Worth Township man who worked at a nursing home to be close to his wife during lockdown has retired

A Worth Township man has retired for the second time after working for three years at a nursing home to be with his wife during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Three years ago, Larry Burnett made the decision to go back to work at 83 years old, but it wasn't to make more money. He wanted to see his wife, Carol, who at the time was unable to see visitors at Regency-on-the-Lake because of the COVID-19 lockdown. Now at 86, Larry Burnett is retiring for the second time in his life.

"The first time I retired was from a phone company in 1991," he said. "I've enjoyed working here with the residents."

Larry Burnett was working in the Events and Activities Department at Regency-on-the-Lake, located at 5669 Lakeshore Road in Fort Gratiot.

Larry Burnett said he decided to retire after fully recovering from COVID for the second time in April. He said the lingering affects he's had recently have given him brain fog and some weakness. He said he's worried that if he gets COVID again, it may kill him and take him away from Carol.

"I want to stick around and take care of her," he said.

Although he is retiring, Larry Burnett does not plan to stop working. He said he will continue to volunteer in the Events and Activities Department. Retirement just means he will no longer be coming into direct contact with the other residents at Regency-on-the-Lake.

He said he would be at the nursing home every day to both take care of his wife and volunteer. Larry Burnett will do anything Sandra Ball, the director of the Events and Activities Department, needs him to do, especially grilling.

"He is our number one griller," Ball said. "He was one of the only people that wanted to work (in a nursing home) during the lockdown. He's a brave and wonderful man."

Carol Burnett said everyone at Regency-on-the-Lake knows her husband. She said he helps anyone who needs it. Larry Burnett is the type of person who will continue to work until he can no longer do it. He said he always need to be doing something.

Additionally, many of the younger employees look up to Larry Burnett according to Carol Burnett and Ball.

"He has a nice way of saying things to them," Carol Burnett said.

COVID restrictions were fully lifted at Regency-on-the-Lake last week. However, the Burnetts said the residents are reluctant to leave their rooms after three years of being isolated. Larry Burnett said the Events and Activities Department did everything it could to encourage people to get out.

Carol Burnett said she is one of the people reluctant to leave her room. She said she and Larry Burnett have lost at least 60 friends to COVID, however this number vastly increases when they include the families and friends that no longer visit the nursing home.

"We hope everybody is careful this time," Larry Burnett said.

People in the community can volunteer with Larry Burnett at Regency-on-the-Lake. Ball said the nursing home always needs volunteers. Opportunities include helping in the dining room, gardening or even just spending time with the residents.

Everlasting love

Larry and Carol Burnett have been married for 65 years. Larry Burnett said Carol Burnett wanted to get married when they were 21 years old and 18 years old respectively. They set the date a week after Larry Burnett's 21st birthday, which happened to be Feb. 14.

"We didn't realize it was Valentine's Day," Carol Burnett said. "We just picked the first Friday after (his birthday.)"

The Burnetts said they only realized it was Valentine's Day after someone told them during the wedding.

Larry Burnett said it's very simple to keep a marriage going strong for over six decades. He said there's only two words every man needs to learn: "Yes, dear."

Contact McKenna Golat at mgolat@gannett.com or (810) 292-0122.

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Larry Burnett retires from Regency on the Lake