Et cetera : Greta Geiken retires from VPRD

Greta Geiken retired Friday from the Vinton Parks and Rec Department.

A 'Key to the City' was among the gifts Greta Geiken received during her VPRD retirement party.

At age 85, it's now retirement time for Greta Geiken.

The Vinton Parks and Rec Department staff joined director Brad Barker at the Rec Center on Friday for a small party for Greta, who began working there around 1998.

Greta, who had worked for many years at the Vinton Lutheran Home, enrolled in the Green Thumb employment program for senior citizens, and was assigned to the Rec Center, welcoming visitors and helping with office duties.

Greta enjoyed the job so much that when her Green Thumb stint was up and it was time to transfer to another job in that program, she asked former Director Duane Randall if she could stay.

Duane said yes, and Greta leaves the department as its current longest-serving employee.

Greta, who celebrated her 80th birthday in 2010 by throwing out a first pitch at a Cedar Rapids Kernels game, will turn 86 in July. She says she has no big plans for retirement, but does look forward to catching up on TV shows, including "In the Heat of the Night."

The VPRD staff, joined by Greta's daughters, honored Greta with cake, ice cream, cards and a VPRD bottle opener.