Ron Dailey talks with Principal Andrea Moyer and Superintendent Brian Garverick during a pitch-in breakfast Friday morning at Malabar Intermediate School.
Ron Dailey has dealt with his share of surprises during 30 years as a Mansfield City Schools custodian, but nothing quite like Friday morning.
The retiring head custodian at Malabar Intermediate School – described by Principal Andrea Moyer as “always dependable, reliable and never rattled” -- walked into a standing ovation in the cafeteria. Several hugs and gift cards later, he joined teachers and fellow support staff for a pitch-in breakfast in his honor.
“I’ve spent 46 of my 52 years in Mansfield City Schools,” said Dailey, explaining that he attended Prospect Elementary and Appleseed Junior High before graduating from Malabar High School. “I started working at Woodland (Elementary School) in January 1984.”
Dailey’s three decades in the district were evenly divided at Woodland and Malabar, where he swept, cleaned, shoveled snow and dealt with everything from clogged sewers to building repairs.
Moyer said Dailey always approached his work with an unflappable attitude.
“Nothing rattles him. I’ve never heard him raise his voice,” she said. “When all of the 4-6 schools (Brinkerhoff, Hedges and Springmill) closed several years ago it was a major summer undertaking to get this building ready for all of those students. Ron never got rattled by that.
“And when we had the air-conditioning installed a couple of summers ago, I didn’t think we would be able to start school on time. But Ron said, ‘Don’t worry, Andrea. We’ll be ready.’ And we were.”
Moyer said Dailey’s work ethic was unwavering.
“He never missed work and he never took a vacation during the summer so he could have the building ready for the start of school,” she said.
Jose Sanchez, head custodian at Mansfield Senior High School, echoed Moyer.
“Ron is one of a kind. They don’t make them like him anymore,” he said.
Dailey admitted that he was caught off guard when he was called to go to the cafeteria just before 7:30 a.m.
“It certainly was a surprise. I had been trying to keep my retirement as quiet as I could,” he said. “I will miss working here a lot. And I’ll miss the kids too. It’s surprising how many former Woodland students – young adults now – will remember me and speak to me when I see them.”
Dailey, whose wife Shelly teaches in the Northwestern schools, plans to take it easy for a couple of months after his retirement becomes official on Dec. 31. Then he’ll think about woodworking and fishing.
“One thing’s for sure. In January I’m going to sit in my house and watch it snow,” he said.