For five years, Kathy Hancock enjoyed many duties as Montgomery County clerk, including attending County Commissioner meetings and handling election results.

But on Dec. 29, Hancock’s tenure as county clerk will come to an end as she plans to retire. Her 12-year run as employee at the county clerk’s office will also come to a close.

“It’s been a great time,” Hancock said. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I’ll really miss the people. I’m ready to see what the next chapter brings.”

Hancock said she wants to do something else in her life after losing her mother and suffering health issues over the summer.

“I’m looking forward to the next chapter of my life,” Hancock said. “I had a second chance after this summer. This summer was a wake-up call.”

Hancock replaced the now-retired Pam Cartee as county clerk in 2018. She was elected for the position that fall and was sworn in later that winter.

“I appreciate everything she did for me because I got all kinds of training,” Hancock said. “I learned the job through her. When she was retiring, it was kind of a natural progression to run. I never thought I would be in politics. But I enjoyed it. I had good commissioners. It’s been really good.”

Hancock had jobs in St. Louis and Hermann before getting the job at the county clerk’s office in 2011. She said Charlie Korman and John Noltensmeyer told her about the opening.

“I went and applied,” said Hancock, who is a St. Louis native. “I was asked to take the job and didn’t look back.”

Hancock said one of the best parts about her job is going to conferences.

“I met so many people,” Hancock said. “Conferences are so beneficial to the clerks and everybody because we had to go for the 20 hours of training. Every official has to have that training every year. I’ll miss the other clerks a lot, too.”

Working at Hometown Christmas was another highlight for Hancock.

“The county clerk’s office decorated a spot for them during COVID,” Hancock said. “It was so much fun. That wasn’t paid for by the county. It was paid for by me. My ladies helped me in the office. That was so much fun to decorate because that was such a crazy time. I was in the office during that time. That was something new.”

Hancock announced her retirement during a Nov. 2 County Commission meeting. The open position will be filled by appointment by Gov. Mike Parson.

Hancock said deputy clerk Carole Weeks would be a good candidate to take over county clerk duties.

“Carole is very well ready to take over,” Hancock said. “She will do well. She’s been going to clerk conferences with me for the last two years. I kind of did what Pam did for me for Carole. I got her in and she knows people. We’ve gone to the Capitol. We’ve done a lot of stuff for the county that is in the background, but we’re working on it. Carole will be great. Carole grew up here. She knows a lot about the county.”