Waldoboro, ME
Don Mortenson will officially retire from his job as cook at Moody's Diner on Thurs., June 26, but friends and family gathered two days early to celebrate his 41 years at the beloved diner. He thinks he might finally paint his house after working 16-hour days, six days per week, year after year.

"He's supposed to work at five (a.m.) and he'll come in to work at a quarter to four," said Seth Genthner, the cook who will be filling Mortenson's position.

According to Nancy Genthner, Mortenson worked at a gas company when he wasn't cooking at Moody's. She said he would work a full shift at what was then called "Home Gas" and directly after go to work at the Waldoboro diner. He would then go back to work at the gas company for another shift.

Over time, various people took photos of Mortenson on the job. Dan Beck, current Moody's Diner Manager and co-owner, presented a slide show of these photos to honor Mortenson and to show the perhaps forty friends and family who joined him. In many of the photos he bore the same surprised expression, but in most, he was hard at work. In all of the photos he had a beard.

"Have you ever not had a beard?" someone asked. "Well, I shaved it off once, but scared the dog," Mortenson said in response.

Several people stood and offered personal stories about the long-time cook. Jennifer Post, who worked at Moody's from 1988-95, said she once dropped a pie on the floor and became so upset she had to step outside. She said when she returned a few minutes later, the mess was cleaned up, knowing that Mortenson had cleaned it up for her.

"Any time you needed him, he was there," Judy Beck said. "I appreciate that dedication."

Dan Beck said he was pleased to have worked with Mortenson. "It's been a real privilege for me getting to know Don for the past seven and a half years. Don, you taught me a lot of what it means to be a worker," Beck said.

Bob Bellows said that he worked with Mortenson for eight years, calling him conscientious. "He's a great family man, a great co-worker and is certainly going to be missed," Bellows said.

Pam Thibodeau said the diner has changed over the years, recalling when it felt smaller. Jo-Ann Ames said back during the 1960s, the diner would sometimes get a rowdy crowd. On one of these particular occasions, she said Mortenson had been chopping onions in the kitchen with a large cleaver. He came out of the kitchen and started to talk with another man, gesturing with the knife. She said she didn't think he even thought about the knife in his hand, but the diner sure quieted down after that.

"You can't sneak up behind him," Bob Beck said. He said that Mortenson, at times, looked like he was going to punch someone.

"That's just unconfessed sin," a woman at the party said. "It's worse when he has a sharp object," said another, to which many people laughed.

Despite a fiery temper at times, especially over having to make scrambled eggs, many people said that Mortenson would do whatever he could to help someone.

Mortenson said, "I really appreciate the Moody family. They have been very good to me," I loved working for them. They've been just like a family to me. Poppa (Mr. Moody) was very, very good."

Originally published online here: http://www.mainelincolncountynews.com/index.cfm?ID=32593