BETTENDORF, Iowa (KWQC/Gray News) – In an extraordinary testament to dedication and passion, 94-year-old Ann I. Schroeder is retiring after an incredible 75 years with Davenport Spring Company.
She joined the company long before it became part of the Mutual Wheel Group in the late 1990s.
Schroeder started her career in 1949 at the Davenport Spring Company, where she remained for her entire working life.
“When I first started working there, I waited on customers, handled invoicing and did all handwritten bookkeeping,” Schroeder said.
Her upbringing in a family connected to auto and truck parts made her feel right at home in the industry.
“My late husband was a race driver. My dad was in the trucking business, so it fit my career. I learned how to drive a truck when I was very young, and at 17, I drove a semi. My dad taught me how to drive a semi, so it was acclimated towards what I did,” Schroeder said.
During her time at the company, she witnessed countless changes, but her dedication and passion never wavered.
“As time went by, things became faster and faster,” Schroeder shared. “But my love for the job kept me coming back. There are days in your life when you don’t want to go to work. We all know that. But almost every day of my life, I wanted to go to work.”
Schroeder emphasized the importance of finding joy in one’s work.
“If you’re going to take a job, don’t stay at a job that you don’t like. Find something that meets what you like to do and you do the best at it, because if you have a job you don’t like, you’ll never do the job the proper way,” Schroeder said.
Now that she’s retired, Schroeder looks forward to spending more time with family and friends.
“I’ve been very selfish with a lot of friends. I’ve not had a lot of time for them because I’ve always been on the go to work. My work has been my preference, and so now I should be able to take the time to do it.”
The milestone was celebrated with a heartfelt retirement party attended by over 100 colleagues, family members and friends, all gathered to honor her remarkable journey.
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