'We'll never find another Clif Wells': Elgin employee retires after 44 years

A man whose warm smile has greeted visitors to the Edward Schock Centre of Elgin since it opened retired Friday after 44 years with the Elgin Parks and Recreation Department.

Clif Wells started working part time with the department in 1978, supervising various sports leagues at the Elgin Sports Complex and other facilities. When the Centre opened 20 years ago, he became a building supervisor, arriving Monday through Friday at 4 a.m. to open the door to guests at 5 a.m.

"As a department, we always have some really stellar part-time staff, but certainly nobody that sticks around for 44 years," said Maria Cumpata, parks and recreation director. "Clif doesn't call in sick, doesn't take vacation time, doesn't take personal days.

"We'll never find another Clif Wells."

Wayne Carlstedt, operations manager at the Centre of Elgin and Wells' supervisor for 19 years, agreed.

"His dedication is really unmatched by any other part-time staff," he said.

About 50 co-workers, friends and family members attended a Friday retirement breakfast in his honor in the Centre's Heritage Ballroom,

One of his former co-workers, Jim Reuter, said even a mask couldn't hide Wells' signature smile that seemingly never left his face.

"He's always smiling, always friendly, and he just loves everybody," Reuter said. "And everybody loves Clif."

Wells said he'd been thinking about retiring every five years or so, starting with year 30 with the parks department. The 72-year-old said he decided not to wait for 45.

"I've got five grandkids on and one great-granddaughter, and I want to have a chance to see them all," he said. "I've been at this a long time. I'm getting old."

Wells said the people he works with and those who visit the Centre kept him there.

"Forty-four years went so fast," he said. "I would not be setting that alarm for 3 a.m. to get here at 4 a.m. if I didn't love it and everybody here."