by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Five years ago, Lucy Aspinall had no idea her boss, County Court Judge Sharon Tanner, was going to throw her a surprise 75th birthday.
Last Monday, Aspinall — who is still working full-time for Tanner — celebrated her 80th birthday with, what else, another surprise party. Family, friends, judges and co-workers filled Chief Judge Donald Moran’s chambers to have cake and celebrate another milestone birthday.
Then Aspinall went back to work, just like she has since 1968 when she worked in the old county courthouse for Judge McKinney J. Davis.
“He got promoted to Circuit Court in 1973,” said Aspinall, who then went to work for the State Attorney’s Office for four years. She then worked for Circuit Judge Harold Clark for another four years before joining Tanner. They have been together ever since.
“She is still doing great,” said Tanner. “She really is a role model for all of us as to what you can achieve in life. Obviously, she loves what she’s doing. She loves people and makes me look good.”
Judges have a mandatory retirement age of 70, but that rule obviously doesn’t apply to judicial assistants. Aspinall, too, will retire one day, but it won’t be soon and it better not be suddenly.
“I told her she has to give me five years notice,” said Tanner.