By Mark Ambrogi
After Peggy Beaver’s second term as Hamilton County Clerk ended this month, she was offered a job in the clerk’s office.
“I thought about it but I decided to retire after 30 years of service,” Beaver said. “I am ready for the next chapter. Sometimes you just know when it’s time.”
Beaver said “the most memorable thing is I had an opportunity to make a difference and be able to serve the public.”
Beaver served as Hamilton County Clerk for two terms, starting in 2008.
“I had a great staff,” Beaver said. “I had 50 on my staff in the clerk’s office. They’re pretty much like family to me after working there for 30 years. A lot of the same girls were hired in close to when I was hired in so we formed a really good relationship there.”
Beaver, who started working the clerk’s office in 1985, was a bookkeeper in the office for about 20 years before running for clerk in 2006.
“There was a holdover year when I ran for clerk so I won the election in 2006 but had to sit out 2007 and take office in 2008,” said Beaver, who could not run again because of a term limit.
Tammy Baitz, who had served in the clerk’s office for more than 25 years, was elected to replace Beaver in November.
Beaver said she ran because she had helped so many others in their campaign that she knew she had enough ability to know how to run her own campaign.
Beaver was hired in the clerk’s office by then-Hamilton County Clerk Kathy Richardson, who is the election administrator for Hamilton County and a state representative for District 29. Prior to working in the clerk’s office, Beaver was a reading tutor and worked as a dental assistant.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to work with Peggy Beaver as the Hamilton County clerk,” Sheriff Mark Bowen said. “Our offices work very closely with one another. Peggy and her staff were always dedicated, professional and committed to ensuring that court documents were processed, recorded and served accurately and in a timely fashion. I would like to thank her for her dedicated service to the citizens of Hamilton County and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.”
Beaver, 61, said she has lived in Noblesville most of her life, graduating from Noblesville High School in 1972. Beaver’s husband Tim owns Bolden’s Cleaning & Restoration Service. They have three daughters and three grandchildren.
“My husband and I just bought a new motorhome so we’re going to try to do some more traveling,” Beaver said. “Once the weather gets better we plan on going to Florida and maybe a trip to Portland, Oregon, where one of my daughters lives with my grandson. Another daughter lives in Texas so we have a lot of destinations we could visit.”
Beaver plans to become a volunteer in the community.
“There are a lot of opportunities out there that I can get involved in,” she said. “I hope to do some of the things I haven’t been able to do that interest me like photography. I do enjoy gardening and working in the yard. I’d like to read a little more, some of those things you don’t have a chance to do until you do have an opportunity like this.”
