Chaney retires after 52 years at Citizens

Erdis Chaney started as a proof operator at The Citizens Bank 52 years ago, but working with customers was the best part of her long career.

Chaney retired this month in funds management  and was honored by the bank with a drive-by parade Thursday at her home.

“Getting to see that parade was a huge surprise for me, and I was incredibly humbled because the people who made it happen poured in a lot of work,” said Chaney. “I’m going to miss my bank family.”

Over the past five decades, Chaney said getting to interact with the community was by far her favorite part of working for the bank. 

“I’ve always been a people person, and I loved what I did at the bank because of that,” she said. “Getting to work and talk with people has always been my cup of tea.”

Chaney, 83, was born to Clyde and Letha Kilpatrick and grew up in Newton County. She graduated from Beulah Hubbard High School in 1959. 

Chaney moved to Philadelphia in 1968 because her now late husband Ken Chaney took a job as a maintenance worker for the 298th Maintenance Battalion of the Mississippi National Guard.

They have two sons, Irvin and Pat. Irvin is retired in Philadelphia, and Pat works with Physicians and Surgeons Medical Clinic in Amory. 

Chaney has six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. “I love being a granny,” she said.   

Jackie Hester, vice president and marketing officer at Citizens, is a very close friend to Chaney and worked with her for the entire 52 years she was there. 

“I was blessed to have the opportunity to work with Erdis for so many years,” Hester said. “I witnessed firsthand her devotion to her job and the other employees at the bank. She was a mentor to many young bankers and was always willing to help them be the best they could be.” 

Before she started work at Citizens, Chaney worked at the Newton County Bank in the early 1960s and worked for a year at the Bank of Philadelphia (now Cadence Bank) in 1968 before starting at Citizens 1969. 

“Working at a bank was something I felt I could function well in, and it mostly just requires common sense,” Chaney said. “I didn’t have any particular inspiration to work in this field.” 

Chaney said that while she enjoyed the opportunity she had to interact with the general public but sometimes working with finances can be a sensitive situation sometimes. 

“You always have to be careful with money,” she said. 

Chaney said she was sad to leave her bank family behind, that she never looked forward to retirement and will miss the people she worked with dearly. 

Now that Chaney is retired, she is not sure what to do next since she does not have any immediate plans. She hopes she can go on a beach vacation with her family soon since beach trips are her ideal family vacation. 

“I’m hoping that in the not-so-distant future we can do that again,” she said. 

Hester said Chaney loved the bank customers and always went the extra mile to help them with anything. 

“She will be missed by her customers and employees alike,” Hester said. “We all wish her the best and a very happy retirement.”