Darlene Retires |
| Darlene Retires |
Surrounded by her spouse, offspring, siblings, and "adorable grandchildren", Darlene Arbuckle went cheerfully into the next phase of her life - retirement. Most of the people at St. Joan's cannot remember a time when Darlene was not here - keeping everything on track. Her myriad skills have brought her from the typewriter to desktop publishing, and from an office in the old rectory to the wonderfully refurbished Parish Center. She has survived several pastors and a host of people who love(or hate) our parish.
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At her farewell (or -" see you soon, when we need volunteers") reception, Darlene was sporting a colorful corsage from the Pastoral Council and a smile a mile wide. In addition to their family, and the pride they take in their home, Jack and Darlene share a love of travel - and they expect to put some miles on some vehicles.
We extend our most sincere wishes for a wonderful retirement to a great lady, who has been a mainstay of life here for so many years. Carpe diem!
DARLENE ARBUCKLE RETROSPECTIVE: A WOMAN FOR ALL SEASONS
During twenty-six years, Darlene worked for four different pastors, and each had their own unique styles and personalities. She enjoyed each one of them. It was Harvey Egan who hired Darlene after she saw an ad in the paper. The ad said that a parish was looking for office help, and Darlene was also looking for something different. Little did she know how different it would be and that she would be leaving that position twenty-six years later. Initially, Darlene worked from 8:30 - 12:30. Twenty years ago, she went full-time. In these years, Darlene has seen the community grow and become much more diverse. Ever since the days of Harvey Egan, Joan of Arc has been a peace Church, and Darlene believes this has blossomed in the last few years.
When I asked her what she had learned, she told a story about her initial reaction when Harvey introduced her to the computer. She basically said no way. Harvey retorted that she was an intelligent woman who could learn. Darlene jumped in and has become very proficient with the computer. I suspect that this attitude and spirit were critical to Darlene’s hanging around Joan of Arc for all these years. Such an attitude of openness and experimentation are a challenge to all of us who frequent Joan of Arc. Our willingness to try new things and accept new challenges and ways of doing things keeps alive the spirit of Darlene Arbuckle.
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In the midst of the parish’s farewell to Darlene Arbuckle on June 1st, I had the opportunity to talk with her about the twenty-six years of working at Joan of Arc. She said that the fact she was even present for the celebration was a testament to how much she had grown over the years. She feels more comfortable being the person behind the scenes, doing the work that most do not see. On June 1st, Darlene was out front and visible, receiving the gratitude of the parish. She also heard that she will be missed. A new chapter begins for Darlene and her family.
Darlene has done just about everything at Joan of Arc. When I asked her about some of the more off-the-wall things, she named: sewing on buttons, painting walls, washing windows, making and laundering purificators and going to the shoemaker. As Jim Cassidy said at Mass on the 1st, Darlene never had the attitude of only doing her things. She pitched in and stuck around to what needed to be done.
