Operating and caring for a historic lighthouse might seem a tall order, but it’s been Diane Rapp’s life work. She was 15 years old when she got her summer job working at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park. Thirty-nine years later, on March 27, Rapp officially hung up her lighthouse keeper hat, celebrating her embarkation on retirement following decades of dedicated service.

BITTERSWEET: Atop Old Barney, Diane Rapp saw life from a different perspective. Her career at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park spanned 39 years, and she oversaw multiple restoration projects in her time. Rapp liked to begin her days with a stroll down the jetty. One project serendipitously introduced Rapp to her husband. (Supplied Photos)

“Nearly half my life has been spent at the lighthouse,” Rapp said, “and it makes me happy, thinking about it.