My wife and I both are retiring this year. Her last day was last Thursday. She was a para at one of our high schools and helped kids with algebra, trig, and geometry - anyone that does that should get hazardous duty pay. She is a few days from 65 and I am a few months past 66.

I have tried to retire at least three times, thus the title. I started out with no direction in life, not much in the form of a family life growing up. Met my current bride of 46+ years when she was a junior in HS and I was a senior. It changed my life. We married the August after she graduated from HS like a couple of kids who thought they knew what they were doing. Turns out only Jesus knew!

We both went to a technical school. I had a knack for working on cars, auto body. I could fix anything, did a lot of restorations, custom stuff, you name it. Loved working on exotic cars, Mercedes, Caddy's, Beamers, Vettes were in that category at one time. Then I was called to teach at the same school I graduated from 10 years later. Did that for 15 years until a lung disease got the best of me. People are worried about automotive paint, we did everything by the book at the school but we switched brands the chemical makeup didn't like me.

I took a year to recover and got a Masters Degree in Higher Ed administration hoping to work in a Community or Technical College. I got back into education feeling much better at a high school and loved it. I was teaching classes half time and managing an alternative school the other half. One year they asked me to start an in-house at-risk program. After I left there. the state Dept of Ed came and poured over our records and made it a state model. It died within two years of me leaving, they couldn't find anyone who wanted to work that hard.

I then became a principal. My wife warned me but I knew more than her. In my three years, we won every academic award the state had including the Governors Award being the only small school to do so. I didn't enjoy that very much and took the opportunity to get back into technical education as a Director of a Technical School.

The school had a very well known reputation and it was my responsibility to use my "fix it" skills on that place. Less than six months in the state told us that all technical schools/colleges were going to be dissolved. I am thinking about now, my luck isn't so good. After living at the state capital for nearly two years and working with the local school board they decided that only the schools had to change. There were five of us named in legislation and ours was the only one to survive and we became an independent technical college still thriving today. I was the only director to keep a job as well which I was very thankful for.

I had enough of the new regime there and went on to a private Christian school for three years. Absolutely loved that place, the families and kids were incredible. Not perfect but close! Finding good board members is an issue along with money at these places and low and behold I get lung disease # 2 totally unrelated to #1. I thought this one was going to be it for me. I quit for various reasons, health the chief one.

Some families at the school were dissatisfied and wanted to start a new Christian school. I said I wasn't up to doing it but would "advise" them. I feel in love with Classical Christian Education and started a new school and then after a year, still not feeling well, turned it over to a seasoned pro. It is still going strong. They have a scholarship in my name, kind of weird, thought they only did that when you died.

All set to go fishing and a Christian Non-profit was having problems so I took that over for 9 months getting it back on its feet. I just didn't feel called beyond that but it is a tremendous ministry for women that find themselves pregnant.

The last three years I have been helping severely handicapped special ed students with assistive technology. Very rewarding and pays little but I enjoyed helping kids that most people didn't know even existed.

Lots of ups and downs along the way. Education is a mess and it isn't getting any better. The problems with the family are the culprit and parents have given their kids over to the state and too much is rammed down their throats. In many ways I am sad to be leaving, there is nothing more rewarding than helping a kid be successful. I have several students from my tech college teaching days who have their own businesses now.

So 36 years is in the books. My last day is Thursday. The safe has some nice firearms that need my attention. Some prairie dogs are going down this weekend in western KS and I am going to find my fishing poles as well. A striper trip is in June and the virus messed everything else up. Who cares. I am feeling good, work out every day and have a beautiful wife and although not rich, we can do mostly what we want. God richly blessed us with two kids who are very independent and we live a life that hopefully glorifies Him.

The one thing I learned from all of this is you can always be replaced but that doesn't mean it will be a good replacement. Everyone struggles, life is meant to be that way. We keep plugging along, going to work every day, some days good, some not so good, and then all of a sudden we are talking medicare and social security. How did that happen? Love those around you more, live life to the fullest each day and quit worrying about the stupid stuff - I did WAY too much of that and that is my greatest regret. Blessings!!

Come on in, the waters fine.

I retired from state government almost 9 years ago, at age 55. I continue to pastor the same church that I have been at since 1989, but I convinced them about 10 years ago that paying me was detrimental to my financial situation due to the fact that taxes took more than they were giving me.

So, I have been fully retired for 9 years, but still working, as a volunteer, at a vocation that is truly a calling.

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Only a cold warrior

Huskerguy, it sounds as if you've done enough for others, it's time you started to enjoy a well deserved retirement.

Bubba HAVE FUN!!

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Always Stay Strong!

Congrats.

I retired last year after 45 years plus in Quality Assurance (Aerospace parts). I was ready and it just wasn't fun any longer. The Co talked me into working part time to
"train my replacements" (PLURAL) Collecting pension and a nice salary and they were hoping for at least 6 months; after a little over two months with business as usual instead of training as they were always needed on something else or somewhere else instead of working with me I gave two weeks final final notice and never looked back. They did try to get me to stay promising that I would really train this time but that ship had sailed although I did help the Replacements by phone a time or three.

I do not miss it a bit, The guys I worked with yes, but not the job. Now, if I could only convince my wife to retire.

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Sceva
OGCA SWCA NRA

Welcome aboard. I did 42 years in the Air Force. Retired 14 years ago and don't know where the time has gone.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

Congratulations! Sounds like you have earned a great retirement. Thanks for all the hard work. Time to give serious thought to mine. I am prepared. But, scared to leave. In my line of work, once your out, your out.


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I am glad to hear that retirement is either treating you well or on the very near horizon. It is amazing how one day you wake up look in the mirror and say, who is that old gut looking back at me ? Live well and congrats to you Huskerguy. One note, I think you meant Striper trip in June not stripper trip. :>).

Wow, great story of wonderful careers. Enjoy your well earned retirement!

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John. SWCA #1586

Thank you for your service.

Retirement for me was the smartest thing I ever did. I retired on December 31, 2015 at 3:30 PM and never looked back.

It sounds like you were a positive force in a lot of lives. Thank you for everything you did and go out and enjoy your retirement.

I retired in 2013 with almost 44 years in Law Enforcement. The local hospital almost killed me right after I retired but I managed to survive. I loved hotel swimming pools and haven't been able to visit any lately so I had my own installed. Farming, hunting, fishing, pool, and reasonably good health. I'm happy and hope everyone else is also.

Ha, thanks for the catch! pun intended

It's good to hear from Charlie. My self I've been retired come Aug. 32 years from Ma Bell. I did 38 years there. A few surgeries, Pacemaker, Etc. Lost my last wife in 2008. My biggest fear is not being able to hunt anymore.