Barry Haynie has retired as director of marketing and communications at Cimarron Electric Cooperative, a recent issue of the cooperative newsletter related.

Haynie began duties with the nine-county electric cooperative in 1987.

“I have been very fortunate,” Haynie says of his 33-year career at Cimarron Electric. “I’ve had great people to work with and I’ve met many wonderful people over our nine-county service area.”

Haynie said some of his fondest memories are of the many accomplishments of the cooperative as it negotiated myriad changes in technology and experienced expansion of and improved services to members.

“I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

In retirement, Barry and his wife, Susan, are spending more time with their children, Brooke and Brandon, and four grandchildren, Brandon and wife Rebekah’s children, Sutton Jo, 2, and Deacon Barry, two months, and Brooke and husband, Jonathan Lemmons’ children, Callan, 5, and Tatum, 3.

Barry is also continuing to wage a yearlong battle against liver cancer, which requires numerous doctor visits and treatments.

Barry and Susan (nee Killebrew) grew up in Tipton in southwest Oklahoma where both were active in and graduated from Tipton High School.

Barry went on to earn a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Oklahoma State University and Susan earned a degree in early childhood development.

After the young family moved to Kingfisher in 1987, Susan, who had been teaching at Lindsay, stayed out of teaching until Brooke was old enough to start school, and then began a 14-year career at Gilmour Elementary School before retiring eight years ago.

Both have been active in community and church since their arrival in Kingfisher.

Barry is an elder in the Kingfisher Church of Christ and Susan is a part of women’s activities.

Barry says what he misses most about being retired is the camaraderie of the entire Cimarron Electric staff.

Jeff Hyatt, chief operating officer at Cimarron Electric and who wrote the article about Haynie’s retirement, keeps Barry posted about cooperative happenings. Besides their association at Cimarron Electric, they share duties as elders at their church.