COVINGTON, Ga. — "The time is come for me to say goodbye to a job that I have loved," Suzzan Monroe announced during her sign off on the emergency radio channel Thursday afternoon, Jan. 16, after 25 years on the job.

Monroe began her career as a night-shift dispatcher for the Covington-Newton County 911 Center on March 10, 1995, after answering an advertisement. She recalled telling her then coworkers she would "give it a try," and if it did not work out, she would find another career path.

"Here I am now," she said, "25 years and retiring."

Monroe retired as the center's training supervisor and accreditation manager, one of many titles she held over the years. She was able to measure her two decade-long career through the historical landmarks she experienced, such as Princess Diana's death and the Atlanta bombing. She called her journey at the center a "wonderful ride."

"It's been an honor to work for the citizens of Newton County and the city of Covington," she said, "I can't say enough about being an employee of the city of Covington and how well they treat us. I couldn't think of a better place at all to work."

Monroe answered many calls through her years working at the center, however, she remembered her most memorable call being a little boy calling her to tell her his father, who had very recently killed his mother, was going to commit suicide. The call lasted 15 to 20 minutes.

"This little boy just started school the day before," she said, "[I was] trying to figure out what to say to this child and how to talk to him. That will stick with me for the rest of my life."

Trudy Henry, Covington-Newton 911 operations manager, met Monroe when she was 19 years old and has called her a friend ever since.

"She has been my constant for 25 years, day in and day out," she said, "She became a friend early on. She was there for me through two kids, two marriages... so that included a divorce. I couldn't ask for a better person to work with."

Henry spoke about Monroe's dedication to the 911 Center over the last two decades.

"[Monroe] would do anything in the center," she said, "She has a vast knowledge of the 911 Center and how it runs. Suzzan is a person who can work with anyone, who can get along with anyone. She knows how to lighten to moment when things get too heavy, too emotional. I feel like the center is losing a great asset."

Monroe is set to officially retire April 1, 2020. Her last day on the job was Jan. 16, 2020.

As far as retirement goes, Monroe told The Covington News she planned on volunteering, spending time with family and working on household projects.