50 years — From counting change to countdown to a change

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average job tenure in the United States is just under four years, yet on March 29, one Newcastle resident will mark 50 years of working for the same employer. Louise Stith has spent the entirety of her adult employment at the institution currently known as First Northern Bank of Wyoming, where she presently holds the title of branch manager. Stith will bring her impressive tenure to an end when she retires on April 3.

A native of Newcastle, Stith married her husband, Kelly, in August 1975 and then started working at the bank — then known as First State Bank — in March 1976. The late Betty Jording, who had been Stith’s business teacher at Newcastle High School, encouraged Stith to apply for a position at the bank, which was managed at that time by Jording’s husband, Don.

Don, who served as the bank president from the early ’70s until his retirement in 2005, remembers Stith being an exemplary and tenacious employee.

“She was just willing to do anything. And where she got her brilliance, I don’t know,” he said.

Current Bank President Mike Morrison, to whom Stith serves as a second-in-command, has worked with her for about 32 years, and he expressed a similar sentiment.

“If there’s a problem, Louise will dig into it and find out what the solution is,” he said. “She’s self-taught, and she has the drive to understand a problem, learn a new computer system or whatever it may be.”

Being only the fourth bank employee in the state to reach the 50-year milestone shows the exceptional nature of Stith’s accomplishment, and this is underscored by the assessment of Jording, who said that such a lengthy tenure is “very unusual.” One would then likely expect an individual who has persisted in the same occupation for half a century to have more than one frustration to share. Yet, in her interview with the News Letter Journal, Stith was unable to put her finger on any.

Stith’s satisfaction with her job was also affirmed by her husband.

“She has never come home in tears or anything like that,” he said. “It’s a great job for a person. They handle a lot of money, but they don’t pay a lot. But, you know, it’s five days a week, all the holidays off and it’s got decent benefits.”

Stith did recognize one challenge faced during her tenure, and this was an area for which Kelly, Jording and Morrison each separately commended her — raising four children while working full time at the bank.

“That was challenging sometimes, especially getting them to their activities,” she said. “Both sides of the family helped us if we needed, and it worked out.”

Kelly shared his gratitude for his wife’s efforts both at work and at home.

“She worked at the bank and raised four kids, and when I was in the towing business for 40 years, she held everything together,” he said. “You can’t say enough good about her. She’s quite the gal, and I’m a very lucky man.”

When asked what she enjoys most about banking, Stith gave an answer one might expect from someone so dedicated to her public-facing job.

“You get to see and visit with a lot of people. You get to know the customers and other employees really well.”

Kelly also acknowledged his wife’s people skills. He mentioned how the bank used to host an annual customer appreciation day in December and how Louise and her sisters would bake “about 85 dozen” cookies for the event. He also recognized the ceaseless professionalism she would exhibit in and outside of work.

“She takes a lot of pride in maintaining people’s privacy. We’ve had people catch us on the street, and if they start talking about business, I know to just walk off because that’s between her and her customer,” he said.

After five decades in the banking industry, Stith has served in a multitude of roles and has witnessed considerable change. Off the top of her head, she listed the following positions she has held: teller, drive-in teller, secretary of new accounts, assistant cashier, cashier, assistant vice president, vice president and branch manager.

“I have seen a lot of changes in the banks and how banking has evolved over the years,” she said. “When I first started, they were posting checks by hand here — we used to get a cash letter in the mail — but it’s all done by computer now.”

While initially apprehensive at the thought of retiring, Stith is becoming keener on the idea as April 3 approaches. Uncertainty has given way to enthusiasm with the realization of all to which she will be able to dedicate more time.

“I can see all the different things that I enjoy. I work on crafts, I scrapbook, I do cards and I work out in the garden,” she said. “And with having two grandkids now, I want to see them more.”

Morrison said that he’s excited for Stith to embark on this new journey and that it is “well deserved.” However, he does anticipate that it will take some time to adjust to her absence.

“It’s going to be coming in and saying, ‘Good morning, Louise,’ and then seeing that office vacant or filled by another person. I’ll think, ‘Where the hell’s Louise?’”

A retirement party will be held at the bank from 2 to 4 p.m. on Stith’s last day, Friday, April 3, and the public is welcome to attend.

The Stiths will only have a couple of weeks to remedy the one gripe Kelly has had with his wife’s employment at the bank.

“You know,” he said, “I always ask her about bringing home free samples, and for some strange reason, that has never happened.”