Festus City Clerk Kerry Patek retired today, Feb. 28, after working 41 years for the city.
“I have been here under nine mayors and at least that many city administrators,” she said.
The mayors she worked under included, in order, the late Charlie Earls; Joe Grohs; John Graham; the late Cathy Jokerst, who was Charlie Earls’ daughter; Jack King; the late Gene Doyle; the late Earl Cook; Mike Cage and Sam Richards, the current mayor.
“With all of the mayors I served under, I’ve had good relationships,” Patek said. “All did a good job for the city. Some were historic. Cathy was the city’s first female mayor, and Earl was its first Black mayor.”
Patek, 61, had been the city clerk for the past 21 years. Before that, she worked for 20 years as the administrative assistant to the city administrator.
As city clerk, Patek helped keep city government running.
“I assisted the mayor and city administrator in day-to-day operations of the city,” she said. “Anytime the citizens want something, you’re there to help them.”
She said one of her more interesting days at work was on March 19, 1995, when an Irish dignitary visited the town.
“The prime minister of Ireland, John Bruton, visited Festus because he had an ancestor from here and gave the city a sculpture made out of Irish bog oak,” Patek recalled. “It’s on display in the glass case in the lobby at City Hall.
“His ancestor, James Brierton, was a founder of Festus.”
Bruton, who died Feb. 6, was the Irish prime minister (taoiseach, in Gaelic) from 1994-1997.
Also in the glass case is a proclamation from the City Council that describes Bruton’s visit.
Patek said her work environment improved once the current City Hall was built.
“This City Hall, we moved into in 1988,” she recalled. “I remember because I was on maternity leave. They accused me of getting pregnant and having my baby so I would not have to help move.”
Compass now owns the former city hall building at 222 N. Mill St., which also previously housed Public Works Offices and the Festus Public Library.
The Public Works offices are now located in a building at 950 N. Fifth Street, and the library is at 400 W. Main St.
Compass is remodeling the former City Hall building and plans to use it for Behavioral Health Crisis Center.
The Police Department is housed in the current Festus City Hall building, but previously operated out of a building in Sunset Park where the Ozark Food Pantry is now located, Patek added.
Patek said she resides in Pevely now but lived in Festus most of her adult life and has seen it go through both ups and downs.
“When I was a kid, Festus Main Street was booming,” she said. “There were shops. I don’t remember when it started declining. But, I was thrilled to see it revitalized later. I have seen continued and consistent growth in Festus since then, and I don’t see it slowing down anytime soon.”
Patek said she more or less followed her father into government work.
“My dad, Linn Duncan, was an alderman and park board member in Pevely,” she said.
While she has enjoyed her work with the city, a family tragedy long ago led her to consider quitting her job, but coworkers convinced her to stay.
“My daughter Jessica passed away in a traffic accident at 16,” she said. “When my daughter got killed in the car accident, the city administrator was Steve Stoll (later a state senator). His daughter died in a prior car accident. I’ve told people that if not for Steve being here, I don’t know if I could have come back. Your life just stops.
“I don’t know if God put us here together for that reason. Steve and Charlene Byers (who was city clerk before Patek) helped me come back and work again.”
Patek said the best part of her job has been the people she has worked with and the city residents she has served.
“Helping the people, having time for the people,” she added.
Patek said there were stressful times, too.
“The worst is when tragedy strikes, like when we lost Cathy (Jokerst in a 2001 auto accident)” she said. “Also, the great flood of 1993. We worked through that.”
Patek has done a great job for the city over the years, Richards said.
“Kerry has been a cornerstone for City Hall for 20 years as city clerk,” Richards said. “She’s one of those people who your city couldn’t do without – that’s the city administrator and city clerk. We’ve been fortunate to have Kerry as our city clerk. She will be missed, that’s for sure.”
During the Feb. 26 Festus City Council meeting, Richards presented Patek with a plaque commemorating her years of service to the city, as well as a proclamation declaring Thursday “Kerry Patek Day” in the city.
City Administrator Greg Camp said he, too, has appreciated working with Patek.
“Personally, I’ll miss Kerry very much,” Camp said. “She was the first person I spoke with and met at Festus. She is a mentor, friend and wonderful co-worker. I wish her all the best in her retirement.”
In December, the city hired Leah Smith, who had been working as assistant to County Executive Dennis Gannon, to take over as city clerk.
Smith’s annual salary as Festus city clerk is $60,320. Patek was being paid $70,450 a year when she left.
Since the end of December, Smith trained with Patek to prepare for the transition.
“Kerry’s been really helpful in training me,” she said. “Her wealth of knowledge has been exponential. She’ll be really missed here.”
Patek is a Herculaneum High School graduate. She also graduated from Jefferson College with an associate degree in applied science.
Patek said her husband, Jeff, who works in maintenance at Herculaneum High School, has not yet retired from his job, so her immediate retirement plans involve first getting some rest, then spending time with her younger daughter, Kayla.
“I’ll do some adventures with Kayla,” Patek said. “Kayla is finishing school at World Services for the Blind in Little Rock. She has a bachelor’s degree from (Southeast Missouri State University). She is becoming certified to teach assistive technology devices to the blind and visually impaired. She is visually impaired and wants to teach others.”
Patek said she will miss her co-workers.
“My work family has been like my family,” she said. “I consider them as much my family as my real family.”