The comma shouldn't be there because "and a retired schoolteacher" is not equal in status grammatically to the part of the sentence preceding it. Worse, you simply don't use it in a short "both-and" construction. It's plain wrong.

Take yer pick. I know which one I prefer.

Thank you. I can agree with that. Provided that the meaning is clear it's a matter of personal preference. I prefer the sentence as I originally punctuated it.