After working for eight mayors, Carroll to retire after 47½ years of service to Village of Clayton

CLAYTON, Ill. — After nearly five decades of dedicated service to the Village of Clayton, Loretta Carroll is retiring, leaving behind a legacy of hard work, community involvement and a reputation for being the steady hand behind the village’s financial and administrative operations.

Carroll’s journey with the village began in 1977. She was unexpectedly asked by then-Mayor Lyman Sidwell to take on the role of treasurer after she lost her job when Motorola closed in Quincy.

“Why not? I didn’t know what else I was gonna do,” Carroll recalled with a smile.

What started as an uncertain future quickly became a 47 1/2-year career that has seen her serve in various capacities, ranging from treasurer to village clerk.

Carroll also worked for Scott Coggeshall Construction for 15 years and spent five years with Lierly Tire. She started her own tax business In the early 1980s and ran it for nearly 40 years, gaining nearly 500 clients in its first year alone. she also held the role of treasurer for the Federated Church of Clayton, the Clayton Library and the Camp Point Library.

She took on the responsibility of water and sewer clerk in 1995 and held the role for 29 years, starting at a modest wage of $6.60 per hour. Carroll added village clerk to her duties in 2009 and held it for 15 years.

Carroll ensued the village’s financial records were meticulously kept, helping the town grow, and facilitated the purchase of the Coggeshall office after he died, allowing the village office to move into the building where Carroll continued to work at her familiar desk.

Carroll worked for eight mayors — Lyman Sidewell, Melvin Means, Doug Campbell, Lozelle Padgett, Ron Huber, Jerry Newbrow, Ronnie Lantz and now Sam Miller — as well as numerous board members and 20 maintenance employees.

Carroll recently reflected fondly on the relationships she built and the community she served.

“Most of the people were really nice,” she said. “And that’s what made the job. It’s not just what you do. It’s the people you work with.”

One of her favorite parts of the job was the interaction with residents, whether it was chatting with people as they paid their water bills or hearing about the latest news around the town.

“There’s a little bit of fun in knowing what’s going on, like when someone’s house gets sold or who they’re selling it to. That’s the fun part,” she said with a laugh. “Meeting with the people, it’s always something new.”

She was proud of how she handled the challenges of her role, especially when it came to managing difficult situations.

“The hardest thing I had to learn was holding my temper,” she admitted.

When Carroll took over the water department in 1995, bookkeeping was done by hand. She was tasked with setting up the first computer system for managing the village’s accounts — a change she embraced, having already gained computer experience in previous jobs.

Another key part of her legacy is the village’s Christmas decorations. Carroll was part of the original committee that helped secure new lights to adorn the town’s light poles during the holiday season.

As she prepares for retirement, Carroll has a sense of gratitude.

“I’ve liked my job, and I’m thankful to have had one,” she said. “It’s good when most people recognize you. Even the kids say, ‘There’s the water lady.’”

She is looking forward to living a little more freely, though she joked, “I might’ve waited too long to retire.”

Carroll’s advice to Niccie Peuster, the new village clerk and treasurer, is simple but wise. “Hold your cool and enjoy as much as you can,” she said.

To honor her years of service, a retirement celebration will be held at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 9, at the Legion Hall in Clayton. Cake and punch will be served.