elders and betters
The people who are older than one and thus deserve respect. Because I'm supposed to respect my elders and betters, Mom was pretty mad when she heard that I'd sassed Grandma.
elder statesman
1. One who is experienced and successful in a particular area. Because Michael's the elder statesman in our department, everyone always goes to him with questions.
2. One who is no longer working in a particular job but is still considered a valuable resource. Even though he's been retired for a year, Joe is still the elder statesman that gives us all feedback on our manuscripts.