Retirees reflect upon UI careers

Some 87 UI employees entered the next stage of their lives during the 2006-07 academic year, which is to say they retired from the University. Some will stay busy with ongoing research, others will give time to worthy causes, and still others will find plenty to do around the house. Three retirees recently told fyi about their plans.

David Frisbie: Time to test out recreational activities

	David Frisbie, director of Iowa Testing Programs, sits in his office in the Lindquist Center on the University of Iowa campus. Photo by Tom Jorgensen.

For more than two decades as a University of Iowa employee, David Frisbie has been involved in testing, whether through his development of classroom examinations or through his direction of Iowa Testing Programs in the College of Education.

Now that he has retired from the University, it’s time to test out other things: bicycle trails and new in-line skates, for starters.

Frisbie began his University career in 1981 with Evaluation and Examination Service. In this job, he worked with faculty and administrators across the University, evaluating instruction and developing and implementing policies and tests used for placement and course exemption for new students.

“The consultation services I provided allowed me to meet and work with a variety of wonderful people throughout the campus,” Frisbie says.

He became associate director of that office before departing in 1986 to take on new roles: professor in the College of Education and director of Iowa Testing Programs.

Frisbie says the latter role was quite demanding, but also quite rewarding. “I have come to know hundreds of educators in Iowa, and other states as well, and was able to work closely with many of them to help them be better users of tests and consumers of test data,” he says.

Many memories will be savored, Frisbie says: watching graduate students develop into successful professionals in the field; seeing new versions of the Iowa Tests adopted and implemented in schools throughout the nation; and the excitement of Iowa football and basketball.

It’s not like Frisbie will become a stranger to the UI community. Although he’ll continue to be physically active and enjoy spending even more time with his family (his six grandchildren in particular), Frisbie plans on continuing some work with his students, members of his department, and professional organizations. “I might start some new research projects,” he adds.

Jean Gardner: Plans to stay sew busy

	Jean Gardner relaxes in her home, sharing a quilt with her granddaughter Savannah. Photo by Tom Jorgensen.

During her first week of retirement, Jean Gardner cleaned her closets and dresser drawers. Given her penchant for sewing, quilting, and knitting—she’s knitted sweaters and a scarf so far since retiring—she’ll probably need the room.

Gardner, who worked for nearly 10 years as a secretary in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology in the Carver College of Medicine, has found plenty of activities to stay busy since retiring in February. In addition to her knitting and quilting, Gardner is catching up on much-missed reading, and activities with her daughter and granddaughter.

“I thought I would miss the office more than I did,” Gardner says. “I thought I would miss ‘being needed.’ But I’ve been too busy to miss having a number of people depending on me.”

Gardner’s work at the University wasn’t originally in her plans—she had hoped her late husband’s retirement income would pay the bills. But once she decided to go back to work, she brought her computer skills up to speed and quickly found work in the anatomy and cell biology department.

“Since my own undergraduate degree was in biology, I felt that I had some knowledge of the subject,” she says.

Gardner worked for several professors in the department, typing grant proposals, exams, and papers for publication, preparing lesson outlines, assembling the various syllabi, and maintaining grades. This sort of work evolved over the past decade: Gardner says preparing the lesson outlines was a “cut-and paste job” in the early days—the sort that actually involved scissors and adhesive, not computer keystrokes. 

“By the end of my years, however, the pictures were scanned, and it was just a matter of sizing them and inserting them into the text,” she says.

Gardner will miss her UI colleagues, but also the learning that occurred on the job. “I worked for really interesting professors who treated me with respect and as a friend,” she says. “I miss the learning on my part when I would question why something happened—they would explain it to me without getting exasperated.”

Johnita Langenberg: Will miss her great job

	In retirement, Johnita Langenberg is able to enjoy leisurely mornings in her sun room. Photo by Tom Jorgensen.

Leaving a profession that one loves isn’t easy. Johnita Langenberg, who worked for two decades as a nurse with Student Health Service at The University of Iowa, had mixed emotions when her last day on the job came to a close.

“I honestly felt a little sad—it was like another chapter of my life was complete,” she says.

Mornings spent leisurely reading the paper, enjoying her coffee, and spending time with her husband are pretty decent ways to start the day, though.

Langenberg plans to travel with her husband to places west: Colorado, Wyoming, and the Grand Canyon. Closer to home, she will pursue her love of antiques, flowers, and fishing, and with family nearby, she and her husband will be attending their grandchildren’s activities.

Langenberg’s job at the University was multifaceted; she provided services in preventive health, mental health, and women’s health, just to name a few. “Our job involved so many things, but the bottom line remained consistent: focus on the needs of our students,” she says.

She got her start at the University when a friend and former coworker called about an opening in Student Health. “She called me and encouraged me to apply, saying ‘It’s a great job!’” Langerberg says. “She was right. It was a great job.”

Langenberg says the job was made all the better by her wonderful friends and coworkers—her fondest memories of the job stem from these invaluable relationships. “These are the people with whom you shared your joys and sorrows,” she says. “I am most proud of having the opportunity to be part of a great team, which provided excellent care to University of Iowa students.

“I will also miss the opportunity to care for a very diverse student population,” she adds. “I hope I made a difference in their lives. It’s been grand!”

All stories by Christopher Clair