CMS Janitor, Gary Wayne Twitty, Honored for 45 Years of Dedication Before Retirement
| By Jennifer Bailey
Staff Writer |
Covington, VA (May 28, 2025)— "Outstanding." That was the single word Alleghany High School (AHS) Principal Derek Cantrell used to sum up the legendary Gary Wayne Twitty. The Journal would have to agree. For over four decades, Gary Wayne Twitty has been the heart and soul of Covington Middle School (CMS) —formerly Covington High School (CHS). During that time, he was quietly shaping the daily lives of countless students and staff with his unwavering dedication and infectious spirit.
As the school's legendary janitor, Gary's commitment goes far beyond maintaining clean hallways and tidy classrooms— he has become a beloved figure whose kindness, hard work, and genuine care have left an indelible mark on the community. Perhaps this is the reason why a celebration of such magnitude was planned for Gary Wayne Twitty in the CMS gymnasium at promptly 8:30 a.m. this morning. A celebration that was planned to honor the outgoing janitor whose service officially concludes at the end of June.
"I didn't know anything about it," Twitty said. For the 45-year head janitor, it was just a normal workday. He was cleaning up in the cafeteria following breakfast when he was called into the packed gymnasium to clean up a "spill." "Then I heard all this noise coming in the hall," Twitty said before he entered the crowded gym. "...Then I saw all the signs and all the teachers, administrators, school board members... I didn't know this was going to happen."
As the Journal waited on the other side of the doors, we also took note of the dozen or more signs made in honor of the beloved man, held high and proud as he entered the room. One after one, several faculty members, as well as Twitty's wife, took the microphone to say a few words about the "praying man who only called in sick twice" during his 45-year run.
As a nod to his "500 keys to which he knows where each one belongs," all administrators, faculty, and staff wore gray "We Love Gary Wayne" t-shirts with Twitty's famous motto on the back: "I've got a key for that." Twitty was also given a giant wooden key with his initials and the words, "Key to retirement" plastered on the front with a floral lei serving as the keychain.
"He's an amazing person and when we say we love Gary Wayne, we mean we really do love Gary Wayne," 6th and 7th grade Language Arts teacher, Kara Boone, said. "Gary Wayne makes everybody feel important: the kids, the adults... We are going to have a big hole in our hearts when he leaves because we're used to seeing him every day... I'm not going to miss the co-worker as much as I'm going to miss the friend." | | | | | |
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