Published: April 22, 2008 01:08 pm            

Synchronized Retirement

TEUTOPOLIS — Mark and Jean Habing established reputations as caring people during their long professional careers, he as a teacher and she as a social worker.

On April 6, the Habings were honored for their years of service to the community at a retirement party hosted by one of their sons at his Teutopolis home.

Son Greg, who came back to Teutopolis from Lansing, Mich., for the event, said his parents richly deserved their moment of recognition.

“Over the course of their careers, they touched a lot of people’s lives,” Greg said.

The four Habing children knew they couldn’t send out invitations, but they did know many people in the area would love to recognize their parents for good works performed over the years.

So, they put notice in area newspapers and were blessed with a perfect early spring afternoon.

Mark taught junior high social studies at Neoga for 32 years before retiring in 2000. After a year of idleness, he went back to work for the Effingham Rural King store before recently retiring from that job.

Jean spent 25 years as a social worker for Catholic Charities, specializing in foster care.

Mark said he tried to discourage his kids from throwing the retirement bash.

“We told them ‘no,’ but they did it anyway,” he said.

Jean said the couple’s philosophy was to help those in need. Oddly enough, the couple ended up helping many of the same people.

“We did foster care for one of Mark’s students,” she said.

“And we had some kids who went through Jean’s office,” he said.

Jean said the couple’s retirement plans center around travel.

“We have a daughter in Virginia and a son in Michigan,” she said.

So what did they do on their first post-retirement trip?

“We went to Florida in January,” she said. The couple drove down the west coast of the state and up the east coast — splitting the travel with a bicycle tour in the Everglades.

Next month, they plan to visit Holland, Mich., to celebrate the first birthday of one of their six grandchildren.

Bill Grimes can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 131 or bill.grimes@effinghamdailynews.com.