[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 42 (Friday, March 10, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E312]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING JOE McEARCHERN FOR HIS CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRADLEY BYRNE

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 10, 2017

  Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Joe Deal McEarchern, 
Jr. for his over forty years of service as Chief Clerk of the Mobile 
County Probate Court.
   Born in 1949, Joe has been a lifelong resident of Mobile County, 
Alabama. After Joe's father passed away when he was young, he worked in 
various shoe stores in the Mobile area to help finance his college 
education. He attended public schools in Prichard, Alabama and 
graduated from C.F. Vigor High School in 1968. During his time at 
Vigor, Joe was President of the National Honor Society, sports editor 
for the yearbook, and named ``Student of the Year'' by the Civitan 
Club.
   Joe went on to attend the University of South Alabama, where he 
graduated in 1972 with a bachelor's degree in political science. While 
in college, he married Wendy Stinson, who also graduated from South.
   In July of 1972, Joe was hired by Mobile County Judge of Probate 
John L. Moore to serve as chief clerk of the Recording Division. He 
later served as administrative assistant of the Court before being 
appointed chief clerk of the Court in March 1981. He has served in that 
position ever since under Judges John L. Moore III, Lionel W. Noonan, 
and Don Davis.
   Early in his career, Joe oversaw and implemented changes to the 
Probate Court's pre-computerized indexing system for judicial and land 
records. His work focused on making these systems more efficient and 
easier to use. As technology advanced, Joe oversaw and implemented 
changes to the Court's operations to utilize computer technology in all 
aspects of the Court's operations, including the recording of 
documents, word processing, websites, judicial case management, and 
accounting.
   Joe is currently the dean of the chief clerks of probate courts in 
the State of Alabama. He is a founding member and past president of the 
Alabama Probate Court Chief Clerks Association. He served as a member 
of the Alabama Law Institute's Probate Code Revision Committee and 
assisted the Alabama Law Institute on numerous projects involving 
Alabama probate courts, probate law, and probate procedure. He has been 
asked to speak and present on these topics countless times throughout 
his career.
   When he was not working, Joe has pursued a number of hobbies 
including photography, astronomy, birding, ham radio, and flying. He is 
also a long time member of the First Baptist Church of Mobile.
   Joe has always been a good friend of the lawyers in our community, 
including a friend of mine. So, on behalf of Alabama's First 
Congressional District, I want to wish Joe and Wendy all the best upon 
his retirement. His dedicated service to Mobile County has not and will 
not go unnoticed.

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