SAVOY — As Leo Curtin emptied the trash for his final time at the Emma L. Miller School, children approached him to offer hugs and trade fist bumps and high fives.

On the final day of his 89th year, the janitor was bestowed an early birthday cake as well as goodbyes. Friday was also the final day of a job he’s held for 23 years — with a perfect attendance record.

Curtin spoke softly as he addressed the students, calling the girls sweetie and the boys buddy.

He typically cleaned the building at night and then returned midday to handle the lunchtime trash, emptying every can in the building and dragging the larger one in the hallway out to the trash bin outside.

Even though he commuted twice every day, returning at lunchtime was his favorite part of the job because that’s when he saw the students.

“I have a hobby, and I just like it,” Curtin said. “Work with kids and that preps your day up. You see how they run around and you say, I used to do that, and can’t do it anymore. It just makes your day.”

John Franzoni, superintendent of North Berkshire School Union, thanked Curtin for his work at the school and for his dedication, and for setting a great example with his work ethic.

Older students presented him with a hanging plant.

And as younger students presented him with cards, he bent down to meet them eye to eye.

As the students filed out after his celebration, Curtin stood at the classroom door with his fist ready. He patted a few boys on the head. Some of the older students gave him high fives and fist bumps. Other students waved.

He said it’s the best job he’s ever had — and he’s had a few.

“My philosophy in life is think positive,” he said. “If you get up some day and you’ve got an ache or a pain, well work yourself through it. You’re like a machine.”

Curtin walks with a slight limp these days and sports a knee brace.

“My feet bother me, but, hey ... I keep going,” he said.

Curtin was born May 16, 1936, in Cheshire. He attended Cheshire School and graduated from Pittsfield High School.

His family owned lime kilns in the Farnhams section of Cheshire. His father owned a sand quarry there.

While he was in high school, Curtin landed his first job as a mechanic at Dalton Garage. He then worked as a beater tender making paper at Crane & Co. in Dalton.

In 1958, he was drafted and spent two years serving in Germerscheim, Germany.

“I had a ball,” he said. “it was beach time.”

When he came home, he went back to his job at Crane & Co. when he got home, and then took a six-month course at Albany Business College to learn how to run IBM machines and worked at Pittsfield General Hospital in the accounting office.

He worked for 26 years at General Electric as a blast man and group leader, cleaning transformers.

He then worked at Waubeeka Golf Course helping tend to the grounds.

Curtin isn’t fond of idle time — and apparently doesn’t need much sleep.

For part of his career, he worked nights to tend a farm he owned in Lanesborough during the day.

For his birthday on Saturday, friends were throwing him a party.

So what’s his plan for retirement?

“I think I’ll just take it easy for awhile,” he said.