Rochester, N.Y. - For Kodak workers and retirees and people who grew up in Kodak families, there is sadness today following the official announcement Kodak has filed for bankruptcy protection.
For some families, working at Kodak was generational - a place you worked until you retired.
"We were a Kodak neighborhood."Debbie Goyette says growing up – it seemed everyone worked at Eastman Kodak.
"Going up and down the street very few people did not work at Kodak."
There were seven children in the Karr family.
A lot of mouths to feed but it wasn’t a problem because her father James Karr worked at Kodak.
"He was really set for life."
James Karr worked in the chemical division or as he would jokingly tell his kids – the dope loved his job and knew it was his for life.
"He loved it he was definitely very proud grateful to be working at Kodak."
There wasn’t a camera or box of film in the house that didn’t have the Kodak name on it. That’s just the way it was.
"It was like you worked at Kodak period."
Karr retired in December of 1985 – a month later, thousands of his co-workers and friends were laid off. Karr’s son James and two daughters also worked at Kodak but unlike their father, their jobs were not for life. It wasn’t just the same anymore.
"Things fell apart."
James Karr passed away in May but his daughter says she will always treasure his Kodak memories.
"His stories of Kodak, his love of Kodak, his friends at Kodak."
