Bill Graham / The Meridian StarCity of Meridian Community Development Director Bunky Partridge chats with Debbie Moulds at Moulds’ retirement reception at the Meridian Airport Authority Tuesday, where she was honored for 43 years of public service.

After more than four decades of public service, Debbie Moulds is looking forward to a little down time.

“I’m going to do some things at home to begin with,” said Moulds, who was honored with a retirement reception Tuesday at the Meridian Airport Authority. “Then, later, I may work part time a little.”

All told, Moulds spent 43 years serving the City of Meridian and Meridian Regional Airport. In retirement, she’ll have more time to spend at home in Jasper County, where she lives with her husband of 31 years, Keith.

Moulds, a Meridian native and graduate of Meridian High School and Meridian Community College, took a Civil Service test for the city when she was 17, but couldn’t be hired because she was too young.

But the next year, when she turned 18, city officials called and she accepted a job as cashier in the Finance and Records Department. From there, she worked in several divisions at city hall, including the insurance office, business affairs and personnel. In May 1990, she accepted a position as secretary at the Meridian Airport which, at the time, was a department of the city.

That meant moving from city hall to the airport, but Moulds was ready.

“I feel it was a good change for me,” Moulds said. “I see all kinds of aircraft come in and meet lots of people. It’s nice to have my own little space.”

In 1993, the city council voted to create the Meridian Airport Authority, a separate entity no longer under the umbrella of the city. So, while Moulds’ employer technically changed, her job as secretary and office manager remained.

Throughout the years, Moulds made many friends and worked with hundreds of colleagues. 

One coworker was David Shumate, who works in the Federal Aviation Administration’s Jackson office. He credited the airport’s success to Moulds’ professionalism.

“She was always very professional, and made this one of the best staffs to work with in Mississippi,” Shumate said. 

Moulds’ boss, Meridian Regional Airport Authority President Tom Williams, first met Moulds in 1986 when she worked for the city.

He says he’ll miss her positive attitude and caring demeanor.

“She’s just a joy to work with,” Williams said. “She’s very capable and meticulous, and really cares about people, and doing the right thing…She cared as much about this job as anything.”