Bill Thompson has spent the last 25 years making Iowa State look good.

Thompson, groundskeeper at Iowa State, performs duties such as taking care of the gardening needs on campus, planting, pruning trees and shoveling. He will retire at the end of the month.

Barb Steiner, supervisor of Plant Services, said Thompson has always given his best. “He is one of the most dedicated in the business,” she said.

Thompson began working at Iowa State in September 1974, Steiner said.

“[At this time], the majority of the buildings on campus were made of wood, and as he puts it, ‘The classes looked [like] military barricades,'” she said.

Thompson said he has many memories of Iowa State.

“[I’ll miss] the people and, most of all, the students,” he said.

For the past several years, Thompson has had three or four ISU students working with him during the summer. The students help plant flowers and do odd jobs around campus.

Thompson said he enjoys working and showing the students the skills he has acquired about gardening over the years.

Steiner said this system has worked out well.

“Lots of the students that work here during the summer come back to visit him,” she said.

Les Lawson, assistant manager of Maintenance Services, said Thompson was the comic in the shop, always making jokes and keeping everyone on their toes.

“Bill’s been coming into work one hour early for the last 20 or so years just to make coffee for the rest of the employees,” he said.

After retiring, Thompson plans to take care of his garden at home and to do some traveling.

“I’m going to be doing a little bit of traveling to visit my 91-year-old sister-in-law in Spencer, Iowa,” he said.

But his biggest plan, he said, is to build his own greenhouse to keep him busy during the winter.

After 25 years, Thompson has many stories to tell. Once Thompson even lost his wedding ring on campus, said Clayton Rullestad, supervisor of Plant Services. It has never been found.

Rullestad said Thompson’s absence will be felt.

“[He] is a good man to work with, and we will all miss him,” he said.

Thompson said he plans on coming back to visit to see all the changes Iowa State undergoes.

A retirement reception will be held at Reiman Gardens, located south of Jack Trice Stadium, Feb. 29 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Students and faculty are welcome.