After nearly 40 years, employee of city retires

By Donna Hales
Phoenix Staff Writer

May 16, 2008 11:35 pm

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Bill Foreman became a city employee 39 years ago and was vehicle maintenance supervisor at the Muskogee Police Department since 1977 — until today.
He retired Friday. He’d planned to stay home until he learned they were throwing him a party.
The thought of leaving got him a little teary-eyed. He was emotional after getting three job offers by mid-afternoon Friday.
“I’m in awe the amount of phone calls, about 60 or 70, and 40 people have come in,” he said.
That was before his retirement party.
“I’ll be missing the people I see every day,” he said. “I’m sad to go and happy to go. I am scared and excited at the same time.”
It’s not like he won’t remain busy. He’s president of the Muskogee Golf League, chairman of the board of Muskogee Federal Credit Union and has some civic achievements he wants to accomplish.
He said his job has been different every day, and that’s one reason he hates to give it up.
“He’s a great guy to work with,” said Jeff Lee.
Lee said Foreman had been his supervisor for 15 years.
Foreman’s cake featured a man riding a golf cart. The man’s head was a picture of Foreman. Up in the corner was a Muskogee police car with a policeman inside hollering: “Wait — fix my car.”