Jeanie Baxter has walked the aisles of Coles Gunnedah for the last time, retiring after almost 38 years.
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The manager has become the face of the local store over the years, best known for her friendly face, willingness to help and warm manner.
The long-term career of the Gunnedah woman was celebrated at the Gunnedah Services and Bowling Club on Thursday, with Coles managers travelling from Tamworth, Armidale, Adelaide, Scone and Tenterfield to wish her well.
Jeanie said she was thankful to the customers and the team she’s had around her.
“It’s been a great life working for Coles. You make a lot of friends,” she said.
“I think now for me is the time to finish because I can spend time with my husband, kids and beautiful grandchildren. That’s what I’m looking forward to.”
Jeanie was a Coolah girl and moved to Gunnedah in 1970 after tying the knot with Gunnedah man Graeme Baxter. On November 9, 1981, the 22-year-old started working at Coles New World in Conadilly Street where Aldi is now located.
She's been more like family than a boss or a workmate.
- Charlotte Wright
Coles New World bought Shoey’s, a grocery store at the back of the former Curlewis Farmers Cooperative building, and merged it with their store in Conadilly Street, re-branding as Bi-Lo.
Bi-Lo was closed on New Year’s Eve in 2005 and re-branded as Coles, with works beginning on a new store on Little Conadilly Street.
During the construction of the new building, the employees were given jobs in the Coles store in Tamworth, and the new Gunnedah store opened in November 2006.
Jeanie became a store manager in her 30’s and has held the role ever since. She has shared many of her years at Coles with Robyn Northey and Gai Selway who both started working at Coles at the age of 15. Robyn has now been at Coles for 39 years and Gai has been there for 47 years, making her the longest-serving Gunnedah team member.
The pair said it has been great working with Jeanie and they will miss her presence in the store.
“We’ve had some good times,” Jeanie said.
Tamworth store manager Lachlan Stewart has known Jeanie for about 15 years and said she was like a second mum to him when he was starting out in his 20s.
“She’s been an inspiration and a big part of shaping my career,” Lachlan said.
“I think Gunnedah will miss Jeanie. She’s just a treasure of a woman and a fantastic store manager.”
New England regional manager Chris Cameron said while he has only known Jeanie for a short time, “all I heard about in the region before I came was Jeanie”.
“The respect she has in the store and in the towns – I wish I got to work with her longer,” he said.
Jeanie’s “right-hand woman”, Ann Spradbrow said she was hired by Jeanie 24 years ago and has enjoyed her company.
“She’s going to be missed heaps. It’s like losing someone from the family – [she’s] Mum,” she said.
Though Charlotte Wright had only worked with Jeanie for three years, she feels the same way.
“She was a pleasure to work with and I’m going to miss her smile and the warmth she brings to work,” she said.
Other staff members cite Jeanie’s fair approach, the ease of working alongside her and the support and care she offered.
She’s just a treasure of a woman and a fantastic store manager.
- Lachlan Stewart
Operations manager Mark Carr has known Jeanie for eight years and said she has been “incredibly loyal”.
“She has always represented our business with all the right values and has always done an outstanding job,” he said.
New Gunnedah store manager Vikram Singh said Jeanie’s hard work has laid the foundations at Coles for a good relationship with the community and it is a “pleasure to take over that journey”.
READ MORE: Jeanie clocks up 35 years
