District Clerk plans retirement, endorses Reed

In nearly 34 years working in the District Clerk's Office – 23 of them in the boss' chair – Vickie Edgerly has seen a lot change.

"When I came to work here, there were no computers, just typewriters. Everything was paper, written in books.

"Now we're electronic and have paperless courts. You have to be tech savvy, not scared of technology."

District clerks in Texas serve as the registrar, recorder and custodian of all court pleadings and papers connected with any legal cause of action in all the county's district clerks.

Edgerly, 61, has seen her office implement the E-Filing system for first civil, then criminal cases, the I-Jury system for jury selection, install Case Management software and then oversee the digitization of the archived written and microfilmed records.

And she's planned her exit.

The Orange native who was elected as District Clerk in 1998 and reelected five times announced this week she is not seeking a seventh term and endorsed her Chief Deputy, Anne Gerity Reed, in next year's election.

Edgerly plans to work through the end of her current term, which ends Dec. 31, 2022.

"No one knows how much I've enjoyed serving the public for 34 years. I have loved every minute of my job," she said. "But my heart, at this point, is with my grandkids."

She and her husband of 40 years, Alvin Edgerly, plan a move to the Hill Country to be close to their four grandchildren.

Reed, a graduate of Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School, has worked with Edgerly in the District Clerk's office for 18 years. Prior to that, she worked seven years for the District Attorney.

"Working with Vickie has been great," Reed said. "I always thought that when she leaves, there's going to be some really big shoes to fill."

Both Edgerly and Reed agree there's no class or training that can prepare a person for the District Clerk's office.

"It's all on-the-job training," Reed said. "We're governed by the Supreme Court and the Governor of Texas. The rules and laws are always changing, sometimes from minute to minute – especially lately with COVID."

Computer software changes all the time, though programs are becoming more standardized throughout the state as time goes on.

"We're challenged every week," Edgerly said. "Just when you think you've seen it all, we're scrambling, researching the statutes, trying to figure out how we're supposed to do it.

"You have to be able to change. Anne is very good with change. This job is very fast-paced."

"I love it," Reed said

Says Edgerly: "She (Reed) is a great organizer. You have to be organized in this job."

Reed: "My dad was in the Air Force and I was the youngest of five kids. He likes things neat and organized."

When she was growing up, Edgerly said, she helped her dad, Hazen Kenney, with his business, the Orange Casket Company and she returned to it after completing school.

Then a friend asked her to fill in part-time at the courthouse.

"Never in my wildest dream did I think I'd have ended up being District Clerk, but it happened," Edgerly said.

"Jobs at the courthouse were good jobs."