SIMULTANEOUS RETIREMENT-Both Richard and Marlene Caudill opted to retire from their respective jobs at the same time last year. Richard was a training specialist for the N.C. Department of Insurance in the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Marlene worked for 35 years at the Alleghany Department of Social Services. She was supervisor of the income maintenance programs at the time of her retirement.

Caudills reflect on life and retirement

After many years of public service, Alleghany natives Richard and Marlene Caudill decided to retire at the same time from their respective jobs with the N.C. Department of Insurance and Alleghany Department of Social Services.

The parents of two grown sons, Preston and Andrew, the couple, who have been married for nearly 39 years, opted to retire Friday, March 31, 2006.

Richard

Throughout his adult life, Richard has held a number of jobs in public service, with the last position he held before retirement being with the North Carolina Department of Insurance in the Office of the State Fire Marshal as a fire and rescue training specialist. Explaining the workings of the Department of Insurance, Caudill said,

"On the state level, the Department of Insurance is the parent for the Office of State Fire Marshal. The Office of State Fire Marshal is responsible for the development of fire and rescue training programs and also for the certification of all fire and rescue personnel in the state."

While with the Department of Insurance, Caudill stated he often told instructors, "The place to properly train personnel is on the training ground. We're creatures of habit, and as fire and rescue personnel, we respond to an incident the way we are trained. What comes natural to us is what we're going to do initially," Mr. Caudill explained.

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