Six Colby Community faculty and staff members, with 167 years of combined service, will retire at the end of the current academic year. Jacque Bedore, Pat Erickson, Lynn Minium, Tina Schrick, Kathy Robert and Jean Ann Wilson have notified the CCC board of Trustees of their intentions to retire as full-time employees.

“Colby Community College is losing a wonderful group of not only faculty and staff, but a wonderful group of individuals in general,” said President Seth Carter. “CCC will not be the same without them, but we want to express our deepest gratitude for their contributions to the students and the institution.”

Bedore is retiring as manager of the Campus Bookstore. She is a former CCC student, who was a work study in the same bookstore under then manager Gwen Young.

“After college I worked in the administration office as receptionist for a couple years until I left to be a full-time mom,” she said.

“When my kids were in school I came back to the college in the late 80's and worked in the administration office as assistant to the dean of academic affairs, and then transferred to be assistant manager in the bookstore for three years.”

She pursued other interests until 1999, when she returned to manage the bookstore. Over time, her employment at CCC totals 26 years.

In retirement, she will spend time with family and friends and take classes at CCC.

Erickson has been the director of CCC’s physical therapist assistant program since she was hired in July of 1989.

She holds a BS in Physical Therapy from the University of Kansas, and in 2003 earned a Doctor of Physical Therapy. In 1998, she received CCC’s Tangeman Award for Teaching Excellence.

On her favorite memories of CCC, Erickson enjoyed “TGIF” with faculty, Christmas parties that involved skits and potluck, and friends she has made over the years.

“I love the feeling teaching gives me,” Erickson said. “Students are the best.”

Her plans in retirement include volunteer work, traveling to see her adult children and family, and according to her, “projects that have been on hold for years.”

Minium joined the CCC maintenance staff in June of 1989. He said he has plenty to do during retirement.

“I’m working part-time for a farmer. I’ll also do a lot of hunting, fishing, and riding motorcycles.”

Robert has taught in the physical therapist assistant program for 22 years. She moved to Colby in 1976 so her husband Eugene could attend CCC.

“In the fall semester Eugene began working for the college while taking classes,” she said. “I worked part-time in custodial for several years and then began classes myself.”

She graduated from the PTA program and worked at Citizen’s Medical Center until 1994 when she began teaching at CCC. She continued her education, earning a bachelor’s degree from Pittsburg State University.

They have three children who have all been CCC students. Everett, a playwright and short story author; Eli, also a graduate of the CCC PTA program, and Kalea, who will graduate from Colby High School next month.

“CCC and Colby have been good to our family.”

Her retirement plans remain open for now. “Eugene and I are looking forward to having a little more free time and an empty nest for a change.”

For Schrick, nursing was not her planned career path.

“I entered the nursing field with the intention of having a marketable job to put myself through school,” she said. “During LPN school I fell in love with nursing.”

Her initial plan was to teach special education.

“I married Tom Schrick in 1984, and he brought me to Colby where I began working for CCC. So instead of teaching special needs children, I began teaching the special students in nursing.”

Today, Schrick is the practical nursing lead instructor for the Colby campus. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Washburn University and has earned multiple certifications. In March, she was selected as a volunteer item writer for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for the sixth time.

“I have loved teaching. God’s hand was in the mix, and teaching has been a ministry that I will miss.”

Wilson is the lead instructor for Level I nursing at the Norton campus and has taught for CCC since 1980.

“I have appreciated the support the college has given me since I had the Norton campus from the beginning,” she said. I have enjoyed watching the college grow and becoming a first-class educational institution.”

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Fort Hays State University. Five times she has been selected as a volunteer writer for the NCLEX. In 2012, she received CCC’s Tangeman Award for Teaching Excellence.

In retirement Wilson intends to do volunteer work and enjoy family.

“I am sure it will involve spending more time with kids, grandkids and of course the three adorable great-granddaughters. I also love to garden and sew, so I am sure there will be bigger projects ahead.”

To honor the six retiring employees, CCC will hold a public reception April 29, from 3-5 p.m., in the Robert Burnett Student Union.