NEW ALBANY — The year was 1967. Beverly Seitz was a senior at New Albany High School and, as part of her school day, attended classes in the morning and worked in the afternoon.

Seitz was handpicked by one of her teachers to help out at the New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. administrative office. She filed papers, typed and did whatever was asked of her.

That was 45 years ago.

Seitz, 62, is still the model employee at the school corporation, but no longer files papers or runs errands. She is the corporation’s insurance services manager — but not for much longer. After 45 years of dedicated service, she will be retiring Oct. 30. She will be leaving her only job, one that she truly loves.

“I did what nobody else wanted to do,” she said of her early days with the corporation. “For the past 34 years I have worked in insurance ... I did everything insurance. Whether it was health, property or auto, it came through my office.”

The job will soon be divided up now that Seitz is retiring. She said when she started with the school corporation, there were 500 employees. Today, there are 2,000. She moved into her current office along Grant Line Road on July 19, 1990. She has worked for seven different superintendents.

“I’ve really enjoyed it. No two days were the same and it was a challenge every day when you came to work,” she said. “I’ve seen a lot of people come and go. Now it’s time for me to move on to the next chapter in my life.”

She said she thought about retiring at 55 but decided to work a few more years. She said after her son died, working for the school corporation and being around her friends was therapeutic. She and her husband adopted a 9-year-old grandchild.

She said she wants to spend more time with her husband, children, grandchildren and 100-acre farm in Harrison County.

“I love to garden and farm. I love to be outdoors,” she said. “I am really looking forward to it. I am an outdoors person. Now instead of having to cram everything in at night or the weekend, I will be able to enjoy my family a little more.”

While Seitz has mixed emotions about leaving her job, she said the corporation hired “a wonderful person” to take her place. She has been working with her replacement for the past month.

She said there were opportunities to make more money in the private sector during the past four decades, but she loved working for the school corporation and never considered leaving.

“This is like family to me. That is going to be the hardest part about leaving,” Seitz said.

She said since she has dealt with thousands of school employees through the years who have had insurance questions, she knows a lot of people. And many have become her friend.

“She has meant so much to everybody. Everyone who has insurance goes through her,” said co-worker Judy Dooley, who has worked with Seitz for 37 years. “Everyone knows her. It’s going to be hard to lose someone who has worked here so long and has that much experience. She keeps up with all the retirees ... I am going to miss her. She is a good friend.”

There will be a reception for Seitz from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 22, in the board room of the Educational Support Center, next to the school administration building, 2813 Grant Line Road, New Albany.