Legally Retired: This paralegal is planning to enjoy her golden years without picking up another case assignment

Carolyn “Creny” Kreutzfield Garlock is retiring after a super long, successful career as a paralegal.

Creny put in almost four decades of service to Scopelitis Law Firm, and her work has been nothing short of amazing. She has worked hard throughout the years, and she has been through a lot as well. She dealt with truckers and lawyers for the entirety of her professional career, and as you might or might not know, neither of them are the easiest groups of people to deal with from a legal standpoint.

And yet, Creny always found a way to put her head down and be the best paralegal she could be.

Anyone who knows her knows just how great of a paralegal she has been too. She always put her best foot forward, and her son Pat said she was “reliable, dependable and loyal.”

This reliability, dependability and loyalty is carried with Creny throughout her daily life as well. These things – and many more – have helped her become the amazing mother and family woman that she is.

Of course, they are three of the many things that made Creny great at her job. Well, those and the fact that people are generally drawn to Creny. People enjoy being around her, and they know they can rely upon her.

“She was always all the new young lawyers’ and associates’ best friend,” Reid said. “Mom was also the truckers’ best friend. They preferred to talk to her over the lawyers.”

The truckers have always loved Creny for many reasons. She not only knows her stuff, but she is someone who is always going to go to bat for the person she is supporting. She made anyone she was working with feel comfortable, both from the legal sense and from the sense that she is genuine in her ways.

Creny is also someone who is not afraid to tell the truth and to tell it like it is. Considering that was a big part of her job, that should come as no surprise, but she always took it up a notch.

“Everyone came to her for advice, especially when navigating internal politics,” Reid said.

People did not feel like they were walking a tightrope trying to talk to Creny, and her true genuineness is something people did not take for granted.

And now that she is retiring, she is not only leaving a big hole at Scopelitis, but in the paralegal community. She was an impactful member of the legal community as a whole, and people have looked up to her.

“She’s put everyone else first her whole life, like her two sons, and especially all her rescue dogs over the years,” her daughters-in-law Emily and Jamie said.

While Creny spent a lot of time taking care of truckers and many other people on the work side of things, she also spent ample time raising her boys on the home front. She was an ever-present mother who would do anything for them, and they know she raised them the right way.

And now that Pat just had his first son and Reid has one on the way, they are glad they get to put the great parenting skills they learned from their mother to good use.

They know she is going to spoil their children as well, and they are both okay with that.

“Now that she is retired, I know she’s going to use her savings to spoil her grandchildren,” Pat said. “There will be many more trips to Florida to find a boyfriend, service her new vending machine, and maybe even open a food truck to sell her famous salsa!”

No matter what all Creny does in retirement, it is definitely well-deserved and well-earned. She is going to be missed by many, but her presence will always be felt.

“Oh my, dear Carolyn. It was wonderful having you in my life all these years. I so appreciate and love you. I will now put together the slumber party we have talked about all these years at my home with all you ladies who have looked after me at the firm and our personal lunches through the years. It is not over for us. We have more joy to share. Be well, my dear friend. Love, Alki.”

“Carolyn, I am happy for you. I know you are making the right decision. By retiring now, you will have many good years to enjoy your retirement. Most people wait too long. Life passes quickly and your good years even more quickly. You are smart to enjoy your health while it is good. THANK YOU for all you have given the firm. The firm has been a better place to work because of your contribution. Love, Norm.”

Creny is truly appreciated by all.

“We are so proud of all your hard work. You deserve to do whatever the hell you want! Looking forward to you enjoying these next years with family and friends without those asshole lawyers monitoring you punching your damn time clock. Love you, Creny!” – Pat, Emily, Mac, LilJameyDog, Reid, Jamie, George and future baby boy G2!