Farewell at Fareway

Jim Anthony said after 45 years at the Fareway meat counter, he's ready to retire and work on cars, golf, play racquetball and relax.

Anthony has worked for Fareway his entire adult life, starting out in Le Mars as a part time job when he was a senior in high school. Later that year, he was offered a pre-apprenticeship at a Chevrolet dealer. He said it was a difficult decision for a 17-year-old, but he turned it down in favor of the job he already had and enjoyed.

Around Iowa

After Anthony graduated from high school, he was hired on full-time in the meat department at Le Mars. A couple years later, he married his high school girlfriend Nancy. Nine months after they married, they made their first move with Fareway. Nancy started out doing hair and then, when their first child was born, decided to stay home to raise the children.

Over the next decade and a half, Fareway moved the Anthonys all around Iowa, from as far north as Storm Lake down south to Centerville and back north to Emmetsburg, with at least three other stops in between.

Anthony said the moves for employees on a management track were common for the the company to ensure the employee is well-rounded, working in both high and low volume stores.

Nancy said the frequent moves helped bring them closer together.

"When we moved, we always moved to towns where we didn't really know anybody, but we knew each other. We had each other," Nancy said. "Every move that we did, we just grew together, and, honestly, we've been married 42 years."

In 1990, Anthony was made a manager in Emmetsburg, and then in 1994, he came to Creston as the manager of the meat department where he has been for the last 25 years.

Nancy started nursing school in Emmetsburg. When they moved to Creston, she finished her LPN degree and her RN degree at SWCC and has been working at Greater Regional Health ever since.

'He will be missed'

Anthony said he would like to be known for his customer service. He has enjoyed working with the customers and will miss them most of all.

Jim Best, Creston Fareway's freezer manager, said that goes both ways.

"He's a great guy and a super person to work with," Best said. "He comes in early and leaves late. We are going to miss him. The customers are going to miss him."

Teresa Williamson echoed the sentiment.

"We don't want him to leave," she said.

Williamson said Anthony also loves to show off his cars.

Mark Benbow, who has worked with Anthony for 25 years in Creston, said Anthony leaves behind big shoes to fill.

"He's a great asset to the meat department and the whole store," Benbow said.

Anthony's coworkers will also miss him on food days at the store. His "tavern meat" has been a big hit with them, they said. It is a home-made sloppy joe with a secret ingredient — likely sugar.

They said he never let sweets go to waste, and he's the only person they know who can use up a whole stick of butter on one cinnamon roll.

Retirement

In November, the Anthonys moved to Lenox to a "shouse" — part shed, part house — they built. Anthony will be able to go out the back door and be in his "haven."

Nancy said he literally grew up in a junkyard. His father ran a wrecker and owned an acreage and a salvage yard.

"You can take the man out of the junkyard, but you can't take the junkyard out of the man," Nancy said. "I learned that early on."

Celebration

The Creston Fareway is hosting a retirement party for Anthony from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 29. Customers and friends are encouraged to stop by Fareway, 105 E. Adams, to help celebrate.