Green Bay Packers' seamstress retires after 27 years

GREEN BAY — Green Bay Packers' seamstress Marge Switzer retired from the team last week, leaving behind quite the legacy.

Switzer's history with the team began in the 90s when she sewed coaches' names onto some shirts. Now, she is leaving behind a full department made up of five full-time employees, an intern, and part-time assistants.

The department's job? To make sure the Packers look their best on the field.

The Packers called Switzer the most diligent yet unassuming but recognizable team employee. They spoke with her about her retirement and shared her comments online.

"I did not apply for it, I did not fill out a job application, nor did I interview for the job," she said of the job, which she landed during the Mike Holmgren era via connections to longtime Packers assistant equipment manager Bryan Nehring's mom at St. Norbert College, and to former director of retail operations Kate Hogan, who needed some help in the Packers Pro Shop.

Switzer was then introduced to equipment manager Red Batty and the Packers said the rest is history.

"I had no clue if I'd last a year," she said. "There weren't any models. No other team had a seamstress. They had the lady at the dry cleaners, the lady who sewed out of their home…I just worked in the basement below the locker room in the old building on a cafeteria table with just myself and my books on tape, and one sewing machine," Switzer said.

The Packers said after about six years, Switzer was busy enough with the team that she gave up her monogramming and embroidery business to work full-time for the team.

In recent years, Switzer and her team worked on game jerseys to alter and tailor them for safety and comfort.

"Our goal is to make sure they never, ever go out on the field unless it's exactly the way they wanted it…until next week when they change their mind," Switzer said.

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