Published: June 14, 2008 01:49 am      

PEOPLE PROFILE: Kathy Kreutz, 41-year Lockport schools employee

Kathy Kreutz is retired, but that doesn’t mean she’s slowing down any time soon.

She is still working part time for the Lockport City School District, despite retiring from the district in January. Kreutz is a senior account clerk and stenographer with the position of secretary to the assistant superintendent for finance and management services, and has been for 41 years. A title like that means Kreutz has had plenty to do, which keeps her with the district as well as occupied.

“I’ve got some projects to finish up, I’m substituting, filling in wherever needed,” Kreutz said. “Just keeping busy, I guess.”

Kreutz has also spent time training a new person in the business office, Laurie Banko. Kreutz also handles the mail, typing and other clerical things. She also is known for setting up the name plates for school board members before meetings.

“That’s a minor job,” Kreutz said of the plates while laughing a little. “They really pushed on that one.”

School board members said at a previous meeting Kreutz set the name plates up while wearing white gloves. She also once took care of the purchasing for the district, but hasn’t done that since 1989. Kreutz said it was something she missed doing.

“It entailed a lot of math, and I love doing anything with math,” she said. “The job had grown so much that we couldn’t do it all.”

Kreutz officially retired Jan. 2, but was honored with recognition and roses at a school board meeting in May. Superintendent Terry Ann Carbone thanked her for her service, and said Kreutz was the district’s unofficial historian.

“Her husband’s gain is our loss,” she said at the meeting. “When I need to know something that happened a while ago, the first person I go to is Kathy.”

A Cambria resident, Kreutz and her husband Peter have a son, Matthew, and a daughter, Susan.

During her time at Lockport, some memories stick out more than others. Kreutz remembers once coming to work with co-workers dressed up for Halloween. The group had their pictures taken and then were sent home to change. The superintendent at the time didn’t feel they were dressed appropriately. Kreutz came to work dressed as Raggedy Ann.

Another memorable day is when the district and board of education moved from its former location on Chestnut Street to the current building on Beattie Avenue. Two days before the new building opened, Kreutz moved and unpacked boxes and cleaned out her desk. It was a week before her wedding.

“I’m the only one left that worked in the old building,” Kreutz said. “It’s a nice place to work — I’ve always enjoyed working here.”

A graduate of the Barker School District, Kreutz began her secretarial career as a high school senior. She worked part time in the school office when she had study hall and after school. Kreutz was hired by Lockport in November 1966 as a senior stenographer.

Kreutz said when she is completely finished at the school district, there is something else she would like to do.

“I would like to travel, see some more of the states,” she said. “I’d like to see some of the national parks and then maybe outside the U.S.”

She’ll have to ask for some time off from work first.

Contact reporter Joe Olenick