Since 1969 Ethel Penny has been feeding the patients and staff at Nature Coast Hospital.
Last week the tables turned and someone provided refreshments for her to honor her 40 years of service and dedication.
Penny, a Raleigh resident, heard of the job opening from a friend, and since she had some restaurant experience, she applied.
The rest is, as they say, history, as she worked her way up from an aide to a cook and even a manager–a position she held for 10 years.