Friends and co-workers of SMSgt Bruce P. Robie knew exactly what kind of themed retirement party to give him as he wrapped up a distinguished twenty-four year career in the United States Air Force.
If you guessed that Robie’s friends gave him a lighthouse retirement party, you guessed right.
Robie had developed a reputation amongst his peers for his overwhelming interest in everything lighthouses. In fact several of them had been ‘dragged along’ over the years on his unique lighthouse outings where they witnessed first hand his excitement each time he visited a new lighthouse
So, it was only fitting that over 200 of his friends and coworkers threw him an elaborate retirement party at McChord Air Force Base in Washington State.
The gifts presented to him included an incredible lighthouse ‘shadow box’ highlighting the awards and decorations he had received throughout his career.
Looking at all the lighthouse items he received including a lawn lighthouse one would have thought they were at a retirement party for someone in the Coast Guard instead of the Air Force. Robie was nearly speechless as he realized the scope of his retirement ceremony, saying it felt more like it was a retirement party for a lighthouse keeper.
However, now that he’s out of the Air Force, we’ll bet Bruce Robie’s lighthouse hobby will be bigger than ever.
This story appeared in the
April 2004 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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