Monday will mark the first time in over 30 years you will not find Marcia Albertson cuddling a baby at a childcare center. Albertson, dubbed the “baby whisperer,” retired from her role as a child care professional at the Casco Kidz Zone last Thursday after a long career in the industry. She graduated from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in 1971, where at the time, there was only one child care facility located in Green Bay. They were not hiring at the time, so she did not enter the field until 20 years later, after she raised her own family. When the Casco Kidz Zone opened in 1991, she got one of the open positions and stayed put ever since. A familiar spot for Albertson has been in with the babies, where they take turns getting snuggled by her while also singing them songs and taking care of their other needs. One child she was caring for at the time was the family’s third-generation Albertson had cared for, going back to her days when she was a teenage babysitter. She says it has been a special experience to touch the lives of so many children.

Albertson already has volunteer opportunities lined up for her retirement years as she looks forward to sleeping in for the first time on a weekday in years. Upon her retirement, Casco Kidz Zone owner Lisa Cochart told Albertson that she was setting up a scholarship at Luxemburg-Casco High School in her honor for any student looking to get into the childcare field. You can listen to our full interview with Albertson by clicking this link.