Goodbye to my dear mentor Jan. She isn't dead, just gone from the building. After 37 years at her job, she retired. Tomorrow is her birthday, and the day it will read on paperwork, but today is Friday. She came in only long enough to pack up the last of her things and let us take her to lunch today. Yesterday was nearly the same. Came in for some packing and a larger goodbye party.
This week has gone too fast, and with all the people around it went in a blur. She was ready to go, I know that. She'll have fun with her jewelry business and probably make a lot of money at it. I don't know if she'll do library work again. I started this job nearly five years ago, when I was pregnant with my daughter, and Jan interviewed me and hired me. She supervised me up until a few months ago when the department restructured. Even since then I have viewed her as my boss.
She has been my mentor, my advocate, my ally, my friend.
She won't be replaced unfortunately, not that you ever could.
Anyway, I'm going to miss her.
