CLARKESVILLE — After 57 years of dedicated service, Habersham County’s longest-serving employee, Joan Church, will be honored at a community retirement party on Friday, November 7, 2025, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center.
The event celebrates a remarkable career that began when Church joined county government in her twenties. Over the decades, she rose to become Chief Appraiser, guiding the county through tremendous growth while maintaining a steady focus on fairness and education. “I had a purpose,” she said in a recent interview with Now Habersham. “It was to help educate people, and never to make taxpayers feel like they didn’t matter.”
Church, who turned 82 this month, worked under numerous county administrations and witnessed the property rolls expand from roughly 8,000 to more than 20,000 parcels. Through it all, she earned respect for her professionalism, integrity, and deep knowledge of county property values.
A devout Christian and active member of Purpose Church at Bethel Temple, Church says she plans to spend retirement traveling and continuing her faith-based volunteer work.
County leaders describe her as a mentor and friend whose influence will long outlast her tenure. “She’s dedicated her life to the county and to our community,” said Commissioner Bruce Harkness. “We will miss her greatly.”
The public is invited to join colleagues, friends, and family in celebrating Joan Church’s lifetime of service and the start of her next chapter.
Read more about Joan’s extraordinary career here.
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