Local News - January 2003

Dot Johnson retires

End of an era

By DIANE TURBYFILL, LTN Staff Writer

January 1, 2003 - The Lincoln County office of the Cooperative Extension Service will begin a new era in 2003. An era without a familiar face that has greeted folks for 60 years.

Dot Johnson has retired.

Johnson, an administrative secretary, came to work for the Extension Service in 1942. She was 17 and working as a waitress when she was hired.

Johnson attributes her longevity with her work to love for her job and an inability to say “no.”

“I didn’t know how to quit,” she said Tuesday, her last day on the job. “Just like now — I can’t walk out and leave all this on my desk.”

Johnson may not have been able to say goodbye, but she did say hello to 55 agents and 21 secretaries during her stint at the office. Her stability at work made her a resource for new employees.

She says she expects and encourages calls from office staff after she leaves.

“I’ve made it very clear that I want them to call me because I know they won’t be able to find things.”

Johnson’s dedication to her job was celebrated in August with a 60-year anniversary party. Friends, family, coworkers and well-wishers filled the Citizens Center.

Johnson said the party was wonderful, but it was then that she began considering retirement.

“I’d been thinking about it ever since we had the 60th celebration. It was a very satisfying occasion. I thought it’s got to come some time.”

After working a month’s notice, Johnson is ready for retirement. But she wanted to leave quietly.

Her plaques have been taken off the wall, and her space in the parking lot of the Citizens Center is now empty.

Johnson spent Tuesday packing and finishing up stacks of paperwork that continued to pile up on her desk. Boxes were filled with the many plaques Johnson has received over the years. She is looking forward to her newest award that should be arriving soon. The plaque is a tribute to her long career and will hang on her wall at home.

As Johnson packed, she reminisced about her time at the Extension Service. She talked about what she has seen through the years.

“The changes we’ve gone through … they go way back to World War II. The boys going off to war, the shortages. But we’ve also made so many improvements.”

Though the job changed year-to-year — due to growing technology and agriculture — one part of Johnson’s job remained constant. She would meet, greet and help people find what they needed.

“I’ll miss a sense of helping people.”

But Johnson hopes to begin helping others in the community through volunteer work, eventually.

She plans to kick off her retirement with some rest, relaxation and household chores.

“I’m going to catch up on my sleep first. I never have liked getting up at 6:30 in the morning,” she said laughing.

And while she expects to hear from people at the Extension Office, she has given them explicit directions.

“I told them not to call me until after 9:30 in the morning.”

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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