FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Eddie Boyett, director of the city’s parks and recreation department since 1993, retired last week and received a party in his honor Wednesday night at the James P. Nix Center.

“The growth of the youth leagues has been phenomenal,” said Boyett, regarding softball, soccer and other sports organized by volunteers and coordinated by the rec department. “I volunteered myself for years before becoming director.”

Born in Grove Hill, Boyett was raised from age 7 at the United Methodist Children’s Home in Selma.

“I was one of 120 children there,” he said, noting that he graduated from high school while living there and played baseball and basketball for his high school teams. “But I was not a standout player. I was just an average Joe.”

But many Fairhope residents who’ve come to know him and served with him on the recreation board would disagree about his being just an average parks and recreation director.

“The tangible things are very evident,” said school board member Bob Callahan, referring to Boyett’s leadership in the construction of athletic fields at Founder’s Park, new tennis courts, the swimming pool and new rec center complex. “But I think the intangible you don’t see is what he was able to do to inspire and coordinate and even keep happy the many, many volunteers who have contributed so much to the growth of all of our programs for children and for adults. His ability to keep things balanced and keep people working together are a great tribute to his tenure with the city’s rec department.”

Boyett received a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of South Alabama and worked in the banking industry until he joined the city as parks and recreation director in 1993, he said.

His last day on the job was Nov. 11.

“Two years ago I coached a soccer team of 4- and 5-year-olds,” he said. “Over the years I’ve also coached baseball, taken soccer and baseball teams to state championships and worked in the concession stands. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be back out there coaching my grandchildren.”

Between 75 and 100 people attended Boyett’s retirement party this week, he said. All city supervisors, city clerk, treasurer, mayor and Council members Mike Ford and Dan Stankoski were among the attendees.

“What a great job he has done as recreation director for Fairhope,” said Vann Saltz, national director of Alabama Dixie Youth Baseball and a rec board member. “He had one main interest as director and that was to do everything he could to enhance the recreational opportunities for the residents of Fairhope, especially the youth. As a member of the Fairhope Recreation Board for many years,  I appreciate the fact that he always kept us informed on what was going on and where we were on different projects, and he always kept us up to date on how all the leagues were doing. If he saw a problem on the horizon, he would share that with the board, and we would all try to work out a solution. Thanks, Eddie, for all you have done to make Fairhope a better place to live.”