Major retires after 34 years in Glocester’s tax assessment office

GLOCESTER – Sandra Major has left the building. The tax assessor’s office of the Glocester Town Hall, to be exact.

“It was an emotional next day,” admitted Town Clerk Jean Fecteau. “It isn’t every day we have an employee who has worked for the town for 34 years. She actually loved her job.”

Major’s departure did not go unnoticed. At the recent Town Council meeting, both Rep. Michael Chippendale and Sen. Jessica de la Cruz, read citations from the House and Senate, respectively, honoring Major for her service to the town. The Glocester Town Council also presented her with a citation reading: “Given with deep gratitude and appreciation for your thirty-four years of service to our town as you retire. You have served the town of Glocester with your experience, integrity, and patience. We appreciate your commitment and acknowledge your service to our community. The Town Council wholeheartedly represents all your fellow employees and our residents when we say ‘thank you’ and we wish you much enjoyment and new adventures in your retirement.”

The following day her fellow employees treated her to a special lunch celebration as well.

“She was one of the only three in the 30 plus club,” joked Fecteau.

That “club,” includes both Fecteau and Tax Assessor Jane Steere.

“The tax collector planned a nice little lunch for her,” said Fecteau. “I know Sandra has been going back and forth for the last six months or so about retiring.”

Steere described her as a model employee.

“She was always on time, did everything we asked,” she said. “She could take over if I wasn’t here. She will be missed.”

Major explained that she started out working part-time for then Town Clerk Barbara Robertson inventorying books and records in the vault. Eventually, she moved into full-time in the tax assessor’s office and has been there ever since.

She said the retirement was a hard decision to make, and one that she had contemplated about a year or so ago. But when Steere had to undergo an operation, she cancelled her plan to retire then, and focused on this year instead. Her family, however, made it clear that it was now time.

“My family was on my butt,” joked Major. “They put their foot down.”

It took a while, even after citations and a retirement luncheon for it to sink in.

“I think I was numb most of the last day,” she recalled. “It was a tough day.”

It wasn’t just tough thinking about retirement, however. Her husband Robert was in the hospital undergoing dialysis. Her now role included taking care of him and assuming his duties at home.

“My family has been very supportive,” she said.

Major, who has lived and traveled all over the U.S., said she chose to return to Glocester because she wanted her son Joshua, now 40, to grow up in a good environment, which he did.

“Glocester is a good town,” said Major. “I wanted to see him grow up in this kind of atmosphere. I was very lucky working and living here all those years.”