High heels, jetlag, and 66 years of adventure

When Joan started working as a stewardess in 1959, her first aircraft carried just 24 passengers. 

Fast forward 66 years, and she's preparing to retire from Delta Air Lines as the industry’s longest-serving flight attendant.

• Joan's career began in an era of propeller planes, high heels, and fashionable uniforms. 
• Over the years, she worked for a string of airlines that eventually became part of Delta, witnessing some of the biggest changes in commercial aviation firsthand.

And she remembers all of it. Joan still talks excitedly about the arrival of jet aircraft, which replaced the slower, louder propeller planes she started on.

• "Higher, faster, smoother, more seats!" Joan shared.
• The Martin 404 aircraft flown by her first airline carried fewer than 40 passengers, while a modern Delta Airbus A350 can fit 300+.

Joan also saw major changes for women in the workplace. When she entered the profession, some airlines required stewardesses to leave their jobs if they got married or reached a certain age. By the time her career was winding down, flight attendants could build long-term careers while raising families and planning futures beyond the cabin.

But despite all the changes, Joan says the heart of the job remained the same: keeping passengers safe, and helping connect people with the world.

• That mission is now being passed to a new generation of flight attendants, including recent training school graduate Alise Broussard.
• When the two met, Joan described the experience as a "déjà vu" moment.

As for retirement, Joan isn't planning to stay grounded for long. She hopes to write a book and continue visiting favorite destinations like Paris, Mumbai, and Hong Kong.

The only difference is that when the beverage cart comes by, she'll be the one asking for a drink.