Pittsburgh hotel rolls out the red carpet for Dee Dee Gowder’s 50 years of service
PITTSBURGH —
The Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh hosted a celebration Friday to honor lobby attendant Dee Dee Gowder for her 50 years of service.
“You get here and you don’t think you’ll be here long, and then you get to know the people and you know what it’s like day to day. It’s like… It’s like a family. And then you get new people and new family,” Gowder said.
Gowder joined the hotel staff on Aug. 9, 1976, during Gerald Ford’s presidency, when gas cost about 60 cents per gallon. Reflecting on her early days, she shared how much has changed over the decades.
“When I came in the mid-70s, the staff elevators were all manually operated, so we had elevator operators at all the elevators,” Gowder said. “They’ve renovated several times and of course… and I’m the oldest tenured person here, so I’ve had to change.”
Despite the changes, Gowder’s charm, dedication, and signature “marvelous” catchphrase have remained constant as she welcomed generations of guests with her radiant smile.
“When she interacts with our guests, we just get so much positive feedback about her. And everybody speaks to how pleasant she is,” said Bob Page.
To mark the milestone, the hotel rolled out the red carpet for Gowder, starting with a stretch limousine ride from her home to work.
“I had a stretch limousine pick me up from home and brought me to work. See, I live here, so. It was just – It was relaxing,” Gowder said.
Her colleagues and friends dressed in her favorite color, royal blue, and created a special menu featuring all her favorite dishes.
“Dee Dee has been here for so long, and it’s, you know, unheard of for somebody to be at an establishment for 50 years. Always comes in with a smile on her face. We were so excited to do this for her. She’s so deserving of it,” Page said.
The celebration was a grand gesture to say thank you from one Pittsburgh icon to another.