“They’re not replacing me,” says Vernon Tarbell. “They’re putting somebody in my place to do my work. But it’s going to be different because they’re not me.”
Throughout his 25 years as the University Store’s purchasing coordinator, Vernon Tarbell has shaped his role as much with his personality as with his daily responsibilities. When he retires on December 26, whoever follows him will take on the logistics of the role: managing orders, answering calls and helping students and their parents find what they need. What will be difficult to pass along is Tarbell’s approach – greeting students by name, checking in throughout the semester and surprising people with personalized colored pictures.
“When the University Store had a location in Abromson, and if I were ever walking by, I would always see Vernon,” said Brandon Blount, chair of the Classified Staff Senate and administrative specialist for Nursing. “He was always working on a coloring project, and one day he asked me what my horoscope was. The next time I saw him, he had a photo colored for me of my horoscope sign, Pisces. He was always so thoughtful in ways like that. Whether he colored a page to make someone feel better, or just because, he was always thinking of others.”
Tarbell’s path to the University of Southern Maine, and the personal challenges he encountered both before and during his time on campus, taught him how meaningful a small act of kindness could be.
Originally from Presque Isle, Tarbell lived up north for 38 years before coming to Southern Maine. In 1997, he was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that forced him to leave his work as a line cook – standing in one place all day was no longer possible. A friend suggested temping, and Tarbell found his way to USM.
Over two years, he worked his way across campus – chemistry, physics, history, the School of Business, facilities – eventually landing in the University Store where he would spend the next 25 years.
It was during these years that Tarbell began coloring. What started as a simple hobby took on greater significance when he was diagnosed with cancer.
“I started doing more of it,” he said. “And that’s, I think, when I started giving them away to people. Just to do something to get my mind off it. When I went to radiation, I gave the techs and the nurses each a picture, and when we were done, I actually got a handmade card saying ‘Thanks for putting color in my life.’ So that was nice.”
Having experienced firsthand what a handmade card or colored picture could mean, Tarbell began doing the same for his colleagues at the University Store. He’d ask about their favorite animal or horoscope sign, then surprise them days later with a page he’d colored just for them.
“I will never forget the first time he showed me his collection,” said Sherry Phillips Gleason, USM’s director of Conference Services. “The next day he brought me a picture and it has hung in my office ever since. I was just so touched that he went home and colored a picture just for me.”
Over 25 years, those small gestures accumulated into something larger – a presence that shaped the store and extended across campus.
This past August, at the University’s Opening Breakfast ceremony, he was named the inaugural recipient of the President’s Impact Award.
“Vernon received an award that he wasn’t aware of. He was speechless,” said Lynn Hughes, the account support specialist at the University Store, who has worked alongside Tarbell for much of his 25 years. “It was one of the few times that I have seen him that way. He was very pleased.”
While the award came as a shock to Tarbell, it was a clear choice for those who nominated him.
“What sets Vernon apart is his genuine care for people,” said USM President Jacqueline Edmondson. “Over 25 years, Vernon did not seek the spotlight, but he did little things every day that made him such an important part of the USM community. His kindness, thoughtfulness and steady presence have had a lasting and deeply positive impact.”
Vernon Tarbell’s Retirement Celebration
WHEN: Thursday, December 18th, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
WHERE: Prentice Dining Room, McGoldrick
WHAT: Come join Vernon as we celebrate his retirement!
Tarbell’s first day of retirement will fall on December 27 – his 71st birthday, though Tarbell says the timing wasn’t planned. He simply wanted to complete the calendar year and reach his 25-year milestone, which he marked this past October.
“I’m feeling good about retirement. I’m going to take the first couple of months and just relax – figure out what I want to do, if I want to do anything,” said Tarbell “I mean, I’m going to get out and get my walking in.”
As he enters this next chapter, Tarbell is keeping his options open. He’ll keep walking and coloring. Beyond that, he’s content to see where retirement takes him.
The University Store will move forward with a new purchasing coordinator, but Tarbell’s mark endures – in the colored pictures still hanging in offices across campus and the simple acts of kindness people won’t forget.
His current manager, Stephanie Heinz, put it simply: “Many people can work alongside each other for years without giving much thought or consideration to who their coworkers are or what complexities their lives hold. Vernon is not one of them, and for that I am deeply grateful.”
