Susan Ragsdale, 'Face and Voice of Lake Zurich' Retires

Lake Zurich resident and public servant Susan T. Ragsdale is retiring, today, from her role as executive assistant/deputy village clerk. She has served the village for 32 years. 

In a proclamation honoring Ragsdale for her service, Village President Suzanne Branding called her the 'face and voice of Lake Zurich."

Ragsdale grew up in Lake Zurich and was part of the first class to graduate from the current Lake Zurich High School. She started working at village hall as an interm and was hired full-time as the first village administrator’s assistant. At that time, village staff worked from 61 W. Main St. with the police and all departments in one building.

Lake Zurich Patch did a short Q&A with Ragsdale:

What is the highlight or a significant accomplishment of your career
with the village?

(As administrator’s assistant) I established the record keeping system for ordinances, helped out with “other duties as assigned,” which became my career. A highlight was moving into the current Village Hall at 70 East Main Street.  At that time, I was Water Billing Clerk.

In 1989, I became Executive Assistant to the Village Administrator and later combined roles as the Deputy Village Clerk.  Other highlights were the many annexation processes that took place to allow residential development, the Industrial Park, Kids Kingdom community project, new police facility, parks and schools, Centennial Celebration, new lakefront promenade, Route 22 bypass…there’s so much to remember!  I’m proud to say I have been a part of all that Lake Zurich has to offer now to the residents.  It has always felt like my community.

How did your job change over the years?

Manual systems were upgraded to computer generated systems.  Imagine that!  Let’s not mention the IBM typewriters…

What will you miss most about working for the Village of Lake Zurich?

 I will miss the friends that I meet everywhere I go here.

How do you plan to spend your retirement?

My husband Jack and I will be relocating to Florida, near Orlando, mid-December.  We look forward to traveling in our RV and visiting new places, making new friends.  I will spend time visiting family in Arizona, Ohio and yes back here in Illinois. 

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