Times have changed since Donald Wood’s first day working for Amherst County in 1962.
On a day off from high school because of snow, Wood typed up tax statements on a manual typewriter for then-treasurer Dorothy Harvey.
Now, upon retirement 48 years later, Wood ends his longtime role as county treasurer in a different — and digitized — age.
“When I started out, we had no automatic machines whatsoever,” he said. “As time went on, we got a bookkeeping machine. Now we’ve moved into the PC world and the Internet.”
Wood chose to retire at the end of this year though his term does not officially end until 2011. The deputy treasurer, Evelyn Martin, will assume Wood’s position as treasurer. She feels she’s prepared, consider-ing she has worked under Wood for more than 35 years.
“I’m excited about it,” Martin said. “With the time I’ve put in, I think I’ll be able to handle it.”
Still, she added, the office won’t be the same without Wood.
“He’s just a wonderful boss to work for. I consider him a friend as well as a boss.”
Martin isn’t the only one.
On December 16 the small boardroom in the county’s main building brimmed with co-workers, friends and family who attended a celebration in honor of Wood’s retirement.
Among those in attendance was the woman who first showed him the ropes nearly a half-century ago.
“I learned so much from you,” Wood said to Harvey, now 96. “You carried me for a long time.”
But many coworkers will attest that Wood has done his fair share of carrying as well.
“Donny was the first who hired me in 1983,” the county’s Informational Technology Director Jackie Viar said. “I’ve worked for him for 26 years. I’ve been through all the changes with him. We conquered them together.”
The county’s Director of Accounting Brenda Campbell agreed: “I’ve been with the county since 1987 and through it all, I could always call Donny.”
As far his retirement plans, Wood said that he’s looking forward to plenty of leisure time.
“I hope to do a little farming, a little fishing, hunting, golfing, different things,” Wood said, chuckling.
His sister, Wilma Ogden, added a few other suggestions.
“I’ll have plenty of jobs lined up for him,” she said. “I expect June (Wood’s wife) has too.”
Wood said that leaving a job he has worked tirelessly at for so many years will be difficult.
“Right now, it’s a lot of mixed feelings,” he said. “Looking back on it, it’s just amazing.”
His coworkers, however, were clear on their feelings about Wood’s retirement.
“Donny is such a good person,” Viar said. “I’ve never known anyone in the county more well respected and well liked. We are certainly going to miss him.”
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