Bruce is Retiring!

One of my coworkers, Bruce Lansciardi, is at work for his final day today.  He has been with the company for 15 years.

When I first hired in I was almost immediately working with him, albeit somewhat indirectly.  He was managing the high-speed stamping press products that I was counting, packaging, and delivering every day.  A few years later I was promoted to actually running the press full-time, and then worked directly with him.  You couldn't ask for a better guy to be teamed with.  Knowledgeable in seemingly endless areas, he was also funny and easy to get along with.  He taught me a lot about that press and the associated tooling we had to dissect and repair almost daily.

He has been involved with what seems like every facet of the shop in one way or another.  Upgrades?  Sure, he ran electrical cables, ducting, wiring, carpentry, plumbing, lighting--you name it.  He wasn't afraid or intimidated by voltage either--he was into everything from 440-volt AC on down to batteries.  He installed new equipment of every kind as well.  Repairs?  Very few things were out of his league.  Vehicles, giant presses--it didn't matter.  I have seen him working with everything from huge to tiny.  If he could open it up he'd figure out how to fix it.  He might be up on a ladder cutting tree limbs one day and running ethernet cable the next.  He has had tools and toolboxes scattered all over the shop.  I believe he really doesn't know all of the tools he owns that might still be around the company here or there.

It's really going to be strange around there without him.  We will undoubtedly falter occasionally and wish he was still there to prop us up.

In honor of Bruce's retirement, I thought I'd throw a few rhymes up on the wall:

A Tribute to Bruce

A lot of things have been repaired:
Machinery, pipes, and wiring,
but after years of working hard
Lansciardi is retiring.

He has been our "go-to" guy
when things at work would die.
It seemed he could fix anything.
If not, he still would try.

It didn't matter if he was clean
he'd jump right into messes.
He'd clear a plugged-up toilet
or work on oily presses.

Installations and upgrades
were also things he'd do.
No matter how complex they'd seem
He could see them through.

He taught a lot of people things
that they had never known.
He was a patient teacher too,
and taught without a groan.

We always knew when he was near--
his whistle could be heard.
That's how he announced himself
without a single word.

Many times he worked so hard
and he was stretched so thin
he needed clones to help him finish
so his next job could begin.

I'm sure that there are things at work
he'd just as soon forget,
but he'll miss things too--I'm sure of that
but won't too soon I'll bet.

There is one thing that might be good
about Bruce leaving us,
and that's the blame game we can pull
whenever we get cussed.

I can hear it now--just wait:
"Who didn't get this done?"
We'll be able to point a finger
"It was Bruce--Yep, he's the one."

It's time that he slowed down a bit
and treasured things in life;
He'll get to count his blessings
and spend time with his wife.

It will be weird after he leaves
on that you can rely,
but he has worked his years;
it's time to say goodbye.

Rick Williams

At least the internet provides us all ways to stay in touch with someone when they retire.  It doesn't matter how far they go--they're just a few clicks away.

Good luck, Bruce.  May your future be filled with nothing but the good things you've worked your whole life to achieve!