DONALD: As you have probably heard by now, I will be retiring as Professor of Entomology at ISU on June 3. It’s been a fun and rewarding career, but 45 years, 2 months, and 13 days feel like enough.
CINDY: It might feel like enough to you, but we would like to keep you around for a while longer to answer questions, teach Master Gardeners, guest lecture in our courses, and generally keep us entertained and on our toes. No one incorporates off-beat humor at the most unexpected times the way you do.
AARON: I’m new to Horticulture Extension, but I’ve long known Donald’s contributions through pamphlets, meetings, workshops, radio shows, individual phone calls, emails, and identification responses to Iowans and the county extension offices. Donald has been the editor, assembler, persuader, and promoter for our Horticulture and Home Pest Newsletter since its inception in 1987. That’s over 650 issues of the newsletter that Donald helped construct, first as printed pages and then as electronic newsletters beginning in 2005. I hope you will still agree to talk on Iowa Public Radio’s Hort Friday from time to time – Iowans will miss your amazing advice!
DONALD: Thank you to all Extension staff and University colleagues for being part of my ISU Adventure. I’m grateful to the citizens of Iowa for providing me the opportunity to study insects, answer your insect questions and share the marvels and practical details of entomology. Together we helped build a strong Iowa to address real-life challenges. Being an extension specialist and an entomologist for 45 years never felt like a job because of the variety of insects and people I’ve met and assisted along the way. My retirement is not “goodbye,” but “see you later.”
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