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With the end of 2023 also comes the end of a fulfilling career of service to the town of Windsor by Terry Whitehead, who will be retiring after nearly 19 years on the town staff.

She was first hired as a part-time staffer on Feb. 5, 2005, by then-Windsor Town Manager Kurt Falkenstein, and four months later, she was offered the full-time position of deputy clerk/treasurer.

It was in 2013 that she was offered the role of town clerk, which she accepted, served in faithfully for 11 years and will relinquish at the end of December.

She took a few moments on Thursday, Dec. 21, to reflect on her time working for the town, first offering a snapshot of what her work as town clerk has entailed.

“I am responsible for attending Town Council, Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals meetings and preparing the minutes for those meetings,” she said. “I am also responsible for maintaining and updating official records, documents and ordinances for the town. 

“Since we are a small town with limited staff, I am also responsible for the water billing and booking and staffing events at the Windsor Town Center, among other duties,” she added.

As for what she enjoyed most about her time on the town staff, she said, “I have enjoyed working with amazing staff, council members, planning commissioners and BZA members who all have the same common goal in mind — to make Windsor a better place to live and work, and that they have done and continue to do. Also, I have enjoyed my time serving the great citizens of this community.”

The Windsor Town Council voted unanimously and with enthusiasm on Dec. 12 to adopt a resolution of recognition, honoring Whitehead for her exemplary service.

The resolution reads as follows:

“Whereas, Terry S. Whitehead has served with honor and distinction as an employee of the town of Windsor for 19 years from Feb. 5, 2005, to Jan. 1, 2024, of which she served eight years as deputy clerk/treasurer and 11 years as town clerk for the town of Windsor, and 

“Whereas, Terry S. Whitehead, during her service as town clerk for the town of Windsor, has selflessly given of her time and energy to make the town of Windsor a better community in which to live and work and has performed her duties in an outstanding manner, with honesty and integrity, and 

“Whereas, the town of Windsor wishes to recognize and express its gratitude to Terry S. Whitehead for the invaluable services she has rendered during her time as town clerk for the town of Windsor,

“Therefore be it resolved by the Town Council of the town of Windsor, on this 12th day of December 2023, that Terry S. Whitehead is recognized, commended and thanked for her loyal and valuable service to the town of Windsor as town clerk for the town of Windsor.”

She noted that the things she will miss most about being town clerk are the relationships and friendships she has developed with the people she works with and the citizens of the town.

“I knew my job would be fulfilling, but I never realized the valued friendships I would take away from it,” she said.

She shared what convinced her that the close of 2023 was the right time to retire.

“I worked with Union Camp/International Paper for 21 years and with the town of Windsor for 19 years and feel that it’s time to enjoy life and spend more time with my family,” she said.

And she has some specific plans lined up for what she will do with her expanded free time.

“My family and I love to camp and fish at the Eastern Shore,” she said. “I am looking forward to spending more time doing just that with my husband Wayne, my grandson Liam, my granddaughter Emilee, and my two sons Eric and Luke and Luke’s wife Lexi.”