Meyer to retire Dec. 31

Wanda Meyer worked at Arvest Bank nearly 38 years

After nearly 38 years in the banking industry in Gentry, Wanda Meyer, Gentry Arvest Bank branch manager and vice president, will retire on Dec. 31.
After nearly 38 years in the banking industry in Gentry, Wanda Meyer, Gentry Arvest Bank branch manager and vice president, will retire on Dec. 31.

— After 37 years, eight months of serving banking customers, the always-smiling face of Wanda Meyer won’t be present at the Gentry branch of the Arvest Bank - at least not on a daily basis.

Meyer will be retiring next week. Her last day at the bank will be Dec. 31.

An open house reception will be held in her honor on Friday, Dec. 28, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Gentry Arvest Bank. Bank patrons, friends and family are invited to stop by and wish Meyer well in her retirement years.

Meyer said she made the decision in August to retire at the end of the year.

“In July I wasn’t ready to retire yet, but I woke up one morning in August and just knew it was time,” Meyer said, adding that she is confident the Lord has other plans for her in the months and years ahead.

What are her retirement plans? She plans to spend more time with her husband Bob and with her mother, who has not been in good health.

“I’m going to do whatever Bob wants to do,” Meyer said. “For years, if Bob wanted todo something, we always had to plan it around my work schedule.”

“Bob told me, ‘Now if we want to go out to eat at Red Lobster at 2 o’clock on Wednesday afternoon, we can do it instead of waiting until 7 o’clock at night when you’re off.’”

Taking over as Gentry bank manager for Meyer will be Becca Cross of Highfill. Cross is currently working in the Siloam Springs east branch of Arvest Bank and will be transferred to Gentry.

Meyer began working for the bank on April 15, 1975. She said she remembers because it was tax day. The bank was First National Bank until in the early 1990s when it became First Arvest. In the Late 1990s, it became a branch of Arvest Bank.

Meyer started out as a teller and bookkeeper and in the late 1990s became branch manager.

News, Pages 2 on 12/26/2012