Long term Lismore local Bob Olley retired from his job last week. Not headline news you may think except that Bob retired from his first and only job after 54 years of service.

Actually Bob has a year of long service leave owing so in another year he'll be officially retired with an admirable 55 years of commitment to look back on.

(Bob and Senior Scientist in Microbiology at Pathology North Glenn Hawkins at Bob's retirement morning tea. Photo:Supplied)

“I started on 22nd February 1967, it was the same day I got my driver's licence. In those days the post office used to deliver a telegram to go for an interview for a job. I didn't even know where the place was, I'd never heard of it. I lived a couple of blocks away from the hospital. It used to be all houses along there.”

Pathology North was Bob's employer, a state government pathology lab operating as part of Lismore Base Hospital. It was situated on Uralba St up until 2014 but was relocated to Hunter Street as part of the hospital redevelopment.

“When I first started I was given a three month trial to see how I'd handle the job, I was like a cleaner, nothing to do with the lab at all, doing the dirty dishes. But then the bloke, the scientist, said I'll try you with the faeces and I said no bloody way. When you first do something like that you think how yucky that is, but they showed me and I just kept going and then they said we'll put you on as a TA – Technical Assistant – so I just went from there.”

Bob had only two significant breaks from his work over the years, one being for 18 months of compulsory national service in 1970.

“That was when Billy McMahon was Prime Minister. He pulled everyone out. And they had to keep your job.”

Later a back issue had Bob on sick leave about a year, the usual annual leave for full time employees his only other times away from work.

“When I first started I was in the micro section where all the bugs and that are..I was like a dag on the bosses arse I had to follow him around and see what he'd done and I had to do what he'd done...now they go to uni, there's no practical stuff...they don't teach people the way they used to.”

“We get some students up there every few months and they're been to uni, getting all their paperwork, but when I show them what happens here I ask them 'did they show you anything like this at school? And they said no.”

Bob believes that on the job training is best for the benchwork in the lab.

Doctor Alison Winning, Microbiologist who worked in the same department as Bob for the last 6 years, said he was considered somewhat of a legend not only for his skill at the job but how much he cared about the patients.

“They were always his number one priority. He didn't have direct patient contact but people don't realise what goes on in the background.”

Bob says “I used to say to the students, I'm here for the people upstairs, in the hospital. The people up there want to know whats wrong with them, and the doctors are waiting for a result, a correct result, so they can treat them. They understood that.”

Murdo Macleod is a scientist in the same department and has worked along side Bob for the last 15 years.

(Bob and long time friend and scientist Murdo Macleod sharing a beer. Photo:Supplied)

As Murdo explained, the processes within the lab have changed dramatically in the decades since Bob's first employment. From manual washing up through to autoclaving and digitising of information, the learning curve has been steep. Murdo says Bob's career skills have taken him through histology and microbiology to specialise in looking at fecal parasitology and pathogens.

“He started when everything was pen and paper. Then in the last 5 years everything became electronic and Bob adapted to it which is a real credit to him.”

Murdo says “it was normal for Bob to start early and finish late and not put it down as overtime. He was so dedicated to his job. To be able to do that for 54 years shows the character he is.”

So what about retirement plans you might ask?

“I'm not a traveller,” said Bob, “I've got plenty of work here at home to do.”

Bob plans to always keep his mind active like it always has been in his workplace.

“You're always learning because no-one knows everything. Some people think they do. I was always learning. You've got to keep up with it.”

Friend and colleague Murdo said “Bob's position will be filled but his knowledge won't be replaced. The knowledge that he's taken with him is a great loss to the pathology service.”