At a farewell lunch at the school yesterday, principal Bev Conlan said saying goodbye to Mrs McCone was one of the hardest things she had had to do in her time as a principal.
Mrs McCone was widely recognised as a teacher of excellence and she had helped make Duntroon School a special place. She was a totally dedicated teacher, Mrs Conlan said.
Mrs McCone said today marked the "end of a chapter'' and the beginning of another.
She and her husband, John, have sold their farm at Otekaieke and are moving to Hawea where they have built a house. The couple met when she was teaching in Kurow.
As a teenager, she considered many career ideas and chose teaching because she thought it would not be repetitive, and therefore not boring, and it involved working with special people - children.
She had not been disappointed in her choice.
Duntroon School had been an "extra special'' place to work and she would take many fond memories with her.
