Betty Mae Gharst Essex M-F-52-3

Betty Mae Gharst Essex, 88, died Friday, April 9, 2010 at 8:51 a.m. at Columbus Regional Hospital. A memorial service will be conducted at 3 p.m. Thursday at Barkes, Weaver & Glick Funeral Home on Washington Street with Dr. Lanny C. Lawler officiating. There will be no calling hours before or after the service. Private family graveside inurnment will be at the Gharst family plot at Rest Haven Cemetery in Edinburgh. The family requests that in lieu of flowers memorial contributions be given to the American Cancer Society, 4567 Progress Drive , Columbus , IN 47201. Online condolences may be sent to the Essex family at www.barkesweaverglick.com. Betty was born in Nineveh Township (now Camp Atterbury ) on the farm of her grandfather, Eli Gharst, September 11, 1921, the daughter of John Harrington and Gladys Cobb Gharst. She married Thomas Lex Essex August 23, 1941 in New Albany , Indiana where the two were employed at the Charlestown Bag Plant prior to World War II. The couple moved to Evansville , and was employed at the Evansville Shipyard where LSTs were produced for the war effort. Their daughter, Anita Ruth, was born April 18, 1943, in Evansville. Betty worked for Sconce Theatres and Amos Molded Plastics in Edinburgh and was comptroller for the United Way in Columbus .
Tom and Betty became active in local Democratic politics in the early 1950s and actively participated in grass-roots politics. In 1956 they attended the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and were fortunate to chat with John F. Kennedy and to urge him to run for the presidency. In 1960 they attended the national convention in Los Angeles where Tom was a delegate. In 1974 Betty ran for and won election to the office of Clerk of the Circuit Court of Bartholomew County . She served for the limited two terms in that office; during that time she participated in the computerization of record keeping by obtaining a grant from the federal government to computerize the voter registration list.
From 1983 to 1987 she served on the Columbus City Council and also served as the town manager for the Town of Edinburgh. Betty decided to file for the Clerk of the Circuit Court again in 1990 and was again elected. Her first love was conducting the elections, and enjoyed working with the many members of both parties in creating an efficient election “machine” for which she twice won State of Indiana honors for election excellence.
She was eternally grateful to the wonderful people of both parties and The Republic press for their assistance in conducting the improvements in this office. She was pleased with the performance of her office staff for their excellent work in their treatment of the public and cooperation with the other courthouse offices. Public service was a privilege. In all she served four terms as Clerk of the Circuit Court Survivors include her husband, Thomas Lex Essex of Columbus, daughter Anita Cherlin of Columbus; brothers, John Dale Gharst of Cincinnati, Ohio and Cleon Earl (June) Gharst of Princes Lakes; a sister Ann Hathaway of Florida; and grandchildren, Sarah Miriam of San Francisco, California and Clement Cherlin of Columbus. Betty Essex, who blazed a trail for women in Bartholomew County government and has been described as a political “icon,” died Friday morning. Essex, who served four terms as county clerk and was the first woman in history elected to that office, was 88. Funeral arrangements are pending at Barkes Weaver and Glick Funeral Home on Washington Street. “She was, to put it quite simply, an icon,” said Columbus Mayor Fred Armstrong. “She knew people and she knew politics. She was quite a lady.”  Essex had spent 18 years in management accounting at Amos-Thompson Corp. in Edinburgh when she began her political career by running for the clerk’s office in 1974. She won that contest, which was a feat in itself for a Democrat in Bartholomew County, and claimed a second term in 1978. Prohibited by law from serving more than two successive terms, she left office and eventually accepted a position as town manager for Edinburgh. At the same time, she was elected a member of the Columbus City Council. She began serving her third term as county clerk in 1992 and won re-election four year years later. “She was simply outstanding in the performance of her job,” former Mayor Bob Stewart said. “She treated everyone equally, regardless of party affiliation. That was the thing about Betty. You knew she was going to do what is right.” Former State Rep. Bob Hayes, a Democrat, noted that her popularity crossed party lines and that quality helped her survive in an area that was dominated by Republicans. “There were quite a few elections in which Betty was the only Democrat on the ticket to survive,” Hayes said. “She was a giant in local politics and her integrity was beyond reproach. She ran elections without a hitch.” In all the positions she held, Essex was noted for her work ethic. Mary Patterson was on Essex’s staff when she served as Edinburgh town manager from 1984 to 1988. “She was a hands-on manager, always ready to get out from behind the desk whenever necessary,” Patterson recalled. “She would put on a hard hat and get out there (with utility crews and other employees).” She also built a personal connection with her fellow residents. Chuck Wells, publisher of The Republic, recalled congratulatory notes he received from her over the years. “Betty used to send handwritten notes and newspaper clippings to people as a way to congratulate them on their recognitions,” Wells said. “I was fortunate to have received a few of those notes over the years, and they meant a great deal to me then. They still do today.” Fellow Democrat and former Columbus Mayor Nancy Ann Brown, a trailblazer for women in local politics in her own right, said, “Betty was very, very respected because she was very honest and upfront with people.” Although Essex ended public involvement at the end of her fourth term as county clerk in 1999, her counsel was sought by others. Columbus Clerk-Treasurer Brenda Sullivan said that Essex was a great role model for women. When Sullivan was debating about whether to run for her present post, she sought the advice of Essex. “She helped me so much with that decision,” Sullivan said. Essex and her husband Tom, a former state representative, were well known for their political preferences. “Betty didn’t mask her opinions, especially when it came to politics,” said former Mayor Stewart. “But when it came to doing her job, she treated the people in both parties equally.” Essex is survived by her husband and by a daughter, Anita Cherlin, of Columbus.