Tahlequah Woman Reflects On 45 Years As City Service Technician

A woman in Tahlequah has worked for the city for 45 years in the same job.

She's a service technician, which may not sound glamorous, but it's something she loves.

When you find something you love, you don't work a day in your life.

Cindy Land found satisfaction in installing and reading water meters for the Tahlequah Public Works Authority.

“Once I saw the meter readers, I thought I would like just to be active and walk, and I am pretty hyper, so I like to never sit still so it appealed to me,” she said.

It's stayed appealing to Cindy for 45 years.

“It was August 15, 1979,” she said. “I was the first woman laborer that the Tahlequah Public Works ever hired.”

And by being the first, Cindy has had to prove herself.

“I had to give a little over a hundred percent some days because you, as a woman, didn't want to say you couldn't get your meters read, or you couldn't get past that dog, or that weather was bothering you. You kind of just figured out how to do it and as easy as you could.”

Since she started, Cindy says her career has changed — the business has gotten bigger, and technology has made it easier — but it's the things that have stayed the same that keep her doing the job.

“It's the way people feel about each other when they work here. I don't know why, but it's always been like once I was here six months to a year, you were family,” she said.

Mike Doublehead has been Cindy's boss for twelve years. He says Cindy has set a great example of support and work ethic for younger generations.

“It's a tough job that our people do every day, but the commitment Cindy has, she always comes to work with a positive attitude,” he said.

“Just try to show up every day and be helpful, and don't shirk your responsibilities, and do what you need to do,” Cindy said.

She’s turning 70 in the next couple of months and has decided to retire.

But until then, she'll continue giving her all to the job she loves.