“Change your mindset and the way you see things in life and you will live a long and happy life,” is the advice from Tony Gunning, who will celebrates his 91st birthday on October 17.
Tony is still working and is well-known in the real estate industry. He has been a sales representative and real estate agent for more than 40 years.
He is very healthy and positive about life.
Living life to the fullest
Tony was born in Cullinan but grew up in Springs, where he also finished school.
In school, he was a drummer in a local band. After school, he went to do his apprenticeship in engineering.
“I remember earning one pound per week while doing my apprenticeship and I had to survive with that,” he said.
Tony was also a full-time musician for 15 years. He remembers how he played with band members at clubs at night and be in recording studios during the day.
“I enjoyed to entertain people with music and to talk to them through music.”
Tony had to find a love for another career as he felt that he needed to provide for his family.
“I needed a more stable job and that’s how I got into the real estate industry. I have never looked back,” he said.
Tony has been working for Jacques Louw Properties in Brackenhurst for the last eight years.
“I worked at other estate agencies before and I remember selling a house to Jacques’s parents when he was only five years old. And today I am working with him.”
Tony said the best part about being a real estate agent is that he gets the chance to work with different people every day.
“I am a people’s person.”
When asked about what challenges he faced in his career, he said, “I love challenges and it excites me, sometimes you will get a difficult client, but you work on it and face that challenge.”
Tony once broke a record by selling 18 houses in one month.
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade
He met his wife, Stella, after school and they were married for 48 years before she died on March 1.
“We also lost our son six years ago.”
According to Tony, you never get over the death of a loved one.
“You just learn to live with it and cope,” he said.
The couple also have two daughters, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Tony said the difficult times in his life made him strong and made him learn things about himself that he did not know.
