Tom Hendrickx and Virginia Hunsaker couldn't pick just one preferred Whitey's Ice Cream treat. The retiring Whitey's employees have worked both behind the scenes and behind the ice cream shop counter for 29 and 36 years, respectively, and have had plenty of time to find their favorites.
Hendrickx said he enjoyed the cookie dough ice cream, peanut M&M malt and chocolate fudge brownie ice cream. Hunsaker is partial to the strawberry ice cream and black cherry sundae.
She'll get to keep enjoying the products she helped create for years as she works on passion projects, like knitting and learning how to crochet.
"I've made so many strawberries, you would think I would get tired of it, but I do love strawberry ice cream," Hunsaker said.
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While Hunsaker is retiring from Whitey's as its master topping maker, she started her career at the ice cream company as a part-time employee to gain additional income as a single mother, working behind the counter after her shifts at Moline Public Hospital.
Over the years she's left Whitey's and returned, working in different roles before becoming the master topping maker almost 20 years ago. Hunsaker prepared toppings for all the Whitey's stores, from fruit to marshmallows and more. As she's gotten older, making all these toppings has become more difficult.
"I'm 79 years old, and sugar bags are getting pretty heavy at that age," Hunsaker said. "So I just decided it was finally time to give it up."
Before coming to Whitey's, Hendrickx worked for a local dairy company that made the mix for Whitey's ice cream. As Whitey's has expanded in the past decades his position shifted many times, including working as plant engineer and purchasing manager.
While Hendrickx has retired, he's still helping out part-time as a new employee learns the ropes in the purchasing department. It's been an interesting challenge to step back, he said, and let others handle what used to be his job. He used to clear and salt sidewalks around the plant, but he realized after a recent winter storm that he no longer has that responsibility.
"It was challenging not to go in and take care of those things that I've been doing for years and years," Hendrickx said.
Hendrickx and Hunsaker will both miss the people they've worked with the most.
"Whitey's has always had a real good core group of employees, long-term employees, as you can tell from Virginia and myself," Hendrickx said. "Just a nice bunch of people and and a nice family to work for."
Whitey's Ice Cream Inc. Vice President Annika Tunberg said the pair had helped Whitey's thrive over the years, turning the company into what it is today.
Even though they're stepping away, Hendrickx and Hunsaker have left successors with their wisdom and a legacy Whitey's will hold dear.
"They've both worked a lot of long, busy and hard years, so we're very thrilled that they can kind of enjoy their time moving forward," Tunberg said. "They will be very much so missed."