LARNED — Gayla Burger was honored with a retirement reception recently for her work at the Larned Juvenile Correctional Facility. Co-workers, friends and family attended.
Burger retired as the facility’s administrative officer after almost 36 years of service to the state of Kansas. She began her career as a clerk-steno at the Larned State Hospital April 18, 1975. Burger was promoted to a secretary I June 18, 1977 and transferred to LJCF in the same classification Dec. 18, 1983.
She was reclassified to a secretary II on Dec. 18, 1986 and again to an executive secretary on April 18, 1995.  She promoted to her current position Dec. 9, 2001. In appreciation of her years of service, Superintendent Kyle Rohr presented Burger with a wooden plaque and a flag that had been flown over the state capitol in Topeka.
In retiring, Burger said she was grateful to have worked at LJCF and to have aided the Kansas Juvenile Justice Authority in furthering its mission to change the lives of at-risk youth.
 “I will miss the staff — my second family,” Burger said.
Burger has started compiling a wish list of what she wants to accomplish in retirement.
“For those who know me, you know I am a “list” person and I have a very long list of things to do,” she said. “All my ‘backburner’ things — yes, I even have a backburner list at home, and this doesn’t surprise many of you.”
She plans to enjoy the company of her husband, children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Their younger daughter Jamie is expecting the couples’ 12th grandchild in December.
“I plan to work with Benny in his woodshop, finish my kids’ photo albums and do a lot of cooking and baking,” she said. “I have a lot of spring cleaning that I have been saving up for years. I’ll work in the yard, hone my sewing skills and read all the books and magazines that I have piled up. I plan to remodel our upstairs and maybe look for a part-time job next year.  On second thought, I won’t have time to work.”
Burger said she always enjoyed the variety of tasks at LJCF.
“I enjoyed the routine and the variety of things to do. There was never a dull moment,” she said. “This has been an awesome job. I will forever remember it with great fondness, and miss everyone who taught me so much, and those who made the facility what it has been and what it is today.”