Howard Bay, a Welding Technology instructor at Southeast Community College (www.southeast.edu), retired on Jan. 30 after a 37-year career.  Bay began employment at SCC on Jan. 1, 1978. His first assignment was to teach welding classes for the Nebraska Department of Corrections, including the Nebraska State Penitentiary. He then taught welding on SCC’s Lincoln Campus in 1991 before transferring to the Milford Campus in November 1996. There he served as co-chair of the program for many years and also served on the Milford Campus Safety Team.

Bay also was very willing, when asked, to teach continuing education welding classes in surrounding communities such as Crete and Beatrice, which he did for more than ten years. In 2003 he was honored for his 25 years of service to the College and ten years later he received the “Al” Havener Award for his 35 years of service.

He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, having served from 1969-1971. Bay trained numerous employees through the years on how to set up and maintain welding equipment, welding safety, proper materials, and the techniques of welding in on-site environments and situations. Colleagues say Bay was very dedicated to teaching, and that he loved working with his students.