CHICOPEE - There’s an old saying "If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life."

It’s a motto firefighter Greg Pietras lived by. 

"Every day coming to work never felt like a job,” said Pietras. “I mean how many people can say they like going to work. With this job, it never felt like work to me.”

Pietras spent four years in the Coast Guard then 33 years with the Chicopee Fire Department. He along with firefighters Glenn Porter and Howard Beaudry have a combined 98 years of service with the department and all recently retired. 

Glen Olbrych, President of Chicopee Firefighters Local 1710 said all three guys will be missed. 

“They were all very welcoming,” said Olbrych. “Always willing to share any advice they had, and willing to help and show you different things they knew.”

Pietras says he was lucky to be able to work with this crew and serve the residents in his hometown. 

"To see their faces when you help them out, they appreciate what we do for them and to walk away knowing you helped somebody, I get good feelings about that,” he said. 

Although Pietras, Porter and Beaudry are stepping away, what they leave behind is significant— a legacy of service and commitment. 

"I'd just like to say thank you to the city for giving me the opportunity of a great career and to the citizens of Chicopee as well,” said Pietras. 

It was a bittersweet moment and the end of an era. The department held a retirement party for the three men and said all of them will be missed. 

"I am going to miss it and miss the guys but as far as retirement goes, I'm sure my wife has a list of stuff for me already planned out to do,” said Pietras. 

Beaudry said he is thankful for both the city and the fire department for honoring him with the greatest career in the world and said he will forever be grateful. 

“Glen, Greg and me, the ‘Covid Class of 2020 Retirees’, know the feeling of Highschool and College seniors, we didn't get to March in our last Holyoke Saint Paddy's Day parade, attend our last CFD Ball or March in the Chicopee Memorial Day parade,” said Beaudry. “All events that you look forward to sharing with the Brothers and Sisters.”

Beaudry went on to say although life throws curveballs, that it doesn’t diminish the gratitude he owes to the department and Chicopee for his career.