Faye Makovec retires from public office
Staff reporter
She is the epitome of a public servant.
Trustworthy, competent, and always willing to go the extra mile for constituents, Faye Makovec has been recording deeds, mortgages, and death certificates for Marion County residents for 35 years.
On Sept. 28 she retired.
Faye began as a clerk in the Marion County Register of Deeds office in the fall of 1956. She put her career on hold in 1961 when she and husband Jerry started their family and she left her position. In 1977, register of deeds Dorothy Lawrence hired Faye as her deputy.
When Lawrence retired in 1992, Faye was appointed by the Republican party to complete Lawrence's unexpired term, and Faye was elected in 1993. She had ran unopposed for the office ever since.
Faye often told people that everything begins in the deed's office because the deed's office starts the paper trail of ownership.
Before computers were in every office in the courthouse, the process literally was a paper trail.
When land was purchased a deed was recorded in the register of deed's office. A copy of the deed then was given to the county clerk's office so the information could be changed on the tax roll.
A copy also was given to the appraiser's office so maps could be updated.
Today, computers minimize the physical transfer of paper but the process still begins in the deed's office.
Mortgages, oil leases, affidavits, death certificates, military separation documents, and other transactions related to land and oil are recorded in the office.
"Since I've been here, probably during the past five or six years I've seen the most changes," Faye said.
Documents continue to be hand-written in books but now instead of microfilming each document in-house, they are scanned on a disc, sent to a graphics company that makes microfilm images, and returned to the deed's office for public use.
"For years there weren't many changes in the office but lately there have been quite a few," Faye said, "and there are more to come."
Faye attributes her success to her office staff.
"I have been so fortunate to have had good help throughout the years," she said.
The two-person office has had some busy times. In the 1980s there was an oil boom which required two part-time clerks to work full-time with the registrar and her deputy.
"We also were a little busier a few years ago when mortgage interest rates went down," Faye said. "We filed a lot of refinanced mortgages."
Otherwise there is no rhyme or reason as to when a rush may occur.
"That's one of the things I enjoyed about the job," Faye said. "There is no particular season like other offices at the courthouse. You just never know when you might get busy."
Faye has seen many physical changes at the courthouse — carpet replacing floor tile, ceilings lowered, the addition of paneling in the office, and one of the more recent changes was an elevator. A welcomed change in the 1970s was the installation of air conditioning.
"I remember when opened windows and fans were the only means of keeping an office cool," Faye said, but then again that's how it was in all offices and homes.
Developing close relationships with professionals who frequent the deed's office and other courthouse employees will provide many fond memories for Faye.
For Faye, her job was more than recording documents. It was providing quality customer service.
"We try to go the extra mile for people," she said. Faye's attitude was to treat people the way she wanted to be treated — with dignity and respect — and provide due diligence in serving the public.
Faye knows she is leaving the office in good hands. Jo Ottensmeier has been the deputy register of deeds for nine years and was appointed to complete Faye's unexpired term which ends in 2008.
The Makovecs have four children — Donita Turk, Joe Makovec, Jeff Makovec, and Tim Makovec.
Donita and husband Gary of rural Baldwin City have three children, Adam, 24, Brian, 22, and Chelsea, 14.
Joe and wife Lori of Florence, together have Aaron Makovec, 17, of Pittsburg, and Matt Sprowls, 14.
Jeff is single and lives in rural Halstead.
Tim and wife Becky of rural Marion have two children, Morgan, 12, and Tyler, 7.
Jerry retired several years ago from farming and carpenter work.
And now, it's time for Faye to do the things she hasn't had time to do — like cleaning out closets, taking trips with her husband, tending a flower garden, and spending time with her family.
