Robin Van Natta

Sad” is too weak a word. By Michael Bromka “Grief” and “Grievous” perhaps might suffice. It’s a grievous loss that Eddy County Clerk Robin Vannatta has passed away so abruptly, so young. She should have lived for decades longer as a voice of wisdom and experience. Robin was savvy, strong, independent, fair-minded, scrupulous, wryly witty, and ever incisive. She knew her business and ran a tight ship. Robin, Darlene Rosprim, and all their team —year in and year out —guaranteed local elections were transparent and trouble-free. Robin was pleasant, female, attractive —yet had a Joe Friday (of “Dragnet”) gravitas and indefatigable long-working durability and dedication. She trained her people well. They made time for requests big and small of public information. You might want a pre-election list of voters. Or post-election breakdown of votes at all the centers. You might ask only for which precinct held one voter, or when that voter first registered. If it was public information, you were free to inquire. Always she could advise on policy, practice, and the law. Robin knew how folks campaigned door-to-door, how advertising worked, and how important it was for communications to be factual. She accommodated earnest honest efforts. My first recollection of Robin herself active as an election volunteer was perhaps in 2004, in support of Darlene’s run for office. I can’t recall the opponent then. But they worked smart and hard in that long campaign. Years later, the County Clerk’s office had been run so trouble-free that Robin ran unopposed. I chided her for making good government a winning strategy. In honor of Robin’s 52nd birthday (25 October 2018), she garnered this limerick —

"52 Easy Rider" --Tough campaign way back then, remember? Yard signs door-to-door mad September. October? Phew heck! Now’s got a full deck. No need fret on the sixth of November. In office and in memory, Robin Vannatta’s a keeper