The end of an era has arrived as long-time Circuit Court Clerk Katherine Pack prepares to bid farewell to the office she had held for the better part of two decades.

“I’ve been here for 16 years and have enjoyed every minute of it,” Pack revealed as she greeted hundreds of guests during her walk down memory lane at the reception held in her honor this past week at the county complex. She will officially leave office Aug. 31. Susan Martin was elected earlier this month to follow Pack in the position after Pack chose not to run for another term of office.

“I told someone the other day that retirement is something we work for but when it gets here it’s not quite as pleasant as we thought it was going to be,” she admitted. “I’m going to miss a lot of people.”

Pack praised the many people she’s worked with over the years. “I’ve been fortunate to serve with many great judges and great people at the D.A.’s office and the public defender’s office,” she said. “It’s just been my pleasure to work with them as well as every attorney in town.“

Pack said her career as clerk came after she had worked at the jail for 13 years and in probation for four years. “Just got a little encouragement that I might want to pursue this,” she recalled, pointing out that after first being elected, she was never challenged for reelection.

Pack admitted the volume of the job has increased over the years. “It just gets more and more,” she said. “Right now Juvenile is changing more than anything.”
As for her future plans, Pack said she has nothing set in stone. “I’m just going to play it by ear,” she said. “But I’m sure I’ll have plenty of jobs to do once I finish the clerk’s office.”