April 23, 2024

11 retire from Creston Community School District

Joyce Garrett

Age: 63

Of: Creston

Job: Food service

Worked for: 19 years

Originally from: Indiana

Graduate of: Berthoud High School in Berthoud, Colorado, and cosmetology school in Colorado

Favorite part of work: "My favorite part of work is all the stories that children tell you, and I've got some doozies. My husband said I should write a book."

Memorable experience at Creston: "Working in the kitchen, there are many spills, which can be very funny after it's all cleaned up. The most memorable thing is, I would just say, the people I work with. The other ladies in the kitchen, we've had many, many stories together over 19 years, so I would say the employees were most memorable."

Plans after retirement: "I would like to take a painting class, a yoga class and do some volunteering."

Dennis Kirkland

Age: 73

Of: Creston

Job: Bus driver

Worked for: 11 years

Originally from: Macksburg area

Graduate of: 1961 graduate of Macksburg High School

Favorite part of job: "The kids"

Memorable experience at Creston: "I would say some of the memorable things were taking my grandson to some of the sports events."

Plans after retirement: "I have nothing really set in stone that we're going to do, just take things easy and maybe do a little traveling. Other than that, just relaxing some."

Jan Lesan

Age: 62

Of: Creston

Taught: Elementary P.E., counseling and at-risk students

Taught for: 37 years; 10 as elementary P.E. teacher, 24 as counselor and three with at-risk

Originally from: Creston

Graduate of: 1973 graduate of Creston High School, graduated from Southwestern Community College and Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri

Favorite part of teaching: "The kids. In elementary P.E., the kids were my gang. They did everything I said. It was fun, and they laughed a lot. It gave them the confidence to try different things in P.E."

Memorable experience at Creston: "It would have to be elementary P.E. with Keith Langholz. ... We named him King Dingaling, and we surprised him. It was the staff and the kids. It was like a family at that time, and it was a lot of fun."

Plans after retirement: "I will probably get another job doing something. I'm too young to just sit around. For a couple months, (I'll) probably golf, fish, walk my dogs, but then I'll get another job."

DeAnn Schultz

Age: 54

Of: Creston

Taught: Special education at Creston Early Childhood Center

Taught for: 3 years in Cherokee, then 30 years in Creston

Originally from: Northwest Iowa

Graduated from: High school at Melvin Schools in Melvin, college at Morningside College in Sioux City

Favorite part of teaching: "The kids"

Memorable experience at Creston: "I just think everyday working with the kids is a memorable thing."

Plans after retirement: "I'm unsure of that. I am going to find another part time job, but I don't know what yet. Hopefully, I can do something with kids."

Gary Veitz

Age: 58

Of: Creston

Taught: Sixth- and seventh-grade math

Taught for: Two years in Maxwell, then 34 years in Creston

Originally from: Creston

Graduate of: Creston High School and Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri

Favorite part of teaching: "Just the kids. They kept me young."

Memorable experience at Creston: "Teaching both my kids and their friends was a memorable experience."

Plans after retirement: "I'll continue doing odd jobs and subbing and hopefully do some fishing and traveling and be with my grandkids."

Carolyn Crigger

Taught: Fifth grade

Unavailable for comment

Deb Fischer

Taught: Middle school band

Unavailable for comment

Catherine Myers

Taught: High school special education

Unavailable for comment

Alice Schaffer

Job: Food service

Unavailable for comment

Keats Gaiser

Job: Bus driver

Unavailable for comment

Leon Klug

Job: Bus driver

Unavailable for comment