MARK LUETKE
LOOKING SIDEWAYS

We have just marked the unofficial end of summer with the celebration of Labor Day. As we pack away vacation photos and send the kids back to school, let’s remember that this holiday was originally created to focus on the achievements of all working people, as well as the nation’s original struggle for workers’ rights and improved workplace conditions.
In keeping with that historical tone, I’d like to take this week’s space to celebrate one small but energetic segment of our local workforce: employees who have spent their entire career with one employer. In our case, this means at least 44 years—and as many as 50. At one job. For the same organization.
They are part of a group that makes up perhaps 15 percent of the total American workforce. So, in the Labor Day spirit, let me introduce you to three long-timers who are your neighbors.
June Obertacz started her job in respiratory therapy at Flower Hospital 47 years ago in 1976 when she was still in college. She graduated to become what is now a Respiratory Care Practitioner (and formerly called a Respiratory Therapist) and works everywhere at Flower.
“In a hospital setting, we are the first responders—both in the building and on emergency calls. This means we go to wherever a patient has cardiac arrest—whether that’s the ER, one of the floors, out in the parking lot or ER driveway,” June explained. “Also, we are involved with maintaining respiration for all our patients, whether that is medications, breathing treatments, physiotherapy, and a lot in critical care maintaining ventilators.”
What explains her longevity? “Some of my longest and dearest friends have been here almost as long as I have. Part of the appeal is how we rely on each other. The vibe is very friendly: we have great leadership and always good department heads. The culture is very family-oriented, and that’s remained consistent as we transitioned from a community hospital into ProMedica.”
How long does she intend to stay with the family? “I’ve never considered leaving before now,” June said. “But I’ll be reaching my full retirement age soon, so I’m thinking about doing it next summer. But that will be difficult … I’ve enjoyed every minute I was there … I love this job.”
While June’s career may be defined by intensity, Sue Kamer deals in volume. Each work day she encounters as many as 250 people on her job staffing the front desk at the Sylvania YMCA/JCC. She checks in members headed to fitness classes, weight room work-outs, the popular outdoor swimming pool, child care, plus a variety of meetings.
Sue has been a fixture there for 44 years—starting in housekeeping part-time, then staffing the desk on Sundays, and soon as the receptionist four days a week. “When I first started, many of the members were guys coming in at night for basketball and the people using the fitness club. A lot of that has changed. We have child care now, and workout classes,” she said.
The secret to longevity for her? “The number one thing is the members; number two is the people that I work with. You feel comfortable talking to the boss, and everybody here is so kind. I treat people the way I want to be treated—I learned that from my mom and dad. Ninety-nine percent of the time when I leave here, I am very happy—very rarely do I leave upset.”
Data shows that the average American today holds 12 jobs in their lifetime, and the median time on each job is just under four years. “Those numbers reflect the message that younger workers receive as they enter the workforce: move around and that mobility will increase your earning potential,” says Dr. Lee Gibson, adjunct faculty member in the College of Business and Leadership at Lourdes University.
“That’s different from what Baby Boomers learned growing up. They were a generation conditioned to stay in one job for their whole career … that was the way to grow and advance. Your loyalty will pay off,” he says. “Consider, too, that job satisfaction is a big part of longevity—and that is a function of strong and steady leadership in each of the organizations where they serve.”
A final case in point is Bill Geha, who came onto my retirement radar last year when he stepped away after 50 years as pool manager at Highland Meadows Golf Club. As a goodbye, the club named the pool after him. But it turns out, that had been an enjoyable summer job to supplement his full-time work as a drug intervention specialist and drug counselor in the Sylvania and Springfield schools for 57 years.
During that time, he worked on programs, workshops and individual counseling—receiving national recognition for his efforts (including dinner at the White House with President and Mrs. Ronald Regan.) Bill officially retired from Sylvania in 2023 and Springfield last year. But he still gets calls from parents whose kids are involved with drugs—and he responds to each one.
We’ll learn more about Bill’s lifelong work with youth suffering from addiction in a more in-depth story a few months from now. But in the meantime, we’ll let him answer the obvious question: after 57 years, why is he still at it?
He answers without hesitation: “I do it to save one more life. Saving a young person from drugs makes me feel fantastic. And I’m never going to stop.”

Longtime Sylvania resident Mark Luetke has served on city council, the board of education, and numerous foundation and community boards.