Elkhart State Bank Says Goodbye To Nearly Four Score Years Of Experience

ELKHART - Back in the 1970s, Ronald Reagan was the governor of California; George H.W. Bush was an ambassador and director of the CIA; Gremlins, Pacers and Pintos ruled the highways; Elvis was still “The King” and Elkhart State Bank hired two employees that would end up helping lead the financial institution into the 21st century.

These two monetary mavens, Sherry Keeling and Rita Parker, with 37 and 39 years of banking experience respectively, retired this week. A ceremony was held on Monday, Jan. 30, to honor their legacies and service to the bank and its customers.

Keeling recalled the first few days of her employment with the bank.

“I remember parking the car and walking across the parking lot. I was not from Elkhart. Originally, I’m from Minden, La., and my husband was teaching here in Elkhart. I had been working in Palestine for a lawyer. I heard they had an opening here and really debated about it and thought that all they could do was tell me no. I thought I might be the first outsider or non-native that ever worked here,” she laughingly said.

“When you start, you don’t even think about 37 years,” she continued. “It has been a wonderful place to work. Now, I have two little granddaughters, ages 6 and 7, and I look forward to spending more time with them. We have a travel trailer and we hope to travel. We live out in the country and my husband may even let me drive his tractor! We are going to Disney World with grandkids later this year.”

Asked what she planned on doing her first day of retirement, Keeling smiled and said, “I’m going to drink two pots of coffee, in my sweats, with no make-up on! I guess I’ll just do what I want to do.”

Reminiscing about her start with the bank, Parker said, “I just remember when they hired me, I was so happy to have gotten a job in Elkhart. I was living in Palestine at the time and we wanted to move to Elkhart. When they hired me, I knew that we could build a house here, start a family and I wouldn’t have to drive to Palestine every day.”

Reflecting on her time with the bank she said, “I never even gave it a thought that I would be here 39 years, but I was hoping that I could continue working here because it is a wonderful place to work. I never thought about leaving here. It’s a great place to work, very family oriented and it was easy to take care of my children there at the school. I never gave leaving a thought.”

Asked what she would miss most, Parker didn’t hesitate before saying, “It will be the customers and the employees I’ve worked with all these years. We’re going to travel now and spend time with family and friends. Our first trip is going to be to the Grand Canyon in March. Then we’re going to take a train across the Canadian Rockies and then we’re going to take an Alaskan cruise. Then, I don’t know where - my bucket list is about a mile long.”

Regarding her first day of retirement, she said, “I don’t know yet. My husband and I were discussing that. I think I might set my alarm clock, get up and take a picture of the sunrise. And then from there, we just might go somewhere. I think I might drive to the beach.”

President and Chairman of the Board of Elkhart State Bank, Jim Bob Parker said, “We’re going to miss them. We already do. I’ve worked with them ever since they first started. I’ve been here for 45 years, they’re just kids.”

Asked about replacing the two ladies, Jim Bob Parker said, “We started pretty soon after the first of last year. We have a head teller who has been with us 30 some odd years. She is our cashier. She will be taking Sherry’s title. We also hired an experienced office manger to help her. Rita has been training two young ladies all year long. I think we’re well covered. And of course, they’re not going to disappear off the face of the Earth. If we have any questions, I feel sure they’ll be happy to help us with them. We have planned for this day and hopefully we’re prepared. The planning went well. The prepared remains to be seen.”

Will Johnson may be reached via e-mail at wjohnson@messenger-news.com