Published: July 01, 2009 11:06 pm         

Longtime EPS staff member gets retirement sendoff

“Ann is the reason I am doing what God wants me to do.”

Monroe Elementary School teacher Marilyn Mitchell was moved to tears at a retirement reception Wednesday for longtime Enid Public Schools staff member Ann Herndon.

Mitchell recalled her first years teaching at McKinley Elementary School. She said she wanted to quit teaching, but Herndon talked her out of it.

“She is absolutely the reason I am still teaching today,” Mitchell said.

Herndon’s education career spanned more than 41 years, 40 of which were at EPS as teacher, administrator and director of personnel.

Former EPS superintendent Kem Keithly was emcee for the event.

“You will be missed,” said Keithly, to Herndon. “I just want to say thank you for being a part of my life.”

The Enid High School cafeteria was filled with Herndon’s friends, colleagues and family members, and a slideshow was played for the crowd.

Herndon said she is going to miss the people and the “bright, new teacher faces.”

“They’ve got their whole lives ahead of them and they are excited and scared,” she said. “I enjoy visiting with them.”

Herndon is battling cancer and said the people who attended the reception are those who helped her make it this far in her battle.

“If it hadn’t been for most of these people, I probably would have given up a long time ago,” she said.

Herndon said she will continue working from home through July but has plans for her retirement.

“I plan on relaxing,” she said. “It’ll be nice to have some down time.”

Herndon said she also plans to do some reading and spend time with her two children.