The Sturges-Young Auditorium & Civic Center was the location for a Friday evening retirement open house for Maury Kaercher.
There was a ‘full house’ Friday evening (April 15th) at a retirement party in Sturgis honoring Maurice ‘Maury’ Kaercher for “28 years of meritorious service to Michigan State University Extension.”
Kaercher was recognized in a variety of ways by a series of speakers during the event at the Sturges-Young Auditorium and Civic Center.
The gathering featured both ‘roasting’ and ‘toasting’ – plus an abundance of laughter – as Kaercher was thanked for his many contributions and wished well in his retirement.
Maury Kaercher had an opportunity to speak toward the end of the program in his honor and, in doing so, paid tribute to his staff at the Extension office in Centreville.
Devoted, passionate and “a man of many talents” were among the words and phrases used to describe Kaercher.
In the course of the program, Rick Shaffer, chairman of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners, read and presented a resolution adopted by the County Board on April 5th. Similarly, state Representative Matt Lori presented a framed tribute from the State of Michigan.
The resolution from the County Board of Commissioners says, in part, that “the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners recognizes and expresses grateful appreciation for the many years of devoted service and leadership that Maury Kaercher has given to the citizens of St. Joseph County.”
These cakes provided the dessert that capped the retirement open house.
Kaercher may be retiring from MSU Extension, but he’ll not be headed to the rocking chair. He’ll begin a new, part-time job on May 1st as the executive director of the Michigan Sheep Breeders Association.
To hear an interview with Maury Kaercher – recorded by Bruce Snook of the River Country Journal just prior to the program portion of the open house in his honor – click on the following link: Maury_Kaercher_interview (3:13 – 2.95 MB).
