Leaving a legacy; Holmes County Clerk of Courts retires after 34 years of service
Dorcas Miller, Holmes County Clerk of Courts, sat stylishly dressed behind her tidy desk in a space which was, up until eight years ago, the court’s file room before she claimed it as her office, her first after 26 years of service. In front of a small microwave, reusable containers sat drying from the day’s lunch. Miller is a woman who knows how to make the most of things.
“My friend, Mary Ellen Ryan, always said that when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade.”
Miller has definitely been handed some lemons in her lifetime. In 1965, she was a young wife raising three children, sewing school clothes, and growing and canning food. She and her husband had just built their home in Trail when he was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. Six months later, Miller was on her own and buried in debt.
“I could have lost everything, but by the grace of God I didn’t.”
Miller had promised her husband that the children would go to college, so she went to work. In 1972, she ran for clerk of courts, was defeated, and ran again. Thirty-four years later, Miller, who has just announced her retirement, has been through a lot of changes, both in her life, as a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed within the same year as her mother and sister who both died of the disease, and in her career, which has gone from a fairly low volume, pencil and paper operation to a bustling, organized, high-tech system. Through it all, Miller has been about getting the job done and serving others.
“When I took over, the jurors didn’t even have coffee,” recalled Miller. “I figured those people deserved it for giving up their time, so I made it for them.”
For 10 years, Miller provided beverages and pastries out of her own pocket, until former judge Thomas White created a fund from jury fees donated back to the court to cover the cost of the refreshments.
White, who began working with Miller in 1981, recalled one of his first experiences with the woman who was very protective of her staff.
“I’ll never forget the first time I was in her court. I was a young assistant prosecutor just out of law school, and she grabbed me by my ear, took me back to her office and told me that just because I went to law school didn’t mean I knew how courts worked. She insisted that I get along with her staff and treat them well.”
White never quite recovered from that first meeting.
“I served as judge with Dorcas for 21 years. When she wanted something from me, my hand immediately went to my ear, and I would remember the time she pulled me back to tell me how things were done.”
Miller’s protection of her staff is necessary. She has taken on the responsibilities of overseeing not only common pleas, but the court of appeals, municipal court, and title office. In addition to documenting court cases, the office registers notaries, provides 300 passports per year and handles pro se filings, such as of divorces and dissolutions, which Miller said have increased with the current economic downturn.
“When the economy drops, the work load increases. The number of divorces, foreclosures, civil complaints, criminal and child support cases goes up,” said Miller.
But the budget doesn’t increase. In fact, in the last several years, Miller’s offices have suffered from cuts, decreased staff and increased postage, which is integral to their operation since papers are served using certified mail. Currently, the office is understaffed, so Miller steps in when things start stacking up, working long days, weekends and holidays.
“We have to do the work. There are no options,” Miller said. “Day after day, it keeps piling up. We don’t get out of it and there’s no learning curve. We just don’t have time for that.”
But Miller hasn’t minded filling many roles, stepping in to scan, docket and assist in whatever way she’s needed, including serving as den mother to the courthouse, handing out aspirins, bandages, and making her famous sour cream cookies with brown sugar icing for the Fifth District Court of Appeals when they sit in Holmes County.
“One day I even sewed a button on for one of the attorneys,” she laughed.
Miller also makes it her mission to comfort those who walk through her door.
“People come in who’ve never been in court before. They’re scared. They don’t know the process, what to do or where to go. How would I feel? How would you feel? We hand out a lot of tissues.”
Now that she’s retiring, Miller’s number one concern is that whoever fills her shoes is prepared for the challenge.
“It’s not a snap job. It’s a lot of stress, trying to run all these offices and take care of the problems. It was a different ball game 34 years ago. The whole clerk of courts has changed.”
The community, too, has changed, which is why Miller began, at her own expense, displaying photos of Holmes County’s historic buildings, such as the Millersburg opera house and the woolen mill at Troyer’s Hollow.
“A lot of people come in from all over to look at those pictures,” said Miller.
Which is why she will be leaving them behind when she retires in late April, though her term doesn’t end until December 2012. She made the difficult choice because upcoming changes in Ohio’s Public Employees Retirement System could cost her some benefits she has worked hard to earn.
“I thought about waiting until the end of the term, but I didn’t want to take chances. I’ve given many years of service. I cannot afford to lose it,” said Miller, who became debt-free just five years ago.
Miller, who has attended Faith Family Fellowship in Canton for 15 years, plans to watch a lot of basketball (“I’m a Hawk,” she declared enthusiastically), give more time to the church and, at 82, is considering missions work in Haiti. Her faith has played a significant role in her service to the Holmes County community.
“People come in who have made bad choices, who are losing their homes to foreclosure. It’s heartbreaking. You have to have compassion because these people are hurting. My theory was always this: I prayed my way through my difficult times. If the door opens, I encourage them with the Word. Sometimes you think the Lord isn’t listening, but He is. That’s what I stand on. I’ve been there. I know how much you can hurt.”
Miller looks forward to her retirement, but she’ll miss her place in the courthouse.
“It’s bittersweet, because I was a widow and this job is what I concentrated on. It’s been my life for 34 years. I’ve done my best to serve with integrity and to be service oriented, to help the people who could get lost in the system.”
Dorcas Miller’s measure of success?
“When people come in really upset because they’re frightened and confused and they leave with a smile, that, to me, is what it’s all about.”
“My friend, Mary Ellen Ryan, always said that when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade.”
Miller has definitely been handed some lemons in her lifetime. In 1965, she was a young wife raising three children, sewing school clothes, and growing and canning food. She and her husband had just built their home in Trail when he was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. Six months later, Miller was on her own and buried in debt.
“I could have lost everything, but by the grace of God I didn’t.”
Miller had promised her husband that the children would go to college, so she went to work. In 1972, she ran for clerk of courts, was defeated, and ran again. Thirty-four years later, Miller, who has just announced her retirement, has been through a lot of changes, both in her life, as a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed within the same year as her mother and sister who both died of the disease, and in her career, which has gone from a fairly low volume, pencil and paper operation to a bustling, organized, high-tech system. Through it all, Miller has been about getting the job done and serving others.
“When I took over, the jurors didn’t even have coffee,” recalled Miller. “I figured those people deserved it for giving up their time, so I made it for them.”
For 10 years, Miller provided beverages and pastries out of her own pocket, until former judge Thomas White created a fund from jury fees donated back to the court to cover the cost of the refreshments.
White, who began working with Miller in 1981, recalled one of his first experiences with the woman who was very protective of her staff.
“I’ll never forget the first time I was in her court. I was a young assistant prosecutor just out of law school, and she grabbed me by my ear, took me back to her office and told me that just because I went to law school didn’t mean I knew how courts worked. She insisted that I get along with her staff and treat them well.”
White never quite recovered from that first meeting.
“I served as judge with Dorcas for 21 years. When she wanted something from me, my hand immediately went to my ear, and I would remember the time she pulled me back to tell me how things were done.”
Miller’s protection of her staff is necessary. She has taken on the responsibilities of overseeing not only common pleas, but the court of appeals, municipal court, and title office. In addition to documenting court cases, the office registers notaries, provides 300 passports per year and handles pro se filings, such as of divorces and dissolutions, which Miller said have increased with the current economic downturn.
“When the economy drops, the work load increases. The number of divorces, foreclosures, civil complaints, criminal and child support cases goes up,” said Miller.
But the budget doesn’t increase. In fact, in the last several years, Miller’s offices have suffered from cuts, decreased staff and increased postage, which is integral to their operation since papers are served using certified mail. Currently, the office is understaffed, so Miller steps in when things start stacking up, working long days, weekends and holidays.
“We have to do the work. There are no options,” Miller said. “Day after day, it keeps piling up. We don’t get out of it and there’s no learning curve. We just don’t have time for that.”
But Miller hasn’t minded filling many roles, stepping in to scan, docket and assist in whatever way she’s needed, including serving as den mother to the courthouse, handing out aspirins, bandages, and making her famous sour cream cookies with brown sugar icing for the Fifth District Court of Appeals when they sit in Holmes County.
“One day I even sewed a button on for one of the attorneys,” she laughed.
Miller also makes it her mission to comfort those who walk through her door.
“People come in who’ve never been in court before. They’re scared. They don’t know the process, what to do or where to go. How would I feel? How would you feel? We hand out a lot of tissues.”
Now that she’s retiring, Miller’s number one concern is that whoever fills her shoes is prepared for the challenge.
“It’s not a snap job. It’s a lot of stress, trying to run all these offices and take care of the problems. It was a different ball game 34 years ago. The whole clerk of courts has changed.”
The community, too, has changed, which is why Miller began, at her own expense, displaying photos of Holmes County’s historic buildings, such as the Millersburg opera house and the woolen mill at Troyer’s Hollow.
“A lot of people come in from all over to look at those pictures,” said Miller.
Which is why she will be leaving them behind when she retires in late April, though her term doesn’t end until December 2012. She made the difficult choice because upcoming changes in Ohio’s Public Employees Retirement System could cost her some benefits she has worked hard to earn.
“I thought about waiting until the end of the term, but I didn’t want to take chances. I’ve given many years of service. I cannot afford to lose it,” said Miller, who became debt-free just five years ago.
Miller, who has attended Faith Family Fellowship in Canton for 15 years, plans to watch a lot of basketball (“I’m a Hawk,” she declared enthusiastically), give more time to the church and, at 82, is considering missions work in Haiti. Her faith has played a significant role in her service to the Holmes County community.
“People come in who have made bad choices, who are losing their homes to foreclosure. It’s heartbreaking. You have to have compassion because these people are hurting. My theory was always this: I prayed my way through my difficult times. If the door opens, I encourage them with the Word. Sometimes you think the Lord isn’t listening, but He is. That’s what I stand on. I’ve been there. I know how much you can hurt.”
Miller looks forward to her retirement, but she’ll miss her place in the courthouse.
“It’s bittersweet, because I was a widow and this job is what I concentrated on. It’s been my life for 34 years. I’ve done my best to serve with integrity and to be service oriented, to help the people who could get lost in the system.”
Dorcas Miller’s measure of success?
“When people come in really upset because they’re frightened and confused and they leave with a smile, that, to me, is what it’s all about.”
Published: February 25, 2011
