Typewriters and mimeographs were the inky essentials of the trade in the early years of Sharon Brown’s career at Lawrence public schools.

“Now we can’t imagine how we get along without copiers, computers, fax machines, answering machines,” said Brown, a Deerfield School secretary who was honored Friday along with 18 other district staff at a retirement reception at South Junior High School.

Lawrence Alternative High School principal Judy Juneau recognizes the character and accomplishment of retiring teacher Richard Wedel during the Lawrence public schools and Lawrence Education Assn.'s annual recognition reception at Central Junior High. Wedel's 28 years of service include teaching at the alternative school and coaching tennis.

Brown, the principal’s secretary at Deerfield for 20 years, said she loved the diversity that came with her job.

“Every day was something unusual,” she said. “It was always a challenge.”

The reception mixed nostalgia for the past and anticipation of the future as retirees mingled with a half-dozen district award winners and 42 people who have completed at least a quarter century in the teaching profession. The group of retirees worked a collective 460 years in the Lawrence district.

“We’re losing an incredible amount of talent,” said Sue Morgan, school board president. “I wish we could clone all of you.”

One member of the retiree and 25-year veteran clubs, Richard Wedel, is winding down a career that began in 1974 in a plumbing and electrical maintenance job in the district and ended in a history teaching position at Lawrence Alternative High School.

He has also coached tennis at Lawrence High School for more than 20 years a duty he won’t give up in retirement.

	Lawrence public school employees retiring Here is a list of retirees, their jobs and years of service:Sandra Berman, Woodlawn School teacher, 15 years; Sharon Brown, Deerfield School secretary, 24 years; Paige Carney, Free State High School teacher, 30 years; Marjorie Cole, Broken Arrow School teacher, 27 years; Kathy Davis, Hillcrest School teacher, 18 years; Frank Dehart, Central Junior High School teacher, 28 years; Rosie Fowler, Grant School cook, 26 years; Sue Hack, Southwest Junior High School teacher, 31 years; Barbara Halverstadt, classified personnel secretary, 22 years; Kay Highfill, Centennial School teacher, 30 years; Margaret Holdeman, CJHS counselor, 29 years; Alice Holtz, Centennial School teacher, 21 years; Patty Hoover, food services office assistant, 29 years; Sarah Magnuson, CJHS teacher, 29 years; Donna Muzzy, Prairie Park School cafeteria worker, 25 years; Judy Pohl, Free State teacher, 26 years; Roberta Spires, Quail Run School teacher, 20 years; Richard Wedel, Lawrence Alternative High School teacher, 28 years; Beth Welsh, library media coordinator, eight years.

Others honored Wednesday:

Retiree Margaret Holdeman devoted 29 of her 32 years in education to Lawrence schools. She’s been a counselor at Central Junior High School since Richard Nixon was president.

Patty Hoover is excited about finally getting a taste of retirement. After 29 years in the district’s food service program at Broken Arrow, South, LHS and the district office, Hoover plans to move to Queen City, Mo. That’s where her son, David, lives with his family.

Free State High School is losing a physical education teacher with the distinction of having coached seven sports including pingpong. Paige Carney followed 25 years of service at LHS with five years at Free State. She’s also coached of track, tennis, gymnastics, basketball, volleyball and golf.

Centennial School is losing Alice Holtz, a veteran teacher with an international flair. Before joining Lawrence schools 21 years ago, she taught on U.S. Army and Air Force bases in Germany and the Philippines.

Marjorie Cole, who is retiring as Broken Arrow School’s interrelated resource teacher, is perhaps the most well-traveled of the district’s retirees. She worked at 10 elementary schools in Lawrence East Heights, Kennedy, India, Kaw Valley, St. John’s, Wakarusa Valley, Cordley, New York and Broken Arrow during the past 27 years.