Goodbye, Mr. Beebe — and come back soon

FALLS VILLAGE — Often there are tears at a retirement party, but there was only joy and good cheer at the retirement party for custodian Bill Beebe at the Lee H. Kellogg School on Friday, Sept. 28. 

In truth, it didn’t seem like anyone actually believed that Beebe would (seriously) leave the campus he has so lovingly cared for and the community of which he’s been such an integral part for the past quarter century.

For the party, students and school staff and faculty donned fake brush mustaches, a tribute to Beebe’s own facial decoration. Many of the teachers also brought brooms and sweepers to the school’s lunchroom/gymnasium/theater.

It was supposed to be a surprise party but it’s hard to keep a surprise in a school as small as Lee Kellogg; and anyway, all the guests and local media had to walk past Beebe’s office to get to the  lunchroom/gymnasium/theater. If he wasn’t surprised, he did seem happy, and he wore his customized Bill Beebe T-shirt (Authentic Beebe Made in the USA Falls Village) and cap (Custodian: Retired) as though he’d owned them all his life.

A trumpet fanfare greeted Beebe and his wife, Joyce, as they entered the room. He was presented with gift cards, a plaque, art supplies and treated  to a poem by teacher Paula Rogers that tried to capture all the many ways in which Beebe has contributed to life at the small school that he himself attended as a child.

He’s a cyclist, a runner, an artist, a fireman, the unofficial town historian. He loved to join students and offer help as students did work in art class and also made pieces of his own, many of which are hanging in a special section of hallway at the school. One of the gifts presented to him was a plaque, dedicating that art area to him and honoring him for his 25 years of service at the school. The school faculty and staff presented him with art supplies. 

Throughout the awards and speeches and poems, the theme that recurred was: We hope to have you continue to spend time here and to share your artwork with us and to tell us the history of your town. 

Principal Lexie Juch summed it up when she said, “During your next chapter in life, we expect you to visit us often. Remember: There is always a place where you belong; you will always be a part of Kellogg; Kellogg will always be a part of you.”

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