When the Jaffrey Select Board handed the town’s Boston Post Cane to Reynold Belletete last week, there was no introduction needed.
Belletete’s son, Jack Belletete, is a member of the board, but Reynold Belletete is well known to the board’s other two members – he gave both of them their first jobs, at Belletete’s, the regional hardware store.
“I started at 14,” recalled Jaffrey Select Board Chair Frank Sterling, who said he and Jack Belletete used to work a part-time shift together.
“I got you beat by a year. I started at 13,” countered Select Board member Kevin Chamberlain. “You gave me my first job, 48 years ago,” he told Belletete, shaking his hand. “You really did a lot for me.”
Belletete celebrated his 100th birthday last week, on Oct. 16. The milestone was marked by silver mylar balloons tied to his easy chair, spelling out “100.”
Sterling said part of the credit for Belletete’s long life went to his late wife, Charlotte, who passed away last year.
“I heard you lived so long because Charlotte told you you had to live to 100, and you always had to do what Charlotte said,” joked Sterling.
“Always,” Belletete agreed solemnly.
Also, “I wanted to see what he was going to do,” he said, indicating to his son, Jack.
Belletete ran the store – which has since expanded to multiple locations – for many years as its CEO, but before that, it was his own first job, when it was run by his father, Eli Belletete, who started the business as a general store selling hardware, household goods and groceries in 1898.
Belletete has lived his whole life in Jaffrey, since he was born at his parent’s home on Christian Court in 1919. The only time he’s spent away from the town was his stint in the Air Force during World War II.
The Select Board officially awarded Belletete the town’s Boston Post Cane, which is traditionally gifted to the town’s oldest resident. The tradition was begun by the Boston Post newspaper publisher Edwin Grozier in 1909. The Boston Post sent 700 towns across New England ebony canes, topped with gold, which were to be distributed to the oldest man in town, to be used until his death, when it would be passed on to the next oldest man. The tradition was updated in 1930 to include women.
In Jaffrey, the cane is presented to its oldest citizen in a ceremony, and the recipient is given a framed proclamation, but the cane remains on display at the town offices, with a plaque naming all of its recipients.