With a memorial dedicated to the man who hired him located near the center of the Texas A&M University campus, it's safe to say Lane Stephenson has borne witness to the most transformative period of the institution's 140-year history.
"I probably know half of the people whose names are on the buildings here on campus and most of the people who have statues," said Stephenson with a chuckle, citing names such as J. Wayne Stark, John David Crow, Jack K. Williams and Gen. James Earl Rudder.
Atop of the steps at the YMCA Building, the 81-year-old Stephenson described the way things were in a different era, back when he began his career in the Department of Marketing and Communications in 1966.
Arriving in a period of rapid change following the sweeping changes implemented by Rudder, who was university president at the time -- including making the Corps of Cadets optional and admitting women -- Stephenson said if you had asked him at the time, he would have never expected to stick around so long.
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"Right out of college my track record was that I would stay in a place for about three years before moving on," Stephenson said, who officially retired Tuesday. "So I've been here about 47 years longer than I intended."
After graduating from the University of North Texas in 1957 with a degree in journalism, Stephenson joined the U.S. Marine Corps, where he would continue to serve as a member of the reserves for 20 years. After three years of active duty with the Marines, Stephenson went to work as a journalist at the Tyler Morning Telegraph in 1960 before leaving three years later for the now-defunct Braniff International Airlines.
Describing the day he interviewed at Texas A&M, Stephenson said it was a rambling Saturday afternoon including "the obligatory barbecue" and a trip to visit Rudder at the president's house where he sealed the deal.
"I guess somewhere along the way I signed some papers or something, but I passed muster with the general and that was it," Stephenson said.
Since then, the university has become a family tradition, with both he and his wife, their three children and now his grandson attending Texas A&M.
Across the ever-evolving Texas A&M campus, Stephenson is surrounded by memories from his decades of service to the university.
Although not always happy, he said there are a number of memories that have particularly left an impression on him, ranging from the 1999 Bonfire collapse and the dedication of the Bonfire monument to the opening of the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum on the west end of the campus.
"Every time I go out to the [Bonfire] monument it still brings back a lot of memories," he said. "That by far will always be the thing I remember most... That will be with us forever."
More than anything, however, Stephenson said he has treasured the numerous relationships he has built -- foremost among them being fellow Department of Marketing and Communications employees Sherylon Carroll and Patsy Albright.
"Other than family, they're the dearest people to me," Stephenson said.
Both Carroll, who worked for the university for more than 26 years, and Albright, who worked for the university for more than 51 years, also retired Tuesday, leaving the department with a collective loss of more than 125 years of experience between the three longtime friends and co-workers.
Outside of people he leaves behind, Stephenson said the simple routine of doing the work -- promoting the university's story and interacting with co-workers and journalists -- will be among the things he said he will miss the most in his retirement.
Though his time as a university employee may be up, don't expect for him to be going anywhere anytime soon. With plans to write a book drawing on his knowledge and experiences over five decades at the university, Stephenson said he plans to continue to be a regular campus visitor.
In addition to his trips to exercise at the campus recreation center, he said he expects to be a frequent visitor of the campus archives to conduct research for his book.
"I still plan to be around," Stephenson said. "I plan to be out here on the campus every day doing something, even if it's only going to the rec center."
Ever modest, Stephenson had no suggestions for what his legacy at Texas A&M might be. Instead, he said he just hoped he made at least a few positive contributions.
"I don't think in terms of legacy," Stephenson said thoughtfully. "I'm just happy to have survived and feel that I contributed something in my time here."