A retirement party was held for Karen Venables at the 228th location.

A longtime and well known McDonald’s employee in Maple Ridge has retired after 31 years of service for the restaurant chain.

Karen Venables, fondly known as ‘McD’s Mom’, will be retiring from the 228th Street location.

Known as a tireless employee with a beloved personality and kind and thoughtful character, Venables even earned a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.

Venables took the time to get to know her customers and would go from table to table having a word with all of the families, seniors and teenagers that frequented the establishment.

Maple Ridge Coun. Gordie Robson remembers when her former boss Paul Rose hired her in 1986.

At the time Rose owned the three McDonald’s restaurants in town.

“Karen has always been just special,” said Robson.

“Every time I’ve ever been in there that she’s there you can feel her in the place because the atmosphere in the place just changed. Her presense just brought a light to the place,” he continued.

“She is a ray of sunshine.”

Venables was interested in everyone, especially the seniors, and would know if somebody hadn’t been in for a week.

On June 30, around 100 people turned out to say goodbye to Venables at the restaurant location.

She received bouquets and baskets of flowers and a McDonald’s basket of goodies.

“Thank you to all the customers who have put up with me for the last 31 years,” said Venables.

“And everybody, I just love everybody, thank you very much,” she said at the party.

McDonald’s restuarant awarded her a trophy to mark her years of service.