Coworkers Remember Cindy Jetton

The Tom Green County Tax Office was busy on Thursday afternoon, as employees worked through their sorrow to serve the public in the wake of the passing of Tom Green County Tax Assessor-Collector Cindy Jetton at the age of 55.

Jetton had worked in the County Office for some 33½ years before passing away early Thursday morning due to illness. For those who have known and worked with her for years, Thursday was difficult. However, remembering the hard work and diligence their supervisor had instilled in them, the office staff worked quietly, coping with their loss and remembering her for who she was.

“It’s still probably sinking in for everybody,” said Vona McKerley in her office next to the one in which Jetton worked. “We knew she’d been sick, but it’s kind of an adjustment in your mind to realize that she has passed. [She was] very nice. She seemed to try to be fair with everyone and to respect everyone,” McKerley said.

McKerley had known Jetton for years, first meeting when Cindy was running for office. “My husband was party chair, so we worked with her on her candidacy.  I didn’t have a chance to be real, real close with her, but I liked her a lot,” McKerley said. “She was a real nice lady.

Kind words were reiterated from all those that worked with her on a daily basis, many of whom cited Jetton’s openness and hard-working nature as the backbone of public service.

“She was a very nice person, kind of like, we get stuff done…she would put her foot down and that’s just the kind of person she was,” Nancy Aguero said with a smile. “I could kid around with her—I would always mess with her—because her desk was right back here (behind Aguero’s). She’s going to be missed.”

Aguero, like McKerley, was surprised by the morning news of Jetton’s passing.

“We knew she was sick, but we didn’t think that it would come this quick,” Aguero said. “We will miss her. She was our family, too. We were here eight hours a day, every day—well, Monday through Friday—so she was like our family, too.”

Coworkers of Jetton describe the office she ran as a tight-knit, familial group. Jetton was described as reliable, always having an open ear for those who needed it and helping in any way she could when questions or problems arose.

“She was very dedicated to the job. It was her life. She was always here, we could always count on her being here,” Candy Ornelas said. “Some other Tax Assessors or other places may have people that just have the name there. We had her here. She didn’t expect anything from us that she, herself wouldn’t do…She had a servant’s heart, she wanted to serve the community, and she made sure that the community knew that she was there for them, and I think she instilled that in her employees,” Ornelas said.

“I had the privilege of working with her for about 4½ years and it’s tough because she’s been a part of our lives. Life changes, but it’s an office that’s pretty tight-knit, so we’re sad, but we’re grateful that she’s not suffering and we know she’s in a better place,” Ornelas continued.

Fighting back tears, another coworker, Brenda Duarte, who had worked with Jetton for nine years, said, “I’m going to miss her, so much. It’s very hard, very hard.  With phone calls and people wanting to know what happened, it’s very hard not knowing. Having to deal with answering for the public, and also having to deal with knowing her and caring for her, and her family, knowing what they’re going through, it’s just—trying to be strong, for everyone,” Duarte said. “She’s really going to be missed, very much.”

Cindy Jetton died Thursday morning in San Angelo. Her husband, Ronnie Glenn Jetton, preceded her in death in July 2011. Cindy and Ronnie Jetton were married on June 27, 1975. Funeral arrangements for Cindy Jetton had not been confirmed as of publication. 

UPDATE:

Viewing will be 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday Jan. 4, 2014 at Robert Massie Funeral Home. 

Family visitation will be 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday Jan. 5, 2014 at Robert Massie Funeral Home. 

Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Monday Jan. 6, 2014 at Glen Meadows Baptist Church with Pastor Mack Roller, officiating. Burial to follow at Grape Creek Cemetery under the direction of Robert Massie Funeral Home.