Wow, after reading many of your stories, I too feel blessed in the job I had. I loved it in the sense I was providing a service to our Veterans who were students at the college.
My official retirement date was 6-30-08. However, I stayed on as a contract worker for an additional month until 8-8-08 while I trained my replacement. After I physically left the office, I continued monitoring her work online from home until January of 2009. That January I had a long phone conference with head of the department. I explained my replacement was not working out and recommended she be let go. She was fired the next day and I resumed my position working from home online. I did go into the office a few times just to sort the mess she had made and catch up on everything.
If you wonder why someone else in the office didn't pick up the slack, it was not that simple. I was the Veterans Representative for the college. I had to go through security and clearance before being given access to the Government websites by the Bureau of Veterans Affairs. That position was responsible for the Veterans tuition to be paid and their monthly living subsidy being paid to them on a timely basis. That January I discovered none of the tuition and been paid and NONE of the Veterans had received their allotment the entire semester. While we started to recruitment process again for my replacement, I recommended we hire the person who had been my first choice in the initial process. She finally came on board 4-20-09 (I found that date to be a good luck sign, hehe). I trained her totally online and via phone. I finally turned over the reins to her in August of 2009. This year she celebrated her 6th anniversary and every year I send her a congratulatory message.
I was blessed in having a job I LOVED. If you read this far, I thank you. For the ones struggling in their current positions, I will pray that your burdens are lessened until you are finally rewarded with the gift of retirement. I worked for 51 years, starting at age 11, and do not regret one day of my career.
Peace to all of you during this holiday season,
Louis