Putnam County Trustee Freddie Nelson will retire from public service in August after a 46-year career that spanned the classroom and the county courthouse.
Nelson’s final day in office will be the last day of August. Nelson said a new trustee will take over the position on September 1.
“I had thirty years with the school system as a teacher,” Nelson said. “And then I got sixteen years in here at the Trustee’s office, so that gave me forty-six years. So I’m getting a little age on me right now and I decided that it’s probably about time that I step down and let somebody a little younger have it, hopefully.”
Nelson said he currently has no firm plans for his retirement other than a desire to travel more and go on a cruise. Nelson said he intends to find ways to stay active through community service, and is considering volunteering his time at a hospital or a similar facility to maintain the social connections he enjoyed during his career.
“I think for that 46 years I’m just used to be around people and and I wanted to talk to people and enjoy talking to people,” Nelson said. “And that’s what I’m going to really miss is seeing people and talking to people in here in the office and and so I that hopefully will replace some of that that I’ll be missing.”
Nelson said his decision to retire was influenced in part by health concerns related to COPD and breathing problems.
Nelsom said the importance of communication was one of the most valuable lessons he learned throughout his decades in education.
“Communication is a big thing that I’ve learned in being a I was a special-ed teacher and of course I have a special-needs child, so I learned that that communication was very important with a teacher and the school system and the parents as well in order to advance all education that we can out of our children,” Nelson said.
Nelson said his time in the Army during the Vietnam era helped him mature and learn how to manage money conservatively. Nelson said his military service provided him with the GI Bill, which allowed him to pursue an education rather than working in a factory like his father and brothers.
“I can’t thank people enough for allowing me to come in and serve as a trustee and put their faith in me handling the millions of dollars that we handle every year and put their trust in me to take care of that money,” Nelson said. “So the only way I know to do it is just treat everybody the same, make sure I go by the rules set down for the trustee and be honest and up front with people and and that’s what I’ve tried to do, I to pay people back by allowing me to serve as the trustee.”
Nelson said he values every experience he has had because each phase of his life helped prepare him for the next.
“I just want to give thanks to the people that allowed me to serve,” Nelson said.
