HE'S OUTTA THERE!

March 31st, 2010...Dad's last day with Salt Lake County Information Services!! Dilbert and Dogbert are retiring with him.

His office provided a lunch of deli sandwiches, chips and veggies and dips (the bean dip was excellent), potato salad, drinks and tons of brownies and cookies for the reception that was held afterwards.

Here's a table in his honor with balloons and photos. One of the plants was a gift for him, the other for another retiring co-worker.

Some of the partygoers.

More of the partygoers.

Cheese it up fuzz ball...retirement congrats banner in the background.

Mixed emotions.

One of many guests is Amy Bradshaw who was an IBM representative in the early years...back in days at the city and county building. She remembered and mentioned Briton's and Baron's names because they did yard/pool work for her parents who still live beside Farmington Creek. The last time we saw her was at her wedding at that house, probably 20 years ago! We also saw the Clingenpeels at the reception and talked about the good old days on 300 E. 3900 S., before children!!

Laur and his trusty (and dedicated) assistant for 13 years, Melani. Her hobby is scrapbooking and she made him a special one with photos and memories. They will miss each other a lot.

It’s hard to believe how fast 38 years have flown by. Life will be changing, but surely the freedom will be fabulous. I’ll have to buck up and do without door-to-door chauffeuring for a while longer…how spoiled I’ve been. Dad has been a dedicated provider for our little family and I’m grateful. I’m proud of his accomplishments and hard work, from being a COBOL programmer using punched cards, sharing a table and a cup of pencils in 1972 in the City & County Building working with a group of 20, to an executive with his own desk and amazing technological tools, working with a division of more than 80. (It’s fun to think that I talked him into taking a computer science class when we were dating at BYU!) I was in his office on Friday evening to help take the big vase to the Honda and a co-worker walked in to say goodbye. He expressed some kind and sincere words including a comment about Laurel spending more time helping others than trying to be important. I was touched and teary. I haven’t really thought of how others feel about him or what kind of employee and supervisor he has been or how he has put up with all the political garbage through the years. (He isn’t as blatantly open and emotional as I am and less self-centered!) But as I have been talking to others recently, I am gaining some awareness and appreciation. He will miss working with many people, but now he has the opportunity to look to the future and a number of projects vying for his attention.

ENJOY & CONGRATULATIONS!