Georgie Woodford, who retired Sunday, June 12 after 28 years as secretary at the Kingfield Elementary School, enjoys the wooden rocking chair engraved with her name that was presented her at her retirement party. (Laura Dunham photo) KINGFIELD — The Kingfield Elementary School gym was the setting Sunday, June 12, for Georgie Woodford’s retirement. She has been the mainstay of the school for the past 28 years. Principal Marco Aliberti and all the school staff had tee shirts that read: “Go Find Georgie.”

Now Georgie’s life has not only focused on her family and the school but on golfing, too.

When the weather was good, everyone assumed that Georgie was at “Dr. Green’s” and she always seemed to have this reoccurring illness somewhere near a golf course, said Aliberti.

Superintendent Quentin Clark said he never thought he would see the day that Georgie would retire before he did.

Aliberti said that secretaries had always played a huge roll in his life including the secretary he had at Leeds High School, “then my mom became a secretary,” and there was secretary Mary Stinchfield in Strong while he taught there. “Georgie just ran the show here at the Kingfield school,” said Aliberti, “she practically held my hand the first year that I was principal.”

“My kids were in the third grade before they found out that Georgie wasn’t the principal,” Holly Taylor said.

Maddie Farady said her son Thomas, who is a student at KES always said, “When I grow up I don’t want to be a teacher or a principal, I just want to be Georgie... she knows everything!”

Georgie thanked everyone for coming, including her large family of 14 grandchildren and her children, Christopher of Minot, Patrick of Portland, Adam of Augusta and Annette of Strong and their families.

Adam said that after nine years of “going to school with my mother,” she was offered a job at Mt. Abram as a secretary, “and I said ‘No Way!’”

Woodford was presented with many gifts including a wooden rocking chair engraved with her retirement info on it along with a golf bag and all the golf clubs from the school personnel and community and then a golf cart from Woodford’s family.

“I always said that I would retire when it ceased being fun to be around the children and the job, but that time never came,” Woodford said.

“But still,” said Woodford, “I hear my 14 grandchildren and the golf course calling me.”