Local Keizer resident Steve Pfaff celebrated his retirement and 70th birthday on April 13. Pfaff has been working at Willamette Lutheran Retirement Community for more than 26 years as their finance director and office manager.
“As a junior in high school, I think they were trying to give me some direction,” Pfaff said. “They felt like I would be administrative and I seemed to do well with numbers. They put me in a bookkeeping class and that was it. That’s when I decided that that’s what I wanted to do.”
Pfaff has been a very active member in the community as well. He became involved with the Keizer Chamber of Commerce and joined the board of directors a few years later. He then became the vice president, and finally president, of the board of directors soon after.
Starting in 1993, Pfaff was the chairman for the Iris Festival Parade and continued doing that for 14 years.
Pfaff was inspired to volunteer by his mom and from church. Growing up, his mom would volunteer in the community and visit nursing homes.
“That’s what you do, serve other people and help out,” he said.
Pfaff plans to stay in Keizer and keep himself occupied with things like gardening, going on bike rides and playing the piano.
“I’m looking forward to retiring,” he said. “It’s gonna be a little hard though. I put my notice in like five months ago and now I’m starting to think, okay, I’m not gonna be here anymore or what’s that going to be like after being here for so long.”
Although unsure about what the future brings, Pfaff feels better knowing that he has a plan for his retirement and is proud of the work he has put into his job.