Longtime Dallas County employee Al Fails retired after working 39 years.

Fails was presented with a retirement plaque at the last Dallas County Commission meeting on May 13. Fails’ wife and daughter attended the event.

“I learned about working from my mother,” Fails said. “My mother said when you go to work, you work. If you don’t want to work, stay home. I took pride in my work.”

Dallas County Probate Judge Jimmy Nunn praised Fails’ versatility, which included being a longtime supervisor. 

“You are a jack-of-all-trades,” Nunn said.

Dallas County Commissioner Curtis Williams said he remembered Fails as a well-rounded student when Williams was a teacher at Southside High School.

Dallas County Commissioner Connell Towns said he always appreciated Fails answering the call whenever the county needed him to.

“I learned a lot from Al Fails, he always went above and beyond,” Towns said. 

Dallas County Engineer Anthony Crear said that Fails’ unique skillset will be hard to replace.