Pam Garv To Retire From Town Hall

Pam Garv has been a fixture at town hall for the past 34 years. She’s worked in the clerk’s office, the tax office and most recently, as administrative secretary to Mayor Russell Felter and business administrator James Leach. But her time as a township employee will soon end, as Garv will be retiring as of March 31.

Garv has seen three mayors come through the office, Fran Slayton, Evelyn Brown and Felter.

“I had a great relationship with Fran Slayton. Evelyn Brown was a little bit tougher, so I spent some time in the tax office, the building department and the health department,” she said.

Since 1999 she’s worked with Felter and Leach, both of whom spoke highly of her.

“I’ve never missed an appointment since Pam has worked for me,” Felter said. “I always know exactly where I’m supposed to be and when. She’s great to work with.”

“Pam has a heart of gold,” Leach added. “I’ve seen everything she’s done here, and everything she does for her family. It’s bittersweet for me, because I’m going to miss her, but I’m happy for her at the same time.”

Garv fought and beat breast cancer during her employment with the township, a fact that employee Annette Kouyoumjian noted.

“Besides raising her wonderful family, her greatest accomplishment was beating cancer,” she said. “She was very strong during that.”

Garv was diagnosed in 1995 and went through nine months of chemotherapy. She found that she was cancer free in 2000.

Even one of Garv’s reasons for retiring is somewhat philanthropic in nature.

“I turned 62 in November,” she said. “I can collect social security and my retirement pension, and I have enough money to be able to do this. I just feel that it’s only fair under those circumstances to give someone else the opportunity to have a job.”

Garv has plans for her retirement, many of which involve travel. She will be going to Florida in April, Las Vegas in May, Cape May in July and to her son’s wedding in August.

The 42-year Lake Hopatcong resident and her husband Eric own a home in Vero Beach, Florida, at which she’ll be spending a lot of time. However, she won’t be moving there permanently.

“My children and grandchildren and parents live here in Jefferson, and I wouldn’t want to be that far away from them,” she said.

Garv has a son Eric, a daughter Heather, and two grandchildren, Sheridan who is 11 and Eric who is 7.

“We help out with the grandchildren a lot,” Garv said. “And I also do a lot with my parents, who are 86 and 89. They’re in good health, but I like to be around them.”

Garv will be back to visit from time to time, as she said she said the town won’t be far from her heart.

“I’ll really miss the people I’ve worked with here, especially Russ and Jim,” she said. “They’ve treated me very well, and are very appreciative of everything I do.”