Following a 38-year career in Cornwall-on-Hudson’s Department of Public Works, Wayne Yeoman officially retired on July 31.

“It’s strange,” Yeoman said about retiring. “It seems like it went by so fast. I didn’t realize I was here for so long.”

A lifelong town resident, Yeoman graduated from Cornwall High School in 1986 and worked as a summer hire within the DPW. He briefly held a job with what is now called Fleet Pride before, in February 1988, Superintendent Bob Gilmore called with a job opportunity - an opening on the sanitation team. Yeoman went in for a quick interview and was hired on the spot. He said working for a municipality appealed to him because of the benefits and higher wage.

Yeoman served in that capacity for four years before transferring to the Highway Department. Shortly after making transition, he obtained his CDL license and began advancing through the ranks. In 2013, he was promoted to working leader, a position he held for the majority of his career except for a five-month stint as acting superintendent.

When former Superintendent David Halvorsen retired, Yeoman threw his hat into the ring to be considered for the opening, but due to circumstances he preferred not to mention, he opted to remove himself from the running.

“I’m not disappointed. I had thought about retiring anyway, so that helped in my decision,” Yoeman said recently.

A dedicated employee, Yeoman wasn’t afraid of grunt work. While he took on a supervisory position as working leader giving instructions to his co-workers, he didn’t shy away from jumping on the back of a garbage truck or helping with any other task. “I’m not one who can stand around and watch people work. I have to do it too.”

What he enjoyed most, however, was that he was never doing the same thing day after day. There was always a different job to do, he said, and along the way, he met a lot of great people and made a lot of good friends.

Going to work wasn’t always exciting. Yeoman said what he hated most were the sweltering summer days and the winter storms which kept him on the plow for hours.

“There have been some long, long days. As you get older, that catches up to you.”

Yeoman will miss blacktopping and many of the other jobs he’s done over the years, but what he’ll miss most are his co-workers.

Despite retiring, Yeoman will be busy with numerous house projects. Having remarried last year, he’s looking forward to going away with his wife to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. Eventually they’ll have a new home built and will move out to Pennsylvania. With two grandkids and another on the way, Yeoman said he’s looking forward to spending more time with them. More traveling will also be in his future, including a trip to Yellowstone National Park next year, as well as fishing and restoring a 1988 Mustang GT.