Loyal Mary calls it day after 27 years
‘Bittersweet’ moment as law firm receptionist finally retires
A NEWBURY woman has celebrated her retirement at the age of 81.
Mary Fueger has called it a day after working at Newbury law firm Horsey Lightly Solicitors for the past 27 years – only stopping full-time work in November.
Mrs Fueger joined the company as a receptionist after moving to Newbury 35 years ago.
Reflecting on her long career, she said: “It is bittersweet, but everything comes to an end, doesn’t it.
“After 27 years, I looked at them all and I thought, ‘these are like family’. You see them every day.”
Mrs Fueger also worked at the Ford Motor Company in Dagenham for many years.
She then worked at Ark Consultants in Newbury for eight years, before moving to Thatcham-based film equipment supplier Quantel.
She eventually joined Horsey Lightly, where she says she took up to 300 calls each day.
“When I started there, things were an awful lot different,” she said. “You were taking one call after another, which is what I liked.
“Apart from that, it was welcoming all the clients, which I’ve always loved. I’m a people person.”
But about two years ago, all of this stopped. The introduction of automated phone systems and the impact of the pandemic changed the way she and her colleagues worked.
“The pandemic changed an awful lot of things,” she added. “The clients were no longer coming in.
“Normally, they would all come in and I would sit down, have a tea and chat with them, but all of that kind of disappeared.
“With all the changes, it wasn’t my scene any more, though I still enjoyed it.”
Mrs Fueger also found time to raise a family in Maryland and California.
She concluded: “I think I gave it a good go. All of my friends said ‘Mary, when are you going to retire?’
“But I thought, well, if you’re healthy and if you enjoy your work, why not?”
When asked how she plans to spend her retirement, Mrs Fueger replied: “Have you got any jobs open?”
Her colleagues hosted a retirement party at Horsey Lightly, where Mrs Fueger entertained with a speech and a collection of photos from over the years.