Pam Minshew to seek clerk of court position
By Jack Stephens
Published in News on May 8, 2005 2:04 AM
Pam B. Minshew, a 25-year veteran of the Wayne County Clerk of Courts Office, will seek the Democratic Party nomination for clerk of court.
Mrs. Minshew, a life-long resident of Wayne County, will oppose Jo Ann Summerlin in the primary. The winner will face the Republican nominee in the 2006 general election.
The incumbent clerk, Marshall Minchew, who is not related to Mrs. Minshew, had announced that he will not seek a third four-year term.
During her 25 years with the office, Mrs. Minshew, 50, has handled many complicated and sensitive matters in the estates and special proceedings division. The division clerks supervise the administration of estates, trusts and adoptions and conduct hearings on foreclosures and incompetency matters.
When Mrs. Minshew was asked why she was seeking the elected position, she said: "I enjoy helping people. Unfortunately, my initial contact with most of the citizens comes after the loss of a loved one or other sensitive matters.
"I feel that it is the duty of the Clerk's Office to serve all the citizens in a caring, professional and compassionate manner," she said. "With my years of first-hand knowledge of the operations of the Clerk's Office and my ability to communicate with the public, I feel I am uniquely qualified to undertake this tremendous responsibility."
Mrs. Minshew began her career as a courtroom clerk for confidential commitment hearings at Cherry Hospital.
Then David Brantley, the former clerk of court and now a District Court judge, promoted Mrs. Minshew in 1992 to assistant clerk in charge of the estates and special proceedings division. She has been reappointed by Brantley's successors, Hardy Sullivan and Minchew.
Mrs. Minshew is a member of the N.C. State Employees Association, the N.C. Association of Deputy and Assistant Clerks of Court and the Democratic Women. She also serves on the State Employees Credit Union Advisory Council and did serve on the Wayne County Schools Advisory Council.
Mrs. Minshew and her husband, Kenny, have been married 23 years. They have two sons -- Justin, a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Gentry, a junior at Rosewood High School.