Lakeville Elementary is losing almost a half-century of experience, dedication, caring and love with the retirements of the school’s leading ladies, secretaries Marilyn Benner and Dawn Maguire.
‘I hate it that they’re leaving,? said Lakeville Principal Sharon Karpinski.
When asked for few kind words about the pair, Karpinski replied, ‘I could write a book about Marilyn and Dawn.?
Karpinski said not only were Benner and Maguire ‘awesome secretaries? who were ‘very efficient? in their duties, but she was very impressed with ‘how well they handled people.?
‘They took care of every need of every child like a relative or a grandma,? she said.
Benner plans to retire on Sept. 15 (her 60th birthday), the same date she started working at the old Washington Street School 31 years ago.
The lifelong Oxford resident referred to her time at the Washington Street School as her ‘Days of Camelot.?
‘There was just such a wonderful group of people who worked there,? she said.
Over the years, Benner moved around in the district, working at Daniel Axford Elementary, the old middle school and finally Lakeville Elementary.
Benner started out as a noon-aid, then became a paraprofessional and finally a secretary.
‘I worked my way up,? she said.
When she first started working for the schools, Benner’s husband of 42 years, Tom, told her, ‘I’ll give you about 30 days.?
‘He says I’ve stayed with the school district so long just to prove him wrong,? she said with a laugh.
Benner said her favorite part of her job is, of course, ‘the children.?
‘I could have had jobs working over at the (school) board office, but I wouldn’t have been around the children. The children help make the day,? she said.
‘Feeling like you’re helping? and ‘maybe making a little difference? are what make the job worthwhile, Benner said.
‘Sometimes the children need a hug or just a kind word or a smile,? she said. ‘You help them when they’re sick or hurt.?
Over the years, the students have provided lots of laughs for Benner.
She recalled an amusing incident when she was working as a secretary at Daniel Oxford.
Benner said a first-grade girl came into the office ‘upset about something? and asking ‘where’s your husband??
‘I thought she meant the principal, so I said he’s not here right now,? she said.
The girl then replied, ‘Well, who owns this place??
‘Being a taxpayer, I thought I kinda own it, so I said, ‘Well, I do,?? Benner said. ‘It turned out one of the toilets was overflowing, but she was all in a panic.?
As for her retirement plans, Benner said she would like to get involved with the Northeast Oakland Historical Society, do some volunteer work at a hospital and travel with her husband.
However, the ‘nice thing? about retirement is being ‘able to do whatever you want,? she said.
After devoting 17 years to the school district as an employee, Maguire is retiring this week.
‘I want to do it before life runs out,? said the 55-year-old Oxford resident. ‘You don’t know what’s around the corner.?
Maguire began her long association with the schools by doing volunteer work when her oldest child began kindergarten 27 years ago.
Wanting to do more, she became a paraprofessional at Daniel Axford and worked in that capacity for 10 years before becoming a secretary there for one year.
Maguire then spent two years working part-time at Lakeville and Clear Lake before becoming a full-timer at Lakeville.
Maguire said her favorite part of working in the schools is ‘just being with the kids? and ‘all the hugs.?
‘There are a lot of memories,? she said. ‘Every school year is different.?
Being a school secretary means wearing ‘a lot of different hats,? she said.
‘When they get hurt, we take care of the bloody noses and the scrapes,? Maguire said. ‘Sometimes they just need a hug. Some of these kids have had some rough home lives and they just need someone to talk to. Sometimes they just need to cry and you have to be there for them.?
‘You’ve got to be a fill-in mom or grandma,? she added.
Maguire plans to spend her retirement with her husband of 34 years, George, visiting 49 states (excluding Hawaii) in their motor home.