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Wildlife veteran Maloney decides to call it a career

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By Jim Morris, Contributing writer 7:14 PM Saturday, May 14, 2011

I am not at all sure how I feel about retirement. And I don’t think I am alone in my bewilderment.

Sure, it’s a good thing. But it’s an adjustment. Instead of heading off to the “office” on a regular basis, the new retiree is based at home.

I retired as a regular worker about 16 months ago. And, yes it has been an adjustment. My wife, Pat, has continued to work as a teacher, but her 30-year career ends in a couple of weeks. With both of us home most of the time we will — most definitely — face adjustment.

As someone told her, “Retirement is half the money and twice the husband.”

My writing for the Dayton Daily News and three Web sites has kept me busy. But there is an awful lot of free time, believe me.

There’s another retirement that I have been thinking about recently. After 32 years with the Ohio Division of Wildlife, Doug Maloney will retire on June 1.

I admit, the selfish me says, “No, wait. You have been such a great contact for me. You explained everything I ever wanted to know about fish. You made my stories so much better for the 20-to-25 years I have known you. Retire? You can’t retire.”

The realistic me knows all good things must come to an end.

“It’s time,” Maloney said. “I have had a good career and I think we have accomplished a lot of good things. But with all the uncertainty concerning pensions for state workers right now, I decided it was time to go.”

At 54, Maloney certainly can take his expertise to the private sector and start a second career. Believe me, any company would be very lucky to have him. Not only does he know his fish biology, he works very well with the public. Even newspaper guys.

“For a while, I don’t plan on doing anything except fishing, hunting and gardening. I enjoy working in my garden and I love to cook. After awhile, I might look into some type of job,” he said.

“I plan on spending much more time with my family. I have three kids ages 12 through 16 so they will be keeping me busy.”

A few days ago, Maloney sat at the dinner table with his family and told the kids he would retire on June 1.

“My youngest thought a minute and asked, ‘Does that mean you will be at home while we are on vacation from school? Oh, no!’ ”

“Now that was a rousing voice of approval,” he said.

As hard as it is for all of us to admit, the world chugs right along after we become little more than memories at the companies or agencies where we once worked. They still publish a newspaper. The students still learn from the school. And the fish will still swim in lakes and streams all over southwest Ohio.

I don’t know about my time in the sun, but I do know there are many students who are much better people today because they spent a year with Mrs. Morris at Troy Junior High. And I know a whole lot of wildlife folks who do their jobs better because of the time they spent working alongside Doug Maloney.

Oh, yes, there also is one retired old outdoor writer who has always been better for being around both of them.

Outdoors columnist Jim

Morris

can be reached through his

Website

at www.examiner.com/outdoor-recreation-in-dayton/jim-morris or by email at  

sports@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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