The Clarke County Board of Supervisors made history Monday, Oct. 5, when Kay Mosley was sworn in to complete the remaining term of her late husband, Paul Mosley.
Paul Mosley served District 4 on the Clarke County Board of Supervisors for 35 years. State and county records show that he took office in 1991 and remained on the board until his death in September.
For Kay Mosley, accepting the appointment is a way to honor her husband and the work he gave to Clarke County.
“This is the last thing I can do for him. He would have been proud,” Mosley said. “There is no replacing Paul Mosley. He was good. He was good to everybody. He knew everybody. Loved everybody. I am honored.”
Mosley has spent more than five decades with BankPlus. She serves as first vice president and manages five branches across Clarke, Newton, Wayne and Lauderdale counties. Her experience in banking has given her years of experience working with people and making decisions, but she knows serving on the board will bring a new set of responsibilities.
“It will be a little different, but I hope I can help them make the correct decisions,” Mosley said.
Mosley said she is the first woman to serve on the Clarke County Board of Supervisors. Her appointment adds another chapter to the county’s history while she takes on the seat held by her husband for more than three decades.
“I am doing this for him to finish his term,” Mosley said. “I hope I do a decent job because he was irreplaceable. Whoever takes his place after the election has some big shoes to fill.”
Mississippi has seen women serve on county boards across the state. Peggy Hobson Calhoun became the first woman elected to the Hinds County Board of Supervisors in 1992, and women now serve on boards in several Mississippi counties.
Mosley’s connection to county government extends beyond Clarke County. She traveled with her husband during his years of service and met supervisors from counties across the state.
“Traveling with him, I already know supervisors from other counties throughout the state,” Mosley said. “We have made a lot of friends over the years. I am honored that they appointed me to fill the position. He had the perfect job for his personality.”
For Mosley, the appointment comes at a time when her family is still grieving Paul’s death.
“We just didn’t expect it to be this soon,” she said.
She described her husband as a family man who cared about the people around him.
“He loved his family. The whole family is close. We were all so proud of him. But to him, he was just doing his job,” Mosley said. “He grew up with parents who always worked hard to help people. He preached his own funeral. He was good to everyone, just a good person.”
Mosley will serve the remainder of Paul Mosley’s term, giving her about 15 months on the board before the next term begins.
She said she does not expect to fill her husband’s role in the same way. Instead, she hopes to carry his commitment to Clarke County into her own service.
“There is no replacing Paul Mosley,” she said. “I am honored.”
