News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Alpena County Register of Deeds Kathy Matash, left, and newly appointed Register of Deeds Catherine Murphy do some computer work in the office on Monday. Matash is retiring later this week and Murphy will take her place. Murphy said she will attempt to retain the seat during the upcoming election cycle.

ALPENA — Residents of Alpena County are saying goodbye to longtime Register of Deeds Kathy Matash, who is retiring later this week, but also welcoming her replacement, Catherine Murphy.

Murphy, currently Matash’s deputy, was appointed to the register of deeds position until the 2020 general election, in which Murphy said she intends to run in.

Matash became employed for the county in 1979, when she worked in the commissioners’ office before moving to a position with the Register of Deeds Office. She was appointed register of deeds in 1995, to replace Marilyn Johnston. She’s been reelected every four years since.

Matash said she is looking forward to retirement and intends to travel with her husband, spend more time with her grandchildren, and stay at their cottage on Grand Lake more often.

Still, Matash said, there will be things she will miss about her job.

“My career at the county was a very rewarding experience, and I enjoyed working with the public very much,” she said. “I will miss working with the public and my personal staff. Looking back, it’s hard to believe that 40 years have gone by. Retirement will just be another chapter in my life, and I am looking forward to it.”

Murphy has worked in the office for more than 20 years.

She said the way Matash managed the office has prepared her to move into the register of deeds role. Her familiarity with staff and procedures should help her with during the transition.

“It has been wonderful working with Kathy,” Murphy said. “All of us here are like family, and it has always been her motto that family comes first and foremost. She always had us rotate jobs in the office, so everyone knows everything that is going on in this office. I’m very excited.”

Matash’s last day is Wednesday, and Murphy officially takes on her new role on March 1.

According to the Alpena County Clerk’s Office, nobody has filed to run for register of deeds as of Monday.

The primary election is Aug. 4 and the general election is Nov. 3.

The register of deeds oversees property records for the county.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.com.