When he was born 10 years ago, she had already worked at the firm for 42 years.

Tuesday, her last day of work, marked 52 years. She specialized in probate work.

“I started in February of 1970,” Nielson said. “I graduated high school in ’69 then I was taking the secretary course out at the college. The firm contacted our teacher, I was one of several selected and I went for an interview.”

The firm has been through a number of name changes and office locations over the years. The first attorney she worked with was Paul McCarville.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen Pat Nielson, of Fort Dodge, gets a hug from Megan Harvey who stopped in to deliver a bouquet of flowers Tuesday at the Crimmins and Kehm Law Firm to help Nielson celebrate her last day of work there. Nielson retired after 52 years. Harvey is the daughter of Sheila Stuhr who's a secretary at the firm and works with Nielson.

“My challenge was learning his filing system,” she said. “Each attorney had their own filing system.”

Technology has changed greatly in the last five decades, and she’s witnessed most of it.

“The electric typewriter,” she said. “That was the big deal when I went to college.”

Phones in that era were rotary dial. Although she doesn’t recall what year they got touch tone phones, she does remember the reaction of attorney Paul Bennet to the new devices.

“He was so mad,” she said. “He wanted his rotary phone back.”

She also remembers the difficulty that could arise in reaching someone before cell phones became common.

“You’d call somebody who knew them,” she said.

When she started, if an attorney wanted to dictate a letter, Nielson would take notes in shorthand then type it out later. Eventually, the attorneys acquired tape recorders and she typed from recordings. Even now though, once in a while if there’s a rush, she would take shorthand.

Making copies of documents was a more involved process then, too. The firm used a mimeograph machine. This required making a master then running paper through the machines which were usually hand cranked. The system also used a special fluid that’s the substance responsible for the smell of freshly mimeographed school papers that many may remember.

“I think it was in the late 1970s when we got a copier,” she said.

Computers were another addition that she remembers. It went much better than the switch to touch tone phones.

“It really went pretty well,” she said. “It wasn’t much different than typing. The first one was simple and easy to learn. It saved us a lot of time.”

Also gone from offices: ashtrays and smokers who use them.

“I never thought too much about it,” she said. “It does smell much better though.”

Attorney Mark Crimmins will miss her greatly.

“She has been the heart of this firm for the past 36 years that I’ve been a part of it,” he said. “For the past 52 years this firm has had 13 named partners, including three that eventually became District Court judges, other associates and numerous name changes. It’s been in three locations and there has only been one constant – Pat.”

Nielson said that one of the first things she’s going to do is take a trip to Almost Home.

“I’m a dog person,” she said. “I lost one in May. I’m ready now. Casey and I are going to the shelter and pick one out.”

She’ll also be able to spend time with her daughter, Lynette Nielson. The pair both enjoy sewing, quilting and yard work. She said her daughter has helped her out a lot over the years and now she’ll be able to help her.

“Lynette has done so much to help me,” she said. “Now I can help her.”

Nielson said she not only enjoyed her work over the years, but also greatly enjoyed the many people she’s worked with. Some of them became more like family than coworkers.

One thing she did promise not to do on her first day of retirement.

Set her alarm clock.

“No,” she said.