Noreen Hein turned 80 on Saturday, but she still works part-time in the Douglas County Bank's Brandon Woods Retirement Community branch.
Three questions with ... Noreen Hein, a part-time banker at Brandon Woods for Douglas County Bank
Noreen Hein talks about turning 80 this Saturday and why she continues to work instead of retire. Enlarge video
Retirement has never agreed with Noreen Hein.
Noreen Hein
Part-time banker at Douglas County Bank's Brandon Woods Retirement Community branchAge: Turned 80 on Saturday.Moved to Lawrence: 1992.Work experience: Longtime computer software trainer in Cimarron; worked for DataTeam Systems Inc. in Lawrence from 1992 to 1999; worked at the bank since 2003.
And even after turning 80 on Saturday, Hein shows no signs of slowing down. She has worked part-time for more than four years at Douglas County Bank's branch at Brandon Woods Retirement Community.
"I've worked all of my life, and I'm just that type of person. I guess I need that, and I enjoy it so much," Hein said. "I like the association with people."
She does everything at the bank: cashing checks, making deposits, helping customers open accounts and selling money orders and CDs. Hein works about four hours a day and trades off shifts with Barb Taylor.
"This was my goal. I was going to work until I was 80," Hein said.
Now, she has to re-evaluate that to see how much longer she wants to work. Hein still has plenty of activities to keep her busy at this point.
"I've become friends with so many residents, and I even have a knitting group that I do twice a month," Hein said.
She grew up in Hillsboro and had worked in that area until moving to Cimarron in the 1970s when she took a job to provide computer training to school district staff members.
She moved to Lawrence in 1992 to work for DataTeam Systems Inc. It's a decision she doesn't regret.
"All the activities and the culture, and I've made so many friends here," Hein said.
After seven years at DataTeam Systems, which was acquired by Harris Computer Systems in 2006, she retired and moved in and out of part-time jobs before starting at Douglas County Bank.
Her supervisor, branch manager Michael Crossman, said Hein is inspiring and works well with customers. He hired her four years ago after they had worked together briefly at another bank.
"She always says, 'You keep working. It keeps your mind fresh,'" Crossman said.
Hein's oldest son from Wichita - along with a contingent from Denver, including her daughter, younger son and grandson, who shares her birthday - have traveled to Lawrence to celebrate.
"It's going to be a big day for us," Hein said.
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