniature golf course, a gas station, a junk yard, an advertising company and a real estate development company.

It was hard work, but it was worth it, he said.

"The harder I worked, the luckier I got," he said. Luck seemed to be on Preston's side.

At his dealership, a man came in with a deed to his farm in Glen Rock.

The man's wife had divorced him and took the car, so he offered the deed for the farm in exchange for a new car. Just like that, Preston was in the real estate business.

Now, at 80 years old, Preston said he's lived a long, lucky and fulfilled life. He said he didn't think he'd live to his 80s.

"I just keep going, going, going," he said. "These old legs have taken me everywhere."

ABOUT HIM

Name: Charles Preston Sr.

Age: 80

From: West Manchester Township

Family: Wife of 58 years, Regina; four children, Daphne Heiges, Diane Gross, Donna Ober and Charles Preston Jr.