Chavira retires from AT&T after 43 years

For The Madera Tribune

Richard Chavira.

What began as a job for 20-year-old Richard Chavira turned into a 43-year, nine-month career that ended last month for AT&T.

Over his more than 43 years, Chavira has been with the company from Pacific Telephone, Pacific Bell, Telesis, SBC and now AT&T.

Chavira began his service at Pacific Telephone as a 20-year-old on March 22, 1979.

Beginning his career as a cable maintenance splicer for the company, he worked along side many great leaders and worked his way up the pole to become a respected splice technician in the Central Valley.

Chavira was always the man who made sure the job was done right the first time, and if anyone needed help with a job, he was the man to call. There was never a time that he wasn’t taking a class whether it was for learning new techniques or to even brush up on his Spanish so he could communicate with the diverse community he always served.

He worked from the time the sun went up until the sun went down for the first five years with the company while marrying the love of their life and commuted to Madera.

Then, he purchased a home in Central Madera and started his family. After his two sons were born, Chavira began working in Merced as a construction splicer for another five years. Then, he was sent up to Yosemite National Park for two more years, providing service in the mountains.

Entering into his 13th year, he made the commute to serve the city of Los Banos for another five years while also having his last child, a daughter.

Fresno, then had the pleasure of having Chavira serve its community for nine years as a repair tech where he learned new techniques and found new colleagues. He left the Fresno area to complete the remainder of his service in Madera for the final 17 years.

He has since watched all three of his children marry, and welcomed nine grandchildren into the life he has built.

At the age of 64, Chavira hung up his tool belt for the last time and is thanked for is incredible dedication to AT&T.