Vida Maxine Rayfield, known as Dutchie to her friends and coworkers, will retire from McClendon Hardware in White Center on April 17 after working there for seventeen years. She has been working as a cashier in White Center and West Seattle for nearly 40 years. Dutchie is seen holding a sculpture her coworkers all chipped in to purchase for her on her last day.
After 17 years as the magnetic cashier at McClendon Hardware in White Center, "Dutchie" has decided it's time to retire.
Her last day was April 17 and coworkers, longtime friends and customers gave her a proper sending off with way too many cakes in the break room and a surprise party at the White Center Eagles.
The West Seattle Herald/White Center News was lucky enough to spend an hour with Dutchie on her last day, and we will have a full story in the coming days.
Our full feature is now available here.
In addition to her 17 years at McClendon's, Dutchie has nearly four decades of customer service under her belt in West Seattle and White Center, including Olson's Value-rite Drug (where Starbucks now resides at the Morgan Junction) and Ernst Hardware (where Staples now stands in Westwood Village).
She'll be celebrating her 80th birthday in June.
