One of Tyrone’s best loved secretaries will retire at the end of this year. Rose Castagnola began her tenure at Tyrone at the tax office in 1982 and worked their until 1996.  Since then she’s worked in various places around the district; the high school vocational department, the middle school principals office, and most recently in the elementary school office, where she began in 2002 and has been ever since.

Castagnola has been a Golden Eagle her entire life, having grown up in Tyrone and graduated from Tyrone High School in 1970.

She will be missed by all her co-workers, who have definitely enjoyed working with her over years.

“My funniest memory of Rose is from when I first started working here.  She was hustling out the door at lunchtime and asked if I wanted anything from the Six Pack Shop.  Not being from the Tyrone area, I knew little about the place – but assumed they sold ‘adult beverages’ simply by hearing their business name.  I remember asking Patty if Rose was having a really bad day because she was headed out at lunchtime for booze!  Patty promptly calmed my concerns by saying Rose was headed there for the best chicken salad in town!  We’ve had a few chuckles over that day, and I’ve come to enjoy their food,” said Tracy Focht.

“Rose is our weather prognosticator.  I’m unsure how we’ll know what’s coming without her telling us,” said Focht.

As for Castignola, she’s excited for retirement, but she’s still going to miss everyone at the elementary school.

“I enjoyed seeing all of the kids, especially the little ones.  I enjoyed working with the public, mostly parents.  I certainly will miss all of the students who have come through the elementary school in the last 14 years. I especially will miss all of the staff members who have been so wonderful and very nice to work with all of them.  I also will miss all of the administrative personnel at the elementary and high school level because they have all been great to work for,” said Castagnola.

“I will mostly miss working with all of the girls in the office which we have had a lot of laughs together throughout my years here,” said Castagnola.

“My plans for the future are to just take life easy and enjoy life and continue to do things with my best friend – my mom. She is wonderful! I also will be volunteering at my church. It will be nice having more time to spend with all of my family,” said Castagnola about her plans after her retirement.