Glen was happy I was able to join him in Minneapolis for his last week of work. We stayed in the hotel right next to the G&K Services building.
I was able to see his work space where he has hung out with all these people--plus more--for the last 2 years.
We walked into a room full of G&K employees.
Doug Milroy and Ian Davis presented Glen with a beautiful crystal retirement plaque that lists all the positions he has held and all the locations he has worked.
Previously, several people had presented him with different gifts as they told stories about him. Someone mentioned how cheap Glen is that he lived at the hotel and ate their free breakfast and their free dinner and then he would bring bottles of water to work that he had picked up at the hotel and would buy a sandwich out of the vending machine at work for his lunch.
Doug presented me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Glen also received a beautiful memory book the women on his team had prepared for him. It had some of Glen's favorite quotes mixed throughout the photos. The picture that got me the most was the one on the back cover--a picture of Glen's empty chair.
Those people really love Glen and it was very difficult for them to tell him good-bye for good.
A beautiful cake was on display waiting to be served up to all the employees.
That evening we were invited to a lovely retirement dinner at McCormick & Schmick's Steak & Seafood Restaurant. We had a room all to ourselves with the people Glen felt most close to. He was thrilled Dick Fink was there and said a few words to the group. He was a past President and CEO of the company.
Dan Slade, Andy Panos, Ian Davis, us, Dave Luby and Doug Milroy. These are some of the people Glen worked closely with over the years.
One day we had a special surprise when we learned it had been arranged for us to go to lunch with Forrest Klingaman, the man who hired Glen to work for G&K Services. He is 91-years-old and very spry and still has a keen mind. It was a delight to spend time with him.
It turned out to be free pie day at the restaurant and that was an added bonus to an already wonderful lunch experience.
We felt there was some divine intervention getting in touch with Forrest. First, Dan had to do some investigative work to even find Forrest's phone number. Forrest told us he was surprised to receive that phone call from Dan. He had been having trouble with his phone and people hadn't been able to contact him for a couple of weeks before or since that one phone call.
Speaking of a phone call--we received one from Abe that last evening we were there and he said his layover in Minneapolis was extended to 3 1/2 hours and asked where we were. We were at the Mall of America and had just ordered our dinner. He gave us his order and used Uber to get from the airport to the nearby mall.
Abe was a bright spot in Glen's farewell week.
Glen had made friends at the hotel. Myrna helped with the food each day.
Kent was the bellman and Marion worked the front desk welcoming "Mr. Thomas" every time he arrived. She was very emotional about his leaving. She told me he was always so happy and never complaining about anything. It was quite touching to see tears flowing from her eyes as she talked with me one day. She could feel something special about Glen and I tried to help her see it is because he follows the Savior and tries to be Christlike in all he does.
Farewell G&K Services. Farewell Marriott. Farewell Minnesota.
It's strictly California for us for the next 3 years.
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