By Sherry Larson
People’s Defender
Happy 50th Anniversary, Shirley Ann Palmer! The people you work with wanted to honor you on your special day.
Shirley Ann Palmer began working for Adams County on September 28, 1972. Palmer is the Office Administrator for the Adams County Engineer’s Office, and Lee Pertuset, County Engineer, says, “She keeps us on track!” He continues, “Without her, our lives would be difficult.” He explained that Palmer has worked for four of the five (counting him) County Engineers.
Palmer is a lifelong resident of Adams County, growing up in Peebles, she now lives in West Union. She is married to Joe Palmer, and they have a daughter and two grandchildren. Pertuset explains that Palmer’s work longevity for the county is not unexpected as her mother is Adams County’s famous Betty Hedrick, known as the “Grandma of EMS.” Betty is in her 90’s and is the oldest member of the Adams County Regional Medical Center Auxiliary.
Dedicated to her family and job, Pertuset says of Palmer, “She’s tireless in her love for both of those things. It’s not just about providing for this office that she does well, but she also provides for her family.”
Pertuset started working at the Engineer’s office as a college student in 2003 and said Palmer teases him about raising him and changing his diapers. He stated, “She’s like a mother to me here.” When Pertuset came onboard, Palmer submitted a handwritten note signed by the previous County Engineer that stated Pertuset “would never be a boss over me even if he is County Engineer someday.” He laughs and says, “To this day, it still feels that way – I’m not her boss. She definitely – runs the show here.”
The Engineer’s office has six employees and is over the county garage. Palmer keeps approximately 27 workers in check. Describing Palmer as a hard worker who is task-oriented and moves things off her desk, Pertuset said, “Those people are important to have in an organization. She keeps me on task. She has been our backbone for as long as I’ve been here.”