Longtime employee retires from St. Peter

Carol Jacklin of Batavia has retired after 39 years at St. Peter Catholic Church in Geneva.

Jacklin partially retired in 2004 when she stepped down from the full-time position of business manager to become the part-time facilities manager.

Her career began on a September day in 1969 when she rode her bike to the parish school and asked if they needed help. Principal Sister Johanna Murphy hired her to be the school secretary. Within a few months she served as secretary to both the school and pastor.

In 1973, she became a full-time administrative assistant to then pastor the Rev. Joseph Kaiser. Her title changed over the years, but the responsibilities remained much the same. She was the business manager of the parish.

In the early days, most every business function was done by hand and by her, even the payroll checks.

St. Peter has grown during her time from 450 families to approximately 3,000 families. In her early and even mid-career, she knew everyone by name and where they lived. There was a large contingent of farm families at that time -- Bricher, VanBogart, Dillon, Regole. The parish property was surrounded by cornfields.

At first, her job was sometimes a family affair. She wrote and printed the weekly bulletin using stencils. Sometimes she would call upon her mother, who lived in St. Charles, and her daughter Jennifer, to help stuff bulletins. Her son, Ned, mowed the church lawn. Her husband, Bill, would come and help out on maintenance problems.

Jacklin was an instrumental leader in the building projects of the present worship space, completed in 1993, and in the construction of expanded facilities and renovations completed in 2003.

She has many fond memories of events: barn sales held right on church grounds, volunteering at the St. Peter Thrift Shop, and President Regan's visit to St. Peter School.

There are a few harrowing memories too, like when the plane the pastor was riding in (Fr. Jim McLaughlin) was hi-jacked on June 14, 1985 and held for days.

Jacklin says she has felt called to be at St. Peter serving for all these years.

"It is a wonderful parish," she said in a prepared statement. "I love the spirit of the people. Their spirit is unique. The people celebrate their faith and love and stand together during tough times. I have always felt well-supported by pastors, priests and parishioners."

Jacklin plans to stay busy. She is presently a member of the board of Mayslake Ministries. She is also very active in her own church home (Geneva Lutheran) in planning the annual women's retreat she started in 1982. She plans to add more travel, a quilting club, visits back for St. Peter events, and ministering to seniors to her new routine.

"I hold Carol in the highest esteem. Her substantial impact will long be remembered and I will miss her greatly," the Rev. Joseph Jarmoluk, pastor, said in a prepared statement.