After 53 years with the Williamsport Municipal Water and Sanitary Authority, Lester J. Loner is retiring this month.

But he vowed not to slow down in his roles as a volunteer for Lycoming County Special Olympics, Little League or as a board member for the Lycoming County Brotherhood Alliance.

While Loner’s last day at the job is April 30, his retirement marks a legacy unparalleled in most businesses.

“The Loner family has dedicated themselves to working for the authority for close to 200 years,” said Michael Miller, authority executive director.

His father, Lester L., began his employment April 8, 1957 and continued working until June 14, 1996, which equates to just over 39 years. He did various types of labor including meter reading and providing service to many accounts. His brother, Bruce, worked there from Oct. 16, 1978, to Dec. 14, 2021, or over 43 years and his sister-in-law, Barb, worked there from July 30, 1981 to April 1, 2022, or just over 40 years.

The authority, 253 W. Fourth St., manages water and sewer systems throughout Greater Williamsport and maintains a watershed in the nearby Mosquito Valley with two reservoirs that serve about 51,000 customers.

Every time there is a glass of tap water, a swimming pool is filled for summer, dishes are washed, toilets flushed and protective measures made to keep the watershed of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River clean, the Loners had a part of that assurance to the authority customers will receive clean drinking water and reliable sanitary service.

From mowing lawns to office manager

At age 17, a young Loner began to work for the authority, where his dad was, but on a part-time basis. He was doing typical teenager grunt work but the kind necessary to maintain the systems, he said.

“Cutting grass, painting fire hydrants,” he exemplified.

The building has changed over the years. The executive board meeting room served as the mechanic’s garage, the ceiling was a glass A-frame roof.

Loner talked about gaining experience and eventually being hired to work in the authority accounting department, becoming assistant office manager and office manager.

Smiling, he said, to a question of what the office environment was like — it was pretty much the same but the front desk area where customers paid their bills was an open counter with a door on the east side to enter. There were two clerks waiting on customers as there are today but not behind the secured facility. The floor plan was open, without the partitions there are now.

Technology was different, too, with bills as large as 3 feet long and they were hand stamped, he said, describing how delinquent accounts were kept in carts. It was a bustling place, with landline phones on desks, an IBM powered machine and employees doing daily billing, accounts receivable, a general clerk and secretary, he said.

The location of the office of Wendy Walter, authority director of safety and compliance and security, was a water laboratory, where samples would be tested.

He also recalled longtime authority executive director Luther “L.B.” Frye and all of the executive directors over the years.

After so many years of professional growth and service, Loner will be missed.

“We will certainly all miss Lester and we wish him well in his retirement,” Miller said.

Retired but not slowing down

Loner does not appear to be reducing life’s pace.

Recognized for his involvement in Lycoming County Special Olympics, Little League and the Brotherhood Alliance, Lester is fit for age 70.

He belongs to a local running club that runs on most Sundays through Brandon Park and, he said, the club runners may end up logging 4 to 13 miles.

Special Olympics, however, and Little League hold places near and dear to Loner’s heart. For over 50 years, the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania has offered those with special needs a chance to build friendships, learn important life skills and, above all, have fun while engaging in physical activities and sports with others. Its mission is to provide year-round sports training and competition for special needs individuals eight years of age and older. In Lycoming County, some 130 athletes participate in 12 sports.

“If they didn’t trust us — all of the parents and athletes — we would not be able to train them and prepare them for the competition,” he said.

From local competitions athletes are selected to go to regional competitions and then they may advance onto state competition. Lester said he has traveled with the athletes to national games in Iowa and New Jersey and internationally for world games in China and South Korea.

“It is an opportunity for them to be competitive if they want,” he said. The organization has top-notch athletes, who want to try and always give their best no matter what the result.

“My motto is, ‘One inch further or one second faster,'” Loner said.

Training with a purpose

Loner described some hurdles that Special Olympians have encountered, adding how, in life and in work, there are times when people need a different perspective.

In one such case, a Special Olympian could not get the knack of leaping off one foot in the running long jump. No matter what, the youngster would stop at the line, planting both feet down. No worries. Loner said he put a bag down at the line and told him, “run up to it and then push off your leg and jump over the bag.”

Soon, the bag could be removed and the athlete was hitting the mark with one leg and leaping as far as he could.

Loner is an advocate for promoting Special Olympics, including reminding folks of its largest fundraiser — the annual Frostbite 5-Mile Run and 5K Walk. The event has started out in the past at DuBoistown and going out through Mosquito Valley, to the water filtration plant and finishes by the Valley Inn. It includes a 5-mile run as well as a 5K walk, occuring simultaneously. It recently raised between $9,000 and $10,000. There also are fundraisers such as Hiawatha rentals on the paddlewheeler riverboat and sale of Christmas wreaths.

Most important to Loner, the organization helps the athletes to develop in their personal lives. He said he has assisted the athletes in distributing political fliers during election season and helped them with job searches.

Loner can’t say enough about the county Special Olympics, which has some 130 athletes. It is near and dear to his heart and will be in retirement.

For Little League, Loner has been a coach, umpire and board member. During the series he has helped with security. He has been the recipient of an award given by the Lycoming County Brotherhood Alliance and serves on that board which recognizes each year individuals for their outstanding contributions to their communities.

“You’ve got to be able to find one organization,” Loner said, for those retiring. “You’ve got to give back to the community.”