Photo by Sarah Walls/Cedarbook Studio
Clay Reeves, who has opened countless doors for La Conner students and staff, will hang up his keys for good at the end of this school year.
After 37 years as a custodian at his alma mater, Clay Reeves is retiring from the La Conner School District to enjoy camping, fishing, traveling, and antiquing with his wife, Lori Reeves.
“It’s been quite an adventure,” Clay Reeves said. “I’ve probably seen half the Town of La Conner come through the school.”
Superintendent David Cram told school board members this spring that Clay Reeves is among the longest serving employees in the history of the district, which extends back more than a century and boasts the oldest continuously active alumni association in the state.
Clay Reeves points to an example set by the late Dixie Otis, who taught 30 years at La Conner Elementary School. Otis started in 1963, then came out of retirement to work for another 20 years as a classroom and lunchroom aide and study hall teacher for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community.
Though he was never a student of hers, Clay Reeves said Otis had a profound impact on him as he settled into his custodial position.
“Dixie was amazing,” Clay Reeves said. “She really kept me going.”
Clay Reeves moved to Shelter Bay from northern California in 1976 with his parents, Jim and Judi Reeves, prior to his sophomore year. Jim was an engineer in the aerospace industry and Judi worked in banking and interior design, and the couple helped revitalize La Conner’s historic downtown by opening Palace Market Interiors in the heart of First Street.
Meanwhile, at La Conner High, Clay made friends easily and enjoyed his classes, especially industrial arts courses.
“I really liked the high school,” he said. “It was a lot calmer, not so hectic, and the people here were nice.”
After graduation in 1979, Reeves enrolled in the culinary arts program at Skagit Valley College. That led to restaurant jobs in Santa Rosa, California and Olympia. It was while working in the state’s capital city that Clay Reeves met his wife.
In the mid-1980s, they trekked back to La Conner for good.
The couple settled in as on-site managers of Potlatch RV Resort at La Conner Marina, which included an indoor pool, fitness room, kitchen area, and employee apartment. Still more opportunities awaited. In 1987, La Conner Schools posted a job for an open custodial position. Clay Reeves applied.
For Clay Reeves, there has been no typical workday on the La Conner campus. His varied duties, beyond daily cleaning in his assigned rooms, have included making sure students, teachers, and coaches have access to facilities for after-school programs. He’s been a reliable advocate for La Conner students, often using his break time when working evening shifts to turn up at sports events and extra-curricular activities.
“I’ll miss the kids,” Clay Reeves said. “I’ve tried to make them feel welcome, make them laugh. I’ll sit down with them and show them I care how they’re doing.”
Clay Reeves doesn’t anticipate having trouble filling his time in retirement. He has plenty of hobbies, many related to outdoor recreation, also a favorite pastime for Lori Reeves, who is currently the head cook at La Conner Middle School.
“I plan to do some camping and fishing and working around the house,” Clay Reeves said, looking ahead to when the calendar turns to September.
“For me,” Clay Reeves reflected, “it just seems like the right time to retire. I’ve decided to go out and just enjoy life.”
Bill Reynolds: bill@laconnercommunitynews.org. Bill is a general assignment reporter who covers Town government, schools, and spot news.
