Jo Fennell farewells pharmacy

THE New Year will ring in the changes for Jo Fennell of Nagel’s Pharmacy.
After working at the Leongatha pharmacy for a total of 30 years, Jo is about to call it a day. Her last day at the pharmacy will be New Year’s Eve, this Thursday, December 31.
For the last 17 years, Mrs Fennell has been the face behind the Estee Lauder counter but her job description has extended far beyond that.
She started back in 1967 where she did a 10 year stint under then owner, the late Lindsay Smith.
“I started with Lindsay Smith when I finished school. Back then I used to run the mail to the post office, wash the windows and lino floors as well as be a sales assistant,” Mrs Fennell recalled.
The job has been varied and at different times Mrs Fennell could be selling a knee brace, nose drops, a tube of toothpaste or helping at the dispensary.
In the early 1970s, Mrs Fennell was appointed store manager before taking a break to have children from 1977.
In 1995 she returned and worked for a few years under owners Brian Smith and Brett Nagel until Mr Nagel purchased the remainder of the business.
In 1998 Mrs Fennell became the counter manager for Estee Lauder. One of her favourite jobs was to apply make-up.
In fact, one of the last jobs she will undertake on Thursday will be to do the make-up for three people for a New Year’s Eve wedding.
In her time at the pharmacy she has met “so many beautiful people”.
“It is a lovely place to work in and Brett is a great boss,” Mrs Fennell said.
There will be plenty of pursuits for Mrs Fennell as she heads into retirement.
For a start there are the seven grandchildren, helping out her daughter (Krisha) and son-in-law (Michael) at the Rusty Windmill Cafe, the odd game of golf at Woorayl, plus her work as a civil celebrant.
Husband Greg is timing his retirement after 42 years as a bricklayer to coincide with his wife’s, which will mean more time to spend together.
“I have been lucky in that I’ve enjoyed going to work each and every day and that’s the reason I have been there all this time,” Mrs Fennell said.

Recognising service: Jo Fennell is wished all the best in retirement by Nagel’s Pharmacy owner, Brett Nagel.

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Posted by Sarah Vella on Dec 30 2015. Filed under Business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry