Before Ruth Harris, there was only Eileen Tapager-Dietrich and Greta Kraushaar.

Phyllis Handegaard came later.

When Harris started work in county government, Mower County was gender imperfect; a male-dominated world.

Women worked in county government, but only in order-taking -- not order-giving -- positions.

Tapager-Dietrich, the retired Mower County treasurer who preceded Harris and Kraushaar, the retired Mower County Veterans Service Officer, blazed trails for other females to aspire to become elected or appointed Mower County officials.

Handegaard was appointed to fill the vacancy created when Mower County District Court Clerk Joe Morgan retired. When Handegaard retired, Patty Ball, took over the position.

The times, they were a-changin' for women in county government.

That gave Mower County three female county officials until Mary Keenan was elected Mower County commissioner for the 5th District.

Still, there was no woman to step forward when the county treasurer's position became open.

When Harris announced her retirement, that set in motion a race between two men: Doug Groh, the chief deputy Mower County Auditor, and Lynn Koch, owner of Austin Mortgage Company. Groh defeated Koch and was elected Mower County treasurer.

Now, only Susan B. Davis, Mower County Recorder and Ball, Mower County Court Administrator, plus sheriff-elect Terese Amazi are female county officials.

Harris' story is akin to a now out-dated tale of the "little engine that could." Make that "little female engine."

"I grew up in LeRoy and graduated from high school there," she said. "After graduation, I worked as a correspondence secretary for a company in a suburb of Chicago. During the summer the company would shut down for two weeks around the fourth of July. So, I came home to LeRoy to visit my family as my mom, dad and sister; all had been sick or had surgery.

"While I was home, I went to the Bakery and Cafe where I had worked in high school to visit some friends. While there, I bumped into my old school superintendent. He asked me if I would be interested in a job back in this area. I felt my family needed me here, so I said 'Yes.'

"He went on to explain that Don Sandeen, the Mower County treasurer, had asked him to recommend someone from LeRoy to apply for an opening in his office. He went on to explain that the reason he wanted to hire someone from LeRoy was because he felt that would help him get more votes from that area of the county in the next election.

"So, he recommended me and I applied. When Don informed me that I had the job, he made the comment that he really didn't like to hire young single girls because 'You just get them trained and they get married and have babies and quit and you have to start all over again'."

The story illustrates how much has changed since Harris first started work for Mower County and she can take satisfaction from the archaic notion abut hiring women.

"I have teased Don about his comment many times over the years, reminding him that he left the office 32 years ago and even though I have married and had children, I am still here!" she said.

Not only in hiring, but in so many other areas has Harris seen transition and change in county government.

"I have seen many changes take place in the office over the years, especially in the area of taxes," she said. "When I started working for the county in 1966, we still had the old personal property tax, which taxed almost everything in your house, including the dog, but not the cat. That is where they drew the line.

"We hand-typed all those lists! That tax was so unfair, I think everyone was glad to see it go, especially our office and the assessor's office."

Mower County's extraordinary rise in fund balances was, in part, due to Harris' investing of the county's monies.

"My work with the county's investments has also been an enjoyable part of my position. Although I must admit it has been interesting and challenging in the recent economic times," she said.

The out-going county treasurer has also had to show great flexibility.

"When the personal property tax on homeowners was abolished I worked part time in the financial unit of the Welfare Department and part time in the treasurer's office," she said. "Shortly thereafter, Jerry Reinartz, who was then a deputy in the office, transferred to the assessor's office and I went back to full time in the treasurer's office where I have renamed ever since."

Harris was loyal to the man who first hired her and to the office she served.

"I served as deputy for four years under Don Sandeen, approximately 24 years under Eileen Tapager-Dietrich and almost nine years as county treasurer," she said.

"I feel extremely fortunate to have had such a competent staff working for me, Cindy Skov, my former chief deputy, Linda Ehmke, my current chief deputy and Jan Olson my deputy. They have all done a great job and made my job much easier," she said.

Also, Harris enjoyed being a "public servant."

"I have extremely enjoyed working with the public and would recommend running for office to anyone," she said. "It can be kind of scary, but it is one of the most interesting and challenging experiences of my life.

"Through the process, I feel I have gained an enormous amount of personal growth, knowledge of how the process works, and have made many, many new friends," she said.

"I am hoping we will see more good women candidates running for public office in the future, especially for the county board," she observed.

What kind of legacy does she leave? How should she be remembered.

"It has been an honor to serve as an elected official for the county," Harris said. "I only hope that I have been a good public servant and have fulfilled the expectations of those who supported and voted for me. I have always felt that an elected official should be visible and accessible to the public and ready and willing to go the extra mile in customer service."

What lies ahead? "In my retirement I plan to do more volunteering, spend more time with family and friends, do more traveling, gardening and we hope to spend more time in the summer at the lake," she said.

"My husband, Bob, is retired from the Austin Public School system and my son Bryan is employed with the Sheriffs Youth Programs. Our other adult children and grandchildren live in the Winona and Twin Cities area," Harris said.

Harris described her self as a true "people person" and it is the people she met in county government that provide lasting memories.

"My work with the public has been the most rewarding part of the job. I will miss that the most, but hope to stay involved in the community in other ways."

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at

lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com

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