LANETT — A capacity crowd gathered inside the Lanett Senior Center cafeteria during the noon hour Friday to wish long-time City of Lanett employee David McCullough well in his retirement. August 31st was his final day with the city after 31 years of employment.

“This is a happy day for some and a sad day for others,” said Mayor Kyle McCoy in recognizing the long-time Water Department employee. “He probably knows where every water pipe is in the city, both the good ones and the bad ones. His was not an easy job. There were some days where you might be on a job till midnight or maybe even to 3 a.m. He’s very deserving of this plaque and this luncheon. We are so pleased to have his family here with him.”

Speaking on behalf of the McCullough family was David’s younger sister, Patricia Bustamante, who’s a master sergeant with the U.S. Air Force at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, N.C.

“We come from a family of seven children,” she said. “David was the oldest. He was our protector and someone we always looked up to. He set a good example for all of us. It took courage and risk-taking on his part to have raised a family and to have owned his own home. He does me proud for what he has done for our family. I hope you now can get some rest. You can come and spend time with us in our home in North Carolina any time.”

While the McCullough family was happy for David to have his big day. One of those who might be a little bit sad is Streets and Water Department head Steve Crawley.

“We are losing a very good man,” he said. “He’s always been very dependable. He’s very knowledgeable about our department and what we do. We’d love for him to stay on with us part-time if he would.”