As 2020 finishes, Beverly Whitfield heads to the house

After 34 years service, how do you say farewell to an Oconee County public servant?  You did it with a retirement event at the Oconee Courthouse, for Beverly Whitfield who retires as the county Clerk of Court.  She’s being succeeded by Lisa Burton, who ran unopposed for the office in the November General Election.  The office of Oconee Clerk of Court rarely changes.  In the last 50-plus years, those who’ve held the office were Roy Harden, Sallie Smith, and Whitfield.  In 1956, Harden was among a number of newly-elected county officials who rode into office to herald the opening of a new courthouse at W. Main and S. Church streets.  After high school Smith went to work for Harden and benefitted from his training.  Whitfield would later benefit under the aegis of Smith’s years, and now it’s likely that Burton has learned as a deputy clerk for Whitfield.