Last week, County Retirement Board members - which included the three county commissioners - honored the 26 people who retired from County service in 2014. Six of those individuals were able to attend a public recognition during the monthly meeting.
by Jonathan Weaver
More than two dozen County workers retired from their jobs in 2014 and were honored with certificates and a reception.
Alan Tarr retired in April 2014 after more than a decade as a Sheriff Deputy. He explained that he began his County service after retiring as Leechburg Borough Police Chief in 2001.
He served Leechburg Borough, where he still lives, for 27 years before asking then-Sheriff Larry Crawford to keep him in mind to replace the next retiree.
“It was a nice transition from the police department. I knew most of them from working in the county. We still help people – it’s a lifestyle, not a job,” Tarr said.
Tarr now enjoys sightseeing and fishing the Clarion River.
“There’s still a few big fish in the Clarion River I’d like to catch so I’m going to keep doing that,” Tarr added.
Tarr, 64, praised current Sheriff Bill Rupert for his efforts to fundraise for a new K-9 officer
Ralph Smail, of South Bend Township, retired in January 2014 after having worked for eight years between the dietary, maintenance and housekeeping departments in the Armstrong County Health Center in Kittanning.
Like Tarr, Smail also had different careers before working for the county – at a lumber mill in Whitesburg, as a coal miner and as a food manager at the former- Wood Company in Allentown.
“I’ve had a lot of different experiences in my life,” Smail said.
Smail said during his tenure, he tried to communicate efficiently with both his supervisor and other employees and hopes those skills showed.
“It’s more than just a job – its people,” Smail said.
Patty Kreider, of Cowansville, excelled to the position of Office Manager in the Sheriff’s Office before retiring in January 2014. She worked I the office for nearly 14 years.
Her and husband, Miles, keep busy by sightseeing, vacationing and camping with their grandchildren.
“Time just flies by – I haven’t gotten half the stuff done I thought of by now.
But, we have time,” Kreider laughed.
Miles retired from Windstream in Kittanning after nearly 40 years. Patty worked for Alltell for 20 years before as well.
“What I learned on the job I used at home, too,” Kreider said.
Commissioner Chair David Battaglia was first to thank the six retirees for their service
“The people don’t know how much you contributed to the overall success of this county and the overall prosperity of it,” Battaglia said.
“When you were here as an employee, employees are what make the wheels turn,” Commissioner Rich Fink added.
Other retirees at the reception included Rick Croyle – who worked as Veterans Affairs director for 16 years – and current- Jury Commissioner Paul “PK” Kijowski – who worked in maintenance for 15 years.