Steve Kenkel (top right) alongside his legal team during his retirement party at the State Bank of Toledo community room. Photo by Cyote Williams

Steve Kenkel has served as an attorney in Toledo for nearly 40 years and will finally be hanging it up this year.

Kenkel held a retirement party at the State Bank of Toledo’s community room that had refreshments for any of those who stopped by to congratulate the longtime attorney.

On a day to day basis most attorneys deal with a lot of paperwork and don’t get to perform the actions that they got into this profession for.

“On the rare occasions where you actually get to help people. It doesn’t happen as often as I would’ve liked because most of what I do is pretty mundane and ordinary. Once in a while you get to do something that helps someone and that’s great.” said Kenkel on how he looks back on his career.

Kenkel also reminisses some of the opportunities he was able to take advantage of by volunteering in his community.

“I miss being in the fire department and the ambulance services.”

When you work for a long time in the same industry there will be individuals that stick out to you, and help mold you into becoming the person you are today for Kenkel those people were the other lawyers he worked with.

“We’re a real small group and we all help each other. One non-lawyer I learned a lot from was Jim Gehling. He was an accountant in Tama and I learned a lot from Jim.” Said Kenkel.

Retirement brings the opportunity to use your free time however you see fit. As most attorneys do, Kenkel already had a patented answer ready for what he plans to do in his retirement.

“I’m going to eat more, sleep more and run more. That’s my plan.”