Members

Shelton, Hynd retireafter 28 yearsof service to CowleyAfter a combined 28 years of service to Cowley, Bud Sheltonand Ken Hynd retired in the spring of 1998. The two men, both ofwhom worked in the maintenance and buildings and grounds departments,were honored with a reception at the college in February."I'm going to miss the people the most," said Hynd, who cameto Cowley July 1,1985. "Especially the gang in the department andeverybody in the office."Members of both Shelton's and Hynd's families were on handfor the reception.Shelton came to Cowley in September 1982 after 25 years atRodeo Meats in Arkansas City. The superintendent of buildings andgrounds has seen many changes occur at the college in his nearly 16years of service."We went from 750 students to 3,300," he said. "We builttwo dorms and went from the basement of Galle-Johnson Hall toa new Shipping and Receiving building. And, of course, we builtthe Brown Center."Shelton and Hynd were presented plaques and engravedwrist watches by Cowley President Dr. Pat McAtee and VicePresident for Business Services Sid Regnier. Fellow employeessigned poster-sized cards with well-wishes in their retirements."The most rewarding thing has been watching young peoplecome out of high school come in here and go in the directionthey want to go and see fully matured students go on to fouryearcolleges," Shelton said.Shelton, 63, has a long history of service to the communityas well as to the college. He sits on the board of trustees atSouth Central Kansas Regional Medical Center and has served10 years on the City Commission of Arkansas City, taking histurn as mayor twice.Shelton was born and raised on a farm just north ofMcAlester, Okla. He came to Kansas when he was 17 to visit acousin and went to work in the stone company in Silverdale.Ken Hynd, top photo, punches the timeclock one last time, while Bud Shelton isHynd, who has been in custodial and maintenance areas atthe college, is originally from Newkirk, Okla. He attendedschool there and, like Shelton, went to work for Rodeo Meats. He had a 30-year career there before comingto Cowley.Hynd said his job also changed during his time at the college.all smiles in his Basspro cap."To start with I did quite a bit of custodial work," Hynd said. "But the last seven or eight years it waspretty much maintenance."Hynd has a great deal of electrical expertise and was instrumental in several remodeling projects atthe college.Hynd said his wife, Wilma, had a lot of projects for him to do in his retirement."I'll also do harvest and field work in the summer, and travel a bit," Hynd said. "And we like the(Walnut Valley) Bluegrass Festival in Winfield and a show in Shidler, Okla."Hynd enjoys music so much that he took beginning guitar from Gary Gackstatter, director of instrumentalmusic at Cowley.\