After 48 years of service to Washburn, David Greene is retiring from the job he has come to know so well. Greene’s position as custodial crew leader in the facilities services department identifies him as capable of filling any position and doing any duty at the university.

“I have done all the cleaning in all the buildings at one time or another,” said Greene. “I run all over campus.”

Working as a laborer, painter and custodian has been both interesting and fun for Greene. He believes that he has met good people, many of whom are his friends. The working environment was enjoyable for Greene, as he watched incoming freshmen work their ways through their college years eventually to graduation.

“It was fun because of the people and watching kids come and go,” said Greene.

Memories from Greene’s career at Washburn prove that he has seen it all. He has seen Washburn grow, and acknowledges President Jerry Farley for bringing in more students.

“Jerry is a nice fellow,” said Greene. “He got more kids in here once the big wind came through.”

Of course, Greene is referring to the tornado that hit campus in 1966. Cleaning up the aftermath of it, he observed, led to more sprucing up than simply putting everything back in its place. More buildings were built, and newer ones replaced older ones or were updated. The changes have improved Washburn significantly, in Greene’s opinion, and he expects that the university will continue to undergo positive changes.

Greene’s commitment to Washburn has developed throughout varying opportunities. For 30 years he performed various tasks at football and basketball games. His focus shifted to Petro Allied Health Center when he was put in charge the first year the building was used. Some extra help has recently been needed in Garvey Fine Arts Center, so Greene has been putting in lots of overtime there.

“It has been a pretty exciting experience,” said Greene. “I have lived here, really, since I’m almost here more than I am at home.”

Facilities Services threw a retirement party for Greene Thursday to celebrate the contributions he has made to Washburn. Yet retirement seems to be a status that Greene finds bittersweet.

“This has been my whole life out here,” said Greene. “In a way, I hate to leave all my friends, but it is time to go.”

Rest and relaxation are on the agenda for Greene’s free time. Sitting and watching television will only be interrupted by the exercise he gets walking his dog. He also plans to go out for coffee with the friends he has worked with and come back to visit every now and then.