Kearney celebrates its 2012 retirees

Eight long-time UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center employees - with experience and institutional knowledge from a combined 238 years of service - retired today.

About 100 current and retired Kearney staff and academics gathered in the center's multi-purpose room to see them off. The retirees are:

Walt Bentley, UC Cooperative Extension advisor, Integrated Pest Management entomology, 36 years

Walt Bentley (left) with is wife Sherri and son Matthew.

Diana Bulls, administrative assistant, 20 years

Diana Bulls (center) with her daughter Becki and her husband Jim.

Sal Garcia, assistant custodial supervisor, 21 years

Sal Garcia with his wife Selia.

Kathy Montanez, financial services manager, Business Operations Center - Kearney, 29 years

Kathy Montanez with her husband Gilbert and grandchildren Dian and Calfee.

Lois Strole, administrative assistant, 18 years

Lois Strole (center) with her best friend Melanie Allen and former colleague Greg Montez.

Charlie Summers, research entomologist, UC Davis Department of Entomology, 42 years

Charlie Summers (right) with colleague Marshall Johnson and Johnson's wife Lynn LeBeck.

Two retirees were not able to attend the celebration:

Mike McKenry, UC Cooperative Extension specialist, UC Riverside Department of Nematology, 40 years

Stephanie Kaku, staff research associate, 32 years