Longtime teacher, Arizona historian retires after 40 years

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A longtime teacher was honored Thursday as he retired after four decades of work at Scottsdale Community College.

Marshall Trimble has spent the last 40 years at the school working as the Director of Southwest Studies where he has had a colorful career teaching Arizona and southwestern history to students.

Although Trimble is now retiring, he said he will still be a common sight around Scottsdale Community College.

“I’ll have an office to come to everyday,” he said. “I don’t feel retired and I’m too healthy to just get in a rocking chair.”

Trimble is also both a well-known author, having published several books on Arizona history, and musician who plays shows around the state.

In 1997, he was named the official historian of Arizona.

Now in retirement, Trimble said he’ll use his office at Scottsdale Community College to continue doing what he enjoys.

“I’m not a stay at home person and I don’t have any other hobbies,” he said. “My passion is Arizona history and just still doing shows and getting up on stage, and getting behind the microphone and telling people about Arizona.”

Arizona Senator John McCain attended a retirement breakfast in Trimble’s honor on Thursday morning and paid his respects to Trimble’s long career.

“(He is) one of the really wonderful men who has contributed so much to knowledge and information about this magnificent state that we are privileged to live in,” McCain said.

In a career of teaching, writing and music performance, Trimble said his favorite memories were still of his students.

“I think what I got the biggest kick out of was when students come back and say how much they enjoyed the class,” he said.