As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Such is the case with the retirement of the veterans service officer.

Carroll County Commissioners must have thought Bob Morrow was not serious about leaving the post he has held for nearly 60 years as Carroll County's veterans service officer. Even though his last day was Monday for which he gave notice several weeks ago, they did not advertise for his replacement until he turned his key in.

They not only honored him with a special resolution and a plaque, they spent some time trying to figure out what kind of person it will take to fill his shoes.

Monday's recognition of Bob Morrow's work is not the first time he has been honored. At Carroll County's Veterans Day service in 1999 his friends took the opportunity to publicly recognize the man who traditionally shuns publicity.

An excerpt from the Nov. 17, 1999, issue of the Comet reads:

"Last Thursday, there were more people gathered at the Veterans Day service than usual. Morrow gave the commands to the firing squad for the salute to veterans, as he has always done. He picked up the spent shells from the courthouse lawn, and then he prepared to leave. But, he was quickly escorted to a position closer to the monument where Katie Wolf (former state senator) was about to speak. And lest he should try to make a quick get-away, fellow veterans stood on each side, gently holding his arm.

"They needn't have worried what his reaction would be. Morrow humbly and graciously accepted the highest award that the Governor bestows - the Sagamore of the Wabash."

Bob Morrow is a veteran himself. He entered the Army on Sept. 30, 1943, at age 19. A little over a year later he was shot in the leg while in action in Germany. He was hospitalized for several weeks before being sent home.

On Jan. 1, 1949, he was appointed to a one-year term as Carroll County's veteran service officer. He has faithfully served the office ever since, working fulltime (until recently) and on-call 24 hours a day.

Helping veterans - any way he could - was more than a job for Bob Morrow; it was his life. He performed his services over and above the call of duty.

According to wording in the resolution adopted at the Monday morning commissioners meeting, Morrow will be deeply missed in his employment position by his clients and fellow employees of Carroll County. He served the veterans of Carroll County with the utmost dignity and gave his clients the utmost respect. He performed his duties with integrity, compassion and a demeanor that exemplified his professionalism and civility.

Bob Morrow has been there for veterans and all residents of Carroll County and beyond for as long as most people remember. It is hard to think about someone else occupying that office. But it is the difficult task of the commissioners to find his replacement.

We salute Bob Morrow for a job well done.