For 17 years, people calling the Vicksburg Convention Center were greeted by a cheery voice — “Vicksburg Convention Center, this is Sue…”

Sue Bagby, the owner of that voice, retired Friday and was honored by a party at the convention center, where she received a sash telling guests, “The Legend Retires.”

The party, VCC Executive Director Erin Southard said, was supposed to be a surprise for Bagby but admitted, “We did tell her after lunch, just because her family was coming to town. Knowing how close Sue and her family are, we knew she was going to be making plans for that afternoon and evening.

“We gave her at least enough of a lead time so that she could let her family know, even though they all knew already,” Southard added.

Bagby started her career at the Vicksburg Convention Center in February 2006 and through her tenure wore many hats, including special events coordinator and sales coordinator, the title she held when she retired. She also coordinated the convention center’s Veterans Day lunch and the center’s annual Breakfast with Santa in December.

But she was more than an employee at the convention center.

“Sue was the glue that bound us all together,” Southard said. “She was always at the heart of the office and the facility. You could always count on her for a great smile, a good story, and a good laugh but she always had a professional attitude.”

Bagby left her party at the convention center with good wishes on her retirement, but the building she worked in those 17 years had a strong hold on her. She returned to Dr. Briggs Hopson Boulevard on Saturday, this time as a visitor, not an employee, to listen to the music and enjoy herself. And that smile she always wore was a bit brighter.