For nearly half a century, Duane Roby has meticulously tended Ohio Northern University’s beautiful, 342-acre campus. Today, March 6, 2026, the long-time grounds crew foreman is retiring, just one month shy of a remarkable 46 years of service.
During his tenure, Duane served four University presidents and watched the campus nearly double in size. He planted tens of thousands of trees, shrubs, and flowers, raked leaves, mulched, mowed, cleared snow and ice, and prepared athletic fields for generations of Polar Bears.
The changing nature of his work is what kept him going.
“The best part of this job was never doing the same thing twice,” he says. “Every day was different.”
He valued working independently and noted his “office” of choice: a 16-foot mower affectionally known as “The Big Red.” His favorite days were spent mowing the campus’s wide-open, grassy spaces.
As for his favorite season, Duane doesn’t mince words: “It ain’t winter.”
He recalls grueling 12-hour days battling frigid winds and temperatures to clear the sidewalks and parking lots of snow and ice. Instead, he’ll gladly take the mild air of May and June and the crisp colors of October and November.
Throughout the decades, Duane mentored dozens of student workers. He taught invaluable lessons in landscaping and hard work and generously overlooked some “horseplay,” like stickball games and snowball fights.
“I’ve had many student workers come back 10 or 20 years later and tell me that working the grounds here was the best time of their life,” he said.
For those just starting their professional journeys, Duane’s advice is straightforward: “Always come in with a great attitude and do the best with what you have.”
Monday is the first day of a new chapter for Duane, and he’s looking forward to the change of pace. His new “to-do” list includes spending more time with family—especially his four grandsons, hitting the golf course, “betting on ponies,” and finally tending his own yard at his own speed.
Thanks, Duane, for 46 years of dedicated service keeping ONU’s campus beautiful in every season!