Couple collects 35 years of memories at Arrowhead

Couple collects 35 years of memories at Arrowhead

Comment on this storyBy John Marx, jmarx@qconline.com

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Photo: Todd Mizener Robert and Roxie Muskeyvalley have been married for 34 years and have worked at Arrowhead Ranch in Coal Valley for 35 years.

He laughs and ducks his head in innocent-schoolboy fashion when he talks of
his wife of 34 years and his workmate of 35. She giggles and often finishes his
sentences.

They are husband and wife, parents, grandparents and dedicated
souls who, over three decades ago, found each other and their calling in a
matter of months.

Roxie and Robert “Muskey” Muskeyvalley have been
married for 34 years and recently celebrated year 35 as staffers at Arrowhead
Ranch in Coal Valley. Roxie is an intake specialist, jill-of-all-trades and a
one-woman event-planning fireball. Robert is a therapist, a soothing sounding
board and music specialist.

Married and fiercely devoted to their
families, the couple has made Arrowhead their family as well, adding their
contributions to the facility’s 60-plus years of positively changing the lives
of at-risk youth.

“The work-life in some residential facilities is less
than five years, but that is not the case here at Arrowhead,” said Arrowhead
CEO Angela Moody. “Roxie and Muskey have fostered the family environment here.
Everyone takes care of each other; it’s always been that way. Roxie and Muskey
have put their hearts and souls into the success of Arrowhead and it wouldn’t be
that way without them. They are amazing people who are even responsible for me
being here.”

Painfully shy about singing their own praises, the
Muskeyvalleys say a strong faith and working different shifts have helped
through the years.

There is just one problem in their relationship: “He
hates riding in the car with me,” said Roxie, who is Arrowhead’s
longest-tenured employee. “He’ll backseat-drive from the front seat and
complain, but he won’t drive. And if there’s bad weather — oh,
Lord!”

Robert said Arrowhead has spilled into his and Roxie’s personal
lives in a good way.

“We will cut vacation day trips short to get back
here if something needs to be done,” said Robert, the oldest of nine children.
“It’s OK that Arrowhead, the staff and the young people we work with are family.
It’s not coming to work then — it’s coming to a place we love and call home.
And we do love it here. Hearing from someone who has been here and gone on to
have success is an amazing reward. All glory goes to God for Arrowhead and us
having the relationship we have.”

Roxie, who started her Arrowhead
career at age 19, said she and Robert plan to continue doing what they
love.

“I worked at the Arsenal before coming here and had a friend I
started with tell me she was retiring from there. Well, we aren’t going
anywhere. We look forward to being here and are blessed to have what we have.
This is such a part of our lives, we wouldn’t know what to do without
it.”

Same can be said for Arrowhead. It would not be the same without
Roxie and Muskey.

Columnist John Marx can be reached at (309)
757-8388 or jmarx@qconline.com.

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