Forty-four years ago when Bridget Tobin began working at the Steamship Authority, the Waltons were on television, the Exorcist and Papillon were in the movie theatres and Patty Hearst was kidnapped. The world was a different place then.

But through all the changes over the ensuing decades, Bridget Tobin has been a familiar and friendly face at the ferry terminals, including as manager of the Oak Bluffs terminal.

All good things must come to an end though. Bridget recently announced her retirement, and on Tuesday, Oct. 23 the SSA will host a party at the Oak Bluffs terminal in her honor from 9 a.m. to noon. All are welcome.

In a Gazette interview in 2013, Bridget's friendly demeanor at the Island’s exit ramp was described this way: “Watching Bridget greet walk-on passengers, take tickets, gab with truck drivers, help people with their luggage, is like watching a great conductor lead an orchestra.”

From her perch, Mrs. Tobin said she saw people at their worst and at their best, heading off for anything from a honeymoon to a funeral, cancer treatments to Red Sox playoff games.

“I know so many intimate details about people’s lives,” she said. “I keep my mouth shut. It’s an honor and a huge responsibility to protect people’s privacy. Especially if things are not going well.”

Her days began before sunrise, waking at 4 a.m. to put together and then put together again and again, the daily puzzle of fitting all the trucks and cars onto the ferries. But she repeatedly deflects praise.

“This is not a one-man show,” she said in the Gazette interview. “I’m only as good as my staff.”

It’s not a complete goodbye — Bridget plans to return in the summers.