Great Lady Retires: Fran Thomas gave her all to City of Pinckneyville

A life well-lived and an an unprecedented caring for the people of Pinckneyville has guided the 32 1/2 year career of City Clerk Fran Thomas

What seemed like a mile-long reception table with soft drinks, coffee, punch, sandwiches and a large cake lined the outer hallway at her office during a retirement reception Wednesday. There was even a miniature beach with a lounge chair and palm trees set up at the end of it, all testament to the love that exists for this great lady.

Even before the 10 a.m. start of the reception longtime friends and prominent community leaders stopped in to wish her well and to say thank you.

It was a grand tribute to a career that had humble beginnings over three decades ago.

Fran remembers that when she signed on as Pinckneyville City Clerk a well-known local politico suggested "don't unpack your bags; you may not be here that long."

Instead, she served seven mayors over eight terms and will be succeeded by newly appointed City Clerk Larry West, who is certain to provide a seamless transition. He will work alongside some great women in staff members Cynthia Broha, Terri Lindner and Casey Krone.

Fran knows more about the inner workings of city government--in fact, the community--than any woman alive and January 18 will be her last day.

"They built this building around me," she quips. And, they literally did. "I had my first twinge thinking about all this last night," she smiled.

Fran possesses a very rare wit and wisdom that has gotten the city through countless challenges and because of that the town has always landed on its feet. She said she had thought about retirement since last July, but stayed to again navigate the city through some important decisions. "It has been wonderful. It has never been boring," she said in shouldering the vast weight of the city's day-to-day responsibilities to its employees and its residents. At the outset of her professional life she sold insurance and real estate.

She's a big fan of the black and white patchwork of holstein cows and has a collection of holstein memorabilia, as well as a collection of $2 bills that were gifted to her every year.

Her one regret--the untimely death of former mayor Kirwan Heisner.

Other regrets? None! Her hard work and eternal optimism inspires all of us.