By Jeff Kenney Staff Writer
CULVER — After 35 years, one of Culver Elementary School’s most visible staff members has retired.
Janet Overmyer chuckled about the Oct. 31 date for her retirement as secretary at the school, but noted that she chose the date because she didn’t feel as well as she’d like after a recent surgery. “I just felt with winter coming up and me walking on the ice, I sure didn’t want to fall,” she said.
To several generations of Culver students (and now adults), Overmyer will be remembered as the patient and helpful lady in the front office and on the telephone. A host of current and retired teachers, several of whom returned to the school for her retirement reception, share similar sentiments, as does CES principal Chuck Kitchell.

“She’s more than the secretary of CES,” he said. “I can’t count the number of parents and kids and staff members that she’s touched. She’ll be hard to replace…she’s been a joy to have. So helpful and caring for all the kids.”
Overmyer, who has worked under six principals, has reciprocal feelings. “You couldn’t ask for a better boss than (Kitchell). He’s just been so supportive of everything I’ve done and kind and nice to me…we’ve been together 11 years.”
“Bill Mills hired me in March, 1972,” she recalls. “I’ve loved every minute of it. I told Chuck I don’t believe I’ve ever got up in the morning and said, ‘Ew, if I just didn’t have to get up for work today.’”
What will she miss the most? “I think just the whole atmosphere: the office, the girls, Chuck, the kids, the teachers. We just all have such a good rapport. I’m going to miss that.”
Over the years, things at the school have changed. “Office equipment has changed dramatically from mimeograph and typewriter days. Now everything’s all (on) computer. The simplicity of the office machines today, and yet we’re busier than we were! The biggest thing is communication between bus drivers, office, and parents. When I got started, kids got on the bus and went home. Mom was home. Today, with so many after school activities, you almost have to know where 500 kids are all the time.”
As for her retired life, Overmyer’s plans are simple enough. “We hope to spend a lot of time with our family, our sisters and brothers. All of our family’s been retired for years…both of us are the youngest in each family. (Husband) Rich retired in April. We hope to travel a little bit, play golf, visit relatives. I’d like to get together and have lunch with my friends.”
Besides well wishers from most of the school corporation, Overmyer was visited on the 31st by a number of students to see her off.  “The 4th grade sang songs and asked me questions, and the 1st grade made me cards,” she said. “We all had pizza upstairs in the lounge and cake and punch down here.”
Overmyer’s replacement as CES secretary, Cindy Reister, will also be recognizable to many Culverites. Reister has been active in the Culver community and especially visible in the area of theater, both as a director and performer in school plays and Maxinkuckee Players productions.