If only all were like Dan Wickman

You know—there are people, and then there are people.

I’m sure many of you are wondering what that means. Frankly, so do I!

I guess I’m trying to say that there are some people who go through their lives doing their jobs in a perfunctory manner, just carrying them out, not really caring about whether their work is any good or not, just doing what they’re told to do and collecting their paychecks.

And then, there are other people: The people who do their jobs, not because they have to, but because they have a sense of pride and they care about how their work affects others. They are not only competent, but they’re special, because they carry their work to new heights that go above and beyond the simple job description.

This year a man who soared beyond his job description retired from the Stanwood/Camano School District.

His name is Dan Wickman.

Dan worked for the Stanwood-Camano School District maintenance department.

A native Alaskan of the Tlingit Tribe and Vietnam war veteran, Dan came to Stanwood with his wife Paula and their family in 1990.

In Alaska, Dan was captain of the Wrangell Fire Department, an EMT, an EMT instructor and member of the Southeast Alaska EMS Board. He was a licensed electrician and HAVAC person for 17 years and maintenance supervisor for the Wrangell School District for five years before venturing down to the “Lower 48,” where our school district was lucky enough to hire him.

He also volunteered for three years on our local fair board.

Dan was a marvel with electrical and heating systems. If we had a problem with anything, he fixed it right away. He was always careful to do his work with as little intrusion into the teaching and learning as possible. And fast. It was like, “We have a problem!” and minutes later, “We don’t have a problem!”

Dan Wickman catches the big one on a recent fishing trip. Wickman worked for the Stanwood-Camano School District maintenance department. Dan could zero in with what was wrong and have it fixed before a lesson was started.

I’ll tell you, if every teacher taught with the manner, expertise, and competence Dan showed in his job, the National Teacher of the Year would come from Stanwood/Camano School District every single year!

Our students would all be National Merit Scholars and eventually go on to jobs that cured the nation’s infrastructure and literacy problems.

Nobel Prize winners in science, economics, literature and peace would all come from Stanwood and Camano Island.

Juvenile detention centers— even prisons—would be calling our vice-principals and counselors to learn their secrets.

Well, maybe I’m exaggerating just a bit.

But I do believe our school system would be better if all people worked with the extraordinary knowledge of their subject, concern for their constituents, and just plain old “elbow grease” that Dan put into his job.

Two years ago, Dan fell off a ladder and sustained head and brain injuries. It was touch and go, but he fully recovered and as they say, “got right back on the horse,” or in his case the ladder, making sure the school district had heat, lights, electricity, water, and the everyday comforts we all take for granted.

He also is just the nicest man. If he knew you were having a problem, he’d always stop and ask how you were. Even though he worked at lightning fast speed, he took time to say hello and to treat everyone— administrators, teachers, students, coworkers— with dignity and respect.

He is quiet, but when Dan Wickman talks, people listen.

There is not one person at the high school who would speak with anything but admiration and respect for Dan.

His family also adores him. He has a beautiful wife, Paula, and together they raised two wonderful sons with families of their own. His son, Darren, spoke about his dad at a little retirement party for Dan, and he talked about “moments” his dad had given him—moments of time, love, knowledge, wisdom and inspiration. There was not a dry eye at the party.

Jackie Kennedy once said, “If you bungle raising your children, I don’t think whatever else you do matters very much.”

I can attest to the fact that Dan Wickman did not bungle raising his children, and what he did definitely mattered.

Dan retired January 1, 2010 from his job in maintenance, specializing in heating, air conditioning, and ventilation for the Stanwood School District.

He will be starting his own business and also doing quite a bit more hunting, boating and fishing.

Too many people like Dan go to their jobs everyday doing excellent, exemplary work in their field without recognition or million dollar paychecks.

And like with everyone who retires, life goes on in the place they previously worked, but it’s not the same.

Dan Wickman is a remarkable man who helps makes life go on better for everybody. A veteran, an exemplary worker, a community volunteer, a great father, a wonderful husband, a doting grandpa, a super friend — Could it be that we all were the kind of person Dan Wickman is.

Have a great retirement Dan.