96-year- old court bailiff retires; retired banker takes her place

Jim Farmer, a rural Deweese resident, has been named as the Nuckolls County court bailiff. He replaced Donna Boeka, who had served as bailiff since 1999 and had retired. Farmer retired from a 43 year career in banking at Red Cloud 10 years ago. Farmer graduated from Broken Bow High School. He earned a degree in business from Kearney State College.

He became interested in how the law works in its practical application and began attending county court sessions in Clay Center. Judge Michael Burns, who presides over the county courts of Clay, Nuckolls, Adams and Fillmore counties, approached Farmer upon Boeka's retirement. Burns asked if Farmer had an interest in serving as the bailiff there. He replied he did. The position is voluntary in Clay County with his remuneration consisting of a meal.

He was recently appointed as Nuckolls County bailiff. County court sessions are held on the first, third, and if there is a fifth, Monday of each month. Alternative days are sometimes added because of scheduling conflicts occasioned by a holiday or an overcrowded docket.

The bailiff is responsible for maintaining order and decorum in the court room.

Farmer and his wife, Mary, live on a farm. He is the stepfather to three children and 13 grandchildren.

Donna Boeka had served as a bailiff for the Nuckolls and Clay County courts since 1999. She recently attained 96 years of longevity in life and decided to retire and enjoy life with her family with a trip to Utah to attend a great-grandson;s graduation.

Boeka was born on a farm in rural Jefferson County in 1928.

She married Paul Boeka in 1948. She and her husband moved to Clay Center in 1951 where she has resided here ever since.

The couple were the parents of five sons: Michael, William, James, and Thomas. Thomas is a former manager at Cooperative Business Association of Hardy. Another son, Andy, is deceased. Donna has eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Donna taught in a one- room school for three years. She also taught a year at Daykin.

Boeka was elected to four terms as clerk of the district court for Clay County. After declining to run for reelection, she retired for a brief period. She then began her career as a bailiff. Who knows how long this retirement will last?