Two OBU Staff Members Retire

August 5, 2008

Two Oklahoma Baptist University staff members retired this summer after years of dedicated service. 

Carole Corley retired from her position of data entry clerk after 40 years of working with the institution.

During her time at OBU, Corley worked in payroll, the registrar's office, the computer center and most recently the business office.

"I have done data entry in all of the jobs, in the early days it was done by keypunching cards that we had to take to Canadian Valley Electric to process," Corley said. "That was before we had a computer on campus."

She also worked with the Ministry Training Institute after it began in 1983.

"Carole is dependable, dedicated and hard-working," said Lauri Fluke, business office controller. "She has a great love for OBU which is shown by her many years of service. She will missed by many coworkers and friends across campus."

Corley said a highlight of working at OBU was the wonderful people she was able to work with and the relationships she built with students. She now plans to spend more time with her family.

Retha Houck retired from the position of OBU mailroom assistant. After 32 years of serving in this position, Houck will now assume the role of Xerox mailroom/copy center assistant.

As the mailroom assistant, Houck had daily interaction with students and employees, one of her favorite aspects of working at the institution.

"The thing I enjoyed most about working at OBU was the many friends I acquired, both fellow employees and students," Houck said. "I counted it a great privilege to be part of the students' lives while they attended OBU, then to hear over the years how God blessed and used them in so many ways all over the world."

Houck and the other mailroom attendants display postcards they receive from current and former students from locations across the world.

"Retha Houck's long-term tenure with the university has made her very conversant with postal regulations and the mailing patterns of our campus community," said Larry Walker, director of business services. "She has been a reliable, loyal, and customer-oriented employee who has had a major influence on how our mail room has operated for over three decades."

Now as a Xerox employee, Houck still has the opportunity to daily be on Bison Hill. Upon full retirement, she is looking forward to spending more time with family, traveling, serving in various ministries at her church and enjoying her hobbies of scrapbooking and photography.