While most people retire in their 60s or 70s, Britain's Prince Philip performed his last official engagement today at the age of 96.

The Duke of Edinburgh braved pouring rain today at Buckingham Palace to meet with Royal Marines, some of who participated in the Royal Marines Global 1664 Challenge -- 100 challenges completed over the course of 100 days.

Philip attended the Royal Marines' parade at Buckingham Palace to mark the end of the challenge. Queen Elizabeth was at Balmoral and missed the tribute, which included cheers and a rousing hip-hip hooray as Philip left his final engagement.

After today's event, Philip will no longer undertake royal engagements on his own, although he may still choose to attend certain events alongside Queen Elizabeth, 91, from time to time.

In a statement when his retirement was announced in May, Buckingham Palace said Philip "has the full support of the Queen."

Philip joked soon after the announcement was made with a well-wisher at an event who told him, "Im sorry to hear youre standing down."

Philip shot back, Well I cant stand up much longer.

Philip married then-Princess Elizabeth in 1947 and has been fulfilling his royal duties ever since.

He has completed 22,220 solo engagements since 1952 and given 5,496 speeches in his travels to more than 76 countries, according to Buckingham Palace. He has also authored 14 books, served as patron to 785 organizations and made 637 solo overseas visits.

Upon retirement, Philip is expected to spend more time at Windsor Castle.

He still is actively involved in carriage driving and is expected to carry on his association with the more than 750 charitable organizations for which he is royal patron. Queen Elizabeth has given up long-haul travel but still routinely attends more than 400 engagements a year and will continue to carry on her full schedule.

Younger members of the royal family, including Prince William, Prince Harry and Princess Kate, will also be stepping in and accompanying Queen Elizabeth to events that Prince Philip would have attended with her previously.

William, 35, completed his last shift as an air ambulance pilot last week. He and Kate, also 35, will live in London and take on royal duties full-time starting this fall.

The end of William's tenure as an air ambulance pilot coincides with his grandfather's retirement and plans for William's son, Prince George, 4, to attend school in London this fall.

Earlier today, the U.K.'s The Telegraph accidentally published an article announcing Prince Philip's death.

The news outlet published an inaccurate article today on its website that read, "The Duke of Edinburgh, the longest-serving consort to a monarch in British history, has died at the age of XX, Buckingham Palace has announced."

The Telegraph quickly issued an apology and removed the story from its website.

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Prince Philip, 96, attends final official engagement before retirement - ABC News

When the Patriots officially begin their title defense in early September they'll be withoutRob Ninkovich. The veteran defensive end is expected to announce his retirement Sunday, reports ESPN.com's Mike Reiss.

Ninkovich, 33, was originally a 2006 fifth-round pick of the Saints. He signed with the Patriots in 2009, had four sacks in 2010, and by 2011 he had earned the starting job. From 2011-2016 he started 91 of a possible 96 games and registered 41 sacks. He also appeared in 17 postseason games, was the Patriots team captain in 2013 and 2015 and earned two Super Bowl rings.

Ninkovich retires from a Patriots squad that has the potential to be better than the group that won the Super Bowl in February. New England spent the offseason restocking a roster that was already among the best in the league. The Patriotssigned cornerback Stephon Gilmore and veteran linebacker David Harris, and traded for pass rusher Kony Ealy, who may have been acquired as insurance against Ninkovich calling it a career; Ealy now projects as the starter.

Ninkovich had been absent during Patriots' training camp for what coach Bill Belichick called personal reasons.

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Patriots veteran Rob Ninkovich expected to announce retirement Sunday - CBSSports.com

Spending rose for more than half of taxpayers during the first three years after claiming Social Security, according to a report based on tax data and analyzed by economists at the Investment Company Institute and the IRS.

Those with lower incomes were most likely to be spending more than they were pre-retirement. Middle-income earners spent about the same, and the higher-income earners spent slightly less.

The report didn't measure actual spending, but how much income an individual had left after taxes. It included salary and wages, Social Security benefits, and distributions from retirement accounts and pensions.

"For many individuals, retirement appears to be a multi-year transition rather than an action taken at a discrete point in time," the researchers wrote.

In fact, nearly half of people were still working three years after claiming Social Security.

Related: How do I know how much I'll need in retirement?

But this doesn't mean spending won't slow later in retirement, researchers said.

Of course, your spending could drastically fluctuate from year-to-year, especially if you plan to be retired for 30 years or longer. (Most people followed in this report claimed Social Security at age 62.)

It's tough to save for a moving target, but there is one rule of thumb experts recommend. It suggests people prepare to spend about 70% of your pre-retirement income in retirement.

People expect to spend less because they're no longer saving for retirement and your tax bill is likely to drop. Maybe your transportation costs will fall if you're no longer commuting to work. Or you could have your mortgage paid off.

But on the other hand, you'll have more time to travel and might spend more money on leisure activities -- which could be more likely in the beginning of your retirement.

Calculator: Will you have enough to retire?

The median taxpayer's spendable income at three years after claiming Social Security was 103% of their income from one year before collecting, the report said. It followed individuals from 1999 to 2010.

CNNMoney (New York) First published July 28, 2017: 10:43 AM ET

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Americans are spending more money after they retire - CNNMoney

Older adults employed in Clark County

Employed population

Year age 65 and older

1990 4.6%

1995 5.6%

2000 6.6%

2005 8.0%

2010 9.6%

2015 11.0%

2016 11.1%

Note: All years use second-quarter data.

Source: State Employment Security Department

In his nearly 40 years in the jewelry business, it hasnt been uncommon for Joe Lanning to work six days a week. Three of those days, he would drive back to work after dinner to chisel out a few more hours.

Long hours, he said, go hand-in-hand with running your own business, as he and his wife do at My Jeweler, 809 Main St. And, despite turning 70 this month, Lanning said he has no plans to retire, though he has cut back his hours.

I am going to work, probably, until I die, he said with a shrug.

There is no macabre tone to how he says it, nor any undercurrents of a workaholic. Lanning, a Portland native, has been working since he was a teenager. Retirement really doesnt appeal to him, he said.

I would be doing something anyhow, because I couldnt just sit, he said.

Lanning isnt alone. As baby boomers age, they seem to be retiring at a slower rate than prior generations. The reasons for this can vary, but financial planners and economists interviewed for this article say many either havent saved enough money or, like Lanning, simply feel too healthy to hang it up.

I think there are a lot of people of my generation that have worked since they were teenagers, and to stop what are they going to do? Lanning said. I think there are a lot of them that enjoy working. They just want to talk and be with people, rather than sit at home with a cat or a dog and have that for their only company.

While there isnt centralized retirement data for private industries, economists with the Employment Security Department do track workforce demographics.

A statistic called the employment-to-population ratio measures the number of employed persons of a specific age against the total size of that age group. For Clark County residents aged 65 and older, the number of people working has grown from 4.6 percent in 1990 to 11 percent today.

Factors contributing to such a rise seem tied with both the recession and generational trends, said Scott Bailey, a regional economist who examines Clark, Cowlitz and Skamania counties. In other words, baby boomers saved less, yet they are living longer.

One (reason for the increase in older people working) is they kind of say, Hey, I feel good. Im healthy. I like my job. Why quit? Bailey said. A second (reason) is them saying: Savings? What savings?

The trend isnt restricted to Southwest Washington. Almost 19 percent of people aged 65-plus in the country held at least a part-time job, according to a jobs report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released this month.

The workforce participation rate for those older workers hasnt been that great since American retirees were first awarded Medicare benefits in the 1960s.

From April to June of this year, 32 percent of Americans ages 65 to 69 were employed. And the numbers of 70- to 74-year-olds working rose from 11 percent in 1994 to 19 percent.

Russell Brent, who owns Battle Grounds Mill Creek Pub, is one of those boomers who plans to keep working. Brent, 56, said he would like to be in a position to retire at 65, but he doesnt expect he will want to.

Seventy is the new 60, he said. My dad is 89 years old and holds a part-time job.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report, by 2024, 36 percent of 65- to 69-year-olds will be active in the labor market.

Finances play a major factor in peoples decision to retire. Some have assumed that more people might retire with the economy, and stock market, swinging upward.

That doesnt appear to be the case, at least not decisively so, according to financial planners in Clark County. People may be feeling better about their retirement funds, but they weigh that against many factors, such as their family situation and health care costs and access.

The general trend is people are optimistic about whats going on with the economy, but I dont see more people retiring, said Matt Henderson, a financial adviser with Edward Jones in Battle Ground.

The reason may be because people try not to be reactive with their financial plans, he said.

I see people say, I want to work to age 65, and have an income of XYZ. If you get to XYZ before that retirement date, people still want to work, Henderson said. I havent heard a client come in and say Ive made an extra $20,000; Im ready to pull the trigger.

Business owners, like Lanning and Brent, might be in a better position to retire with the economys stronger performance.

Matt Bisturis, an attorney with Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt who helps business owners plan for retirement, said the recession created a pent-up supply of entrepreneurs who are interested in retiring. Now they could be sitting prettier because they could get a higher asking price when they sell their business.

I think theres a lot of people who put those transactions on hold three to five years ago who are now getting ready to pull the trigger, he said.

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Baby boomers in Clark County delay retirement - The Columbian

How much do you think it costs to retire?

One recent study pegged the average price tag of retirement at about $740,000. This number seeks to include all of your expenses, from health care and housing costs to travel and entertainment expenses.

Its a big number, but its important to remember that this is just an average. The reality is and this is certainly what weve seen in our experience is that the cost of retirement will vary wildly from person to person.

There are a number of factors that will affect how much your retirement will cost, including how healthy you are, how expensive your lifestyle will be and where youll live in retirement.

Perhaps the most important factor that will dictate how much youll need to save for retirement is the age at which you retire. The earlier you retire, the longer your retirement will be and, therefore, the more expensive your retirement will be. Depending on how early you want to retire and what your goals are for retirement, this could mean youll be tasked with accumulating a significant number in savings before you retire.

For those who are working toward an early retirement, here are four tips to help you reach your goal.

Those retiring early face two big hurdles when it comes to saving for retirement. First, you have fewer years to accumulate enough in savings for retirement. Second, you need your savings to last for a longer period of time. This means you need to save aggressively during your working years. A common rule of thumb is to save 10 to 15 percent annually for retirement. For those saving for early retirement, a better goal may be to save at least 15 to 20 percent of your income every year.

There is a tendency for peoples costs of living to increase as their income increases during their lifetimes. This is known as lifestyle creep. That doesnt necessarily mean that you have to keep your cost of living flat from year to year. Imagine youre making $50,000 and are saving 20% of your income ($10,000 in savings). If you get a $5,000 raise, continue to strive to save 20% of income. Youll increase the amount youre saving for retirement ($11,000) while also having $4,000 in additional income for lifestyle expenses.

Life is a series of ups and down. You may not be able to prevent the downs from occurring, but you can take steps to limit their impact. A diversified portfolio may help you withstand a major market downturn. Purchasing good disability insurance helps protect your or your partners income should either of you be no longer able to work. Having a strong emergency fund gives you the flexibility to pay for a sudden expense. Having these in place helps limit how vulnerable you are to these risks derailing your financial plan.

A couple retiring at age 65 will need to spend about $260,000 on health care expenses in retirement, according to Fidelity. Its a daunting number, and its even larger for those who are retiring early.

The best way to save for these costs is with a health savings account. An HSA allows you to make pre-tax contributions that grow tax-deferred. Plus, when you use the money for qualified medical expenses, the distributions arent taxed. No other vehicle offers so many tax incentives, which is why we typically advise people to max out an HSA if theyre eligible to contribute (you must be enrolled in a qualifying high-deductible health plan).

Even though we wrote these tips with those working toward an early retirement in mind, the reality is that these strategies may be important for everyone to consider, no matter when you plan to retire. Yet for those who want to retire early, its even more critical you have these elements in place to help work toward turning your dream of early retirement into reality.

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

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Your Money: Dreaming of an early retirement? Here's how you can prepare - TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press

Summer vacation is the time to relax with family, reconnect with friends and make new memories for both the young and the old.

For Baby Boomers near or in retirement, this halfway point to the end of the year is also a great time to re-evaluate your financial portfolio to assure you are meeting your goals (and make tweaks if you are not).

Hitting the halfway point of the year is a great time to give your finances a check-up, says Christine G. Russell, senior manager of retirement and annuities for TD Ameritrade. Investors who get into the habit of reevaluating their investments mid-year have the opportunity to make necessary adjustments and be better prepared heading into the second half of the year.

Russell discussed with FOX Business what you need to know about conducting a mid-year financial check-up.

Boomer:What should I be doing to maximize the potential interest on my savings account?

Russell:Interest rates are still at historic lows in the aftermath of the financial crisis. While some borrowers have benefited from low interest rates on mortgages and auto loans, savers have been grappling with rates well below one percent. If you already have a sufficient emergency fund and are saving for something further down the road, it may make sense to consider a diversified portfolio of investments that suits your time horizon and risk tolerance.

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Boomer:Should I update my W-4?

Russell: Those who have had a major event occur in their lives since the beginning of the year, such as a marriage, divorce, or newborn child, should update their W-4 form. Similarly, it may be beneficial to update a W-4 if an individual decides to take on a second job to earn some extra cash. Events like these will impact an individuals taxes when they file their 2017 returns next year. While some people grow accustomed to receiving a refund each spring, experiencing a life change can cause and individual to owe money come April. However, those who have qualified for additional deductions can see the size of their refund increase, leaving them with a fatter check. It is important to be proactive about your tax filings to avoid the surprise of owing Uncle Sam money or being forced to wait for a large refund when you could have been seeing that money in your paycheck.

Boomer:Is it important to review my credit report mid-year?

Russell: Yes. Checking your credit report provides important benefits for individuals. Monitoring your credit report regularly will allow you to check your financial progress, spot possible discrepancies and even find instances of identity theft. It is important for individuals to stay informed of changes to their credit report and monitor their credit history so they can work to improve their score during the remainder of the year or contact the credit bureau if there are potential issues before they become major problems. Mistakes and fraud both happen. Stay alert.

Boomer:If I am not meeting my New Years financial expectations what changes should I make?

Russell:Now is the time to revamp your 2017 financial strategy if it is not going the way you had hoped. With half of the year remaining, there is still time to catch-up to meet your end-of-year goals. Revisiting expectations and tracking your financial progress can motivate you to put in the extra effort over the next few months. It is also valuable to check-in on investments and reassess risk tolerance from the beginning of the year. By doing this, an individual will have a better understanding of their finances and have the opportunity to turn their year around.

Here are some specific considerations:

First do you really have a plan based on your household needs? If you have a realistic plan, then why are you not meeting your goals? There may be a good reason you did not meet expectations, and no changes are necessary. Or you may need to update your plan with more realistic expectations. A good financial plan can provide a framework for making changes when they are needed, rather than when emotions may be driving arbitrary changes. If you have no plan, not meeting your expectations can be a key indicator that you need to work on a more detailed household financial plan.

Second, in reviewing your plan have you captured your risk tolerance correctly? Is your portfolio diversified enough, when you consider your risk tolerance, time horizon, and goals?Remember to consider all assets, not just 401(k) or IRA accounts.

Third, consider your goals thoroughly; not just performance goals, but risk protection and estate planning goals. You may be willing to give up some investment performance today for a sustainable income in retirement. And lets face it, supporting your quality of life in retirement is usually the goal for long term savings, isnt it?

To sum it up, remember to look at the big picture when evaluating your financial expectations.

More:
Summer retirement checkup for Baby Boomers: Are you on track? - Fox Business

The myRA program was deemed a conservative way to save and tailored for people who were not accustomed to investing in the markets because account holders could not lose money. The funds were invested in United States Treasury savings bonds, which paid the same variable rate as the Government Securities Fund, available to federal employees through the government retirement plan.

There was not a minimum deposit or a fee. But the maximum workers could save was only $15,000. At that point the balance would be rolled over to a private-sector retirement account, perhaps a more traditional portfolio of stocks and bonds.

Mark Iwry, the chief architect of the program that was built over nearly six years while he served as senior adviser to the Treasury secretary during the Obama administration, said it had been designed to have many uses over time. Besides being a safe way to introduce people to saving for retirement, it was expected to serve as a key investment option within some state-run retirement programs geared to the tens of millions of people without access to employer-sponsored plans that are in the process of being created.

The program was also seen as a place to direct a portion of a tax refund, and as a bucket of sorts that could be used to capture the small sums that are automatically rolled over by employers from larger 401(k) plans when workers change jobs.

The decision to cancel the myRA in its introductory phase reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of its purposes and potential as a long-term investment in working families economic security and financial independence, Mr. Iwry said. There are several legitimate ways to assess a programs costs and benefits prematurely is not one of them.

The closing of myRA is the latest step taken by the Trump administration to reverse Obama-era savings initiatives and investor protections. In his first month in office, President Trump requested the review of a rule that requires brokers to put their customers interest first when handling their retirement money. He later signed a joint resolution that reversed a rule that would have made it easier for states to create their own retirement savings programs.

Several states including California, Illinois and Oregon are moving ahead anyway. And while some states had plans to include myRA as a safe investment alternative, that will no longer be an option.

The program offers a really good solution, said Tobias Read, state treasurer of Oregon, which is running a pilot of its retirement savings plan this month and had expected to use myRA as its capital preservation alternative. Without it, we will be forced to look at other options, which frankly arent as good for that purpose.

On July 14, a group of Democrats in Congress wrote a letter to Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, asking that his department demonstrate its support for the myRA program.

Given that this administration has worked to reduce access to retirement plans for millions of Americans, the letter said, it is more critical than ever for the Treasury to strengthen one of their remaining options for retirement savings.

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Treasury Ends Obama-Era Retirement Savings Plan - The New York ... - New York Times

More members of Congress arevoicing their concerns for recent fiscal 2018 budget proposals that could makesignificant changesto the federal retirement system for current and future employees and retirees.

Ten HouseRepublicans are appealingto House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), the leader of the committee thats been tasked to develop legislative proposals that wouldreduce the federal deficit by $32 billionover 10 years through reforms to civil service pensions.

No one needs to remind us of the deficit and debt problem our nation faces, but federal employees are an easy political target, the 10 members wrote in a July 26 letter. In more ways than one, they have already repeatedly given at the office. Therefore, we respectfully request that reject any further legislative changes to the federal employee retirement system at this time.

Meanwhile,18 senators, nearly all of them Democrats, also wrote to their chambers leadership this week.

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These proposed changes, if enacted, would significantly harm the retirement plans that our federal employees have made over the course of decades in public service, the senators wrote in a July 26 letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ken.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). In addition, they would further hamper the federal governments ability to recruit and retain the best and brightest talent, particularly when we are concerned about brain drain in critical areas of our civilian workforce.

The signatures on the Senate letter shouldnt come as a majorsurprise.

Both Maryland Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Virginia Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner added their names to the letter.

Delaware Sens. Tom Carper and Chris Coons,Hawaii Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz, Massachusetts Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, New Mexico Sens. Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall and New Jersey Sens. Cory Booker and Robert Menendez, along withSens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio),Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also signed it.

The letter from House lawmakers toGowdy comes may hold more gravitas. Their message comes afternine of the 10 members wrote to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in June to express their opposition.

All nine of the House members who wrote to Ryan in June also added their names to the latest letter. But Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) added his nameas well, making him the 10th House Republican to voice his concerns at least in writing to proposed cuts to federal retirement.

4 execs who developed, owned and managed the popular OASIS multiple award contract shuffled to other program.

The July letter reads almost verbatim to the members June letter to Ryan and McCarthy.

But this time, the lawmakers make reference to several fiscal 2018 budget proposals that suggest a variety of changes to the federal retirement system for both current employees and future ones.

The House Budget Committees 2018 request includes instructions for budget reconciliation, which tasks the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to make changes to the federal retirement system.

Those proposals will call for higher contributions to their federal pensions and the removal of supplemental Social Securitypayments to employees who retire before age 62.

This would achieve significant savings while recognizing the need for new federal employees to transition to a defined contribution retirement system, the House budget blueprint said. The vast majority of private sector employees participate in defined contribution retirement plans. These plans put the ownership, flexibility, and portfolio risk on the employee as opposed to the employer. Similarly, federal employees would have more control over their own retirement security under this option.

The House Budget Committees resolution calls for proposals that are similar, but slightly different from the recommendations included in President Donald Trumps own 2018 budget request.

The president proposedcuts to federal retirementworth $4.1 billion next year, for a total of about $150 billion over 10 years a significantly higher task than the House Budget Committees recommendation.

But both the Trump administration and many House Republicanssee these changes as a way to realize new cost savings and bring the generous federal retirement packagein linewith the private sector.

Nearly100 House Democratsalready voiced their own opposition to such proposals in a letter to Ryan and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

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10 House Republicans and 18 senators speak out against federal retirement cuts - FederalNewsRadio.com

At the start of this week, Cartersville High School athletic director Darrell Demastus had a 12-time state champion in his new baseball coach. After what Demastus said were developments hes never witnessed in his administrative career, thats no longer the case.

Former Central High and longtime Columbus High baseball coach Bobby Howard resigned as Cartersville head coach Thursday. Howard, who had held the job for just over one month, explained that, They are great people and they made a great offer, but the retirement/investment piece could not be worked out.

On Friday, Demastus detailed exactly what went wrong with the Howard-Cartersville pairing.

According to Demastus, an individual who has retired within the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia but opts to return to teaching must suspend his or her retirement completely or work less than 49 percent of a full-time job to keep drawing retirement. Howard was drawing full retirement while working in the Alabama school system.

Demastus explained that Howard, who had 35 years in Georgias system when he left Columbus in 2015 and later took the coaching job at Central, was given bad information about his status in terms of coaching Cartersville and still drawing from his retirement.

Demastus said the problem could have potentially been solved had it been discovered in June. Instead, the issues came up this week, just days before Cartersville City Schools return for the 2017-2018 school year.

If youre new to the school system, you have to go through new teacher orientation, Demastus said. When coach Howard came in to do his paperwork as a new teacher like every other new teacher we hired in the system, he realized somethings not working out here. Thats when our assistant superintendent and them sat down and looked. Sure enough, he wasnt given the correct information.

Had the situation been discovered sooner, Demastus and the others involved could have potentially found a partial teaching spot for Howard. However, with the start of school nearly one week away, there were no openings within the school system to fit his need.

Demastus said he, superintendent J. Howard Hinesley, Cartersville High School principal Marc Feuerbach and the entire administrative staff sat down to find a way to keep Howard and allow him to still draw on his retirement.

In the end, they concluded it could not happen.

It was frustrating on our part because of the simple fact that we lost a very, very, very good baseball coach, Demastus said. I do not blame and nobody in our administration or in the community blames coach Howard at all. Its just one of those situations that came into play that nobody could really do anything about.

As a result, Howard resigned. Kyle Tucker, who was an assistant with the baseball team last year, will act as interim head coach for a year, per Demastus.

Demastus expressed his regrets over losing Howard and said Howard sounded sincere when he informed the coaches he would not in fact be leading the Hurricanes. Demastus said he was aware of Howard from the battles between Cartersville and Columbus over the years but was really looking forward to getting to know him better.

Demastus is also an assistant principal at Cartersville, and he explained his hiring process for coaches and teachers is the same. He looks for an individual who can fit in with what Demastus deemed the family that exists within Cartersville City Schools.

Though it proved to be for naught, Demastus said Howard was exactly what he was looking for.

When you lay a resume like Bobby Howards down on the table, his is second to nobody, Demastus said. I think the biggest thing with Bobby was during the interview process, the personality he had just seemed to fit the personality of the school. He was very down to earth. His knowledge of the game was never questionable. He seemed to be relaxed and seemed to be somebody who could fit into the school system.

Though the situation led to an undesired outcome, Demastus found some humor after the sagas conclusion. He said he and Feuerbach often joke back and forth about the need to write a book on their experiences within the education field.

I said, Well, I guess this is going to have to be a chapter in the book, Demastus said. He said, Coach, were probably going to have to have two chapters for this one.

Continued here:
Retirement payout stalled opportunity for Bobby Howard, Cartersville - Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

For more than 35 years, Dr. Robert Jordan treated children in south suburban communities, offering routine check-ups, immunizations and important medical consultations in an area where private practice pediatricians were rare.

He dedicated his life to taking care of those who wereindigent who would not get the love and care usually given to people with means, said his wife, the Rev. Jeanette Jordan.

On Saturday, hundreds of members of the community and former patients gathered at a Chicago Heights park to thank Jordan for his service with an all-day retirement party dubbed a Fair-Well Fest.

At the event, former patients took turns on stage giving emotional speeches about Jordans care. One mother said Jordan treated her like his own daughter, offering sound medical treatment even when she was on disability leave from work and unsure of how she would pay medical bills. Another little girl told the crowd, He never let me die. He made sure I was always healthy, before running off the stage and jumping into her doctors arms.

The festival, which also featured food, live entertainment, free blood pressure tests, diabetes screenings and other health offerings, was organized by Jordans children in partnership with several community sponsors. It came one week before Jordans South Suburban Pediatrics will be turned over to a new owner, a pediatrician who has agreed to continue serving the low-income community, said Allison Jordan, his eldest daughter.

He cared about your well-being, said Felicia Moore, of Crete, who brought her three children regularly to see Jordan beginning in 1989. He would have questions that I would never be asked by other doctors.

Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune

Born and raised in Laurel, Miss., the 75-year-old Jordan said he was inspired to become a doctor from an early age, after his younger sister died from complications of asthma that would not have taken hold if his family, who were poor, had access to better health care.

But it wasnt until after Jordan was married with three children that he decided to go back and earn his medical degree at Rush Presbyterian Hospital.

After completing his residency, he opened up a private practice that began in Chicagos Roseland community, then moved to Homewood and eventually Chicago Heights, where it has remained for the past 17 years.

Jordan and his wife also opened the Far South Side Community Health Center in 1992, which offers health education, food for the hungry, mentoring and other services.

He never made himself unreachable, said Craig Hodges, the former Chicago Bulls player who grew up in Chicago Heights and was on hand for the celebration.

Hodges, his former son-in-law, said having a positive role model like Jordan had a great impact on young people who grew up under his care.

These young people realize what theyre capable of, he said.

After retirement, Jordan and his wife plan to travel and for hertocontinue to do pastoral work with her church, Journey to the Cross Ministries. He also plans to continue educating patients at Far South Side Community Health Center.

I loved every one of them, they knew my first name, they came to my house, he said. Im not burning my stethoscope. Im not burning my lab jacket.

vortiz@chicagotribune.com

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'Fair-Well Fest' retirement party honors longtime Chicago Heights pediatrician - Chicago Tribune