Gettys still exercises to this day as he does a light workout each morning. He also keeps his mind sharp by exercising it through reading and writing; he still teaches adult Sunday School at First Presbyterian Church of Clinton.

Even as he approaches his 105th birthday, Dr. Joe Gettys isn’t slowing down. He’s one of the oldest residents at the Clinton Presbyterian Home, but the former pastor doesn’t let his age stop him from personally ministering to others through words of encouragement and prayer each day.

Each morning, “Dr. Joe” goes around to the dining rooms at the home, speaks to the people gathered and shares a short devotion. He then visits several residents personally to ask them about their health and how he can pray for them.

“I know many of them by name,” he said.

During his lifetime, Gettys has ministered to thousands of people by serving as an interim pastor in nearly 40 churches, establishing two new churches and working as a full-time professor at four different colleges. He has also written about 30 books on religion and, most recently, a book of reflections that he published after his 100th birthday.

The walls of his room at the Clinton Presbyterian Home are covered with plaques and certificates of appreciation and accomplishments – but Gettys loves to point out the family photos instead.

Growing up as one of 11 children in York County, Gettys knows the importance of family. His lone remaining sibling, his 98-year-old sister Elizabeth, also lives at the Clinton Presbyterian Home, and the two often spend their evenings together.

Gettys isn’t a stranger to hard work as he and his siblings grew up on a farm. With no motorized transportation, he recalled the effort that went into fetching a doctor when necessary.

“If we needed a doctor, we had to hitch up a mule and drive a mile to get to a telephone to call for him,” he said. “It would take half a day to get a doctor to the house.”

Being relatively isolated on the farm allowed the family to grow close.

“We had our squabbles, but if someone came after one of us, we closed ranks to defend him,” Gettys said.

Although the family struggled like the rest of the country during the Great Depression, they all made education a priority, and all of the Gettys children graduated from college. While at seminary, Gettys worked as a library aid to help pay his bill.

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