Anyone who has been to the courthouse is bound to have seen the smiling face of Ron Austin. Ron has lived in Clarke County since he was five years old, and he has grown to love everyone here.
“I love it here and wouldn’t have it any other way,” stated Ron.
Ron graduated from Quitman High School in 1983 and has shown a strong work ethic ever since he graduated. His first job was with Mississippi Laminator in Shubuta, where he worked from 1984 until 1989. When he left there, he worked for the sawmill, Hankins Lumber Company, for 14 years until it shut down.
After the sawmill closed, Ron procured a job with the City of Quitman. After working for the city for nine years, Ron’s dream job at the courthouse opened up.
“We had a prayer about it at church before I took the job,” said Ron.
He began working his dream job at the Clarke County Courthouse on January 2, 2012, and he has been there ever since. Ron is entrusted to keeping the courthouse offices and building clean. He also lends a hand by doing anything else that is asked of him, such as delivering different things around the city or moving different items around when needed. His job is perfect for him and allows him to be around different people every day. Ron is definitely a people person and loves to help and give to others.
“I primarily love people, and I always like to be willing to help people,” said Ron.
Part of Ron’s giving nature is due to his relationship with the Lord. He has attended the First United Pentecostal Church on Palestine Road for 50 years. Growing up at the church, Bro. McLeod was his pastor, and Ron considers both Bro. McLeod and his wife to be a spiritual mom and dad to him. He also thinks highly of his current pastor and pastor’s wife, Corbin and Summer Kill.
“They make sure I stay grounded in the Lord,” explained Ron.
Ron really started to get serious about the Lord in 1987 when he attended a youth camp with his church group. While there, he was saved and was baptized when he returned home. He acknowledges it as the best decision he has ever made and has continued to study his bible each night and attend church regularly. In Ron’s giving nature, he always directs every blessing and ability to give to others back to God.
“I am a loving and giving person who worships a loving and giving God—a God who loves us so much that he suffered and died on a cross for us,” stated Ron. “I just love giving to folks and not expecting anything in return. If people do give anything back to me, then God deserves all the glory for it, not me.”
When Ron is not at work or church, he enjoys a variety of different activities. He loves watching sports and prefers to see high school and college teams play. Ron is not picky about which sport he watches, but he does like baseball the most.
“I like to watch the tournaments,” said Ron.
Anyone who talks to Ron will quickly discover that Ron is one of the biggest supporters of his favorite newspaper, The Clarke County Tribune.
With his positive and giving personality, it is hard to imagine that Ron has ever had to suffer any loss, but he has seen his share of tragedy. In fact, the hardest thing he has ever had to deal with was losing his mom in 2019.
“I’m a mama’s person,” stated Ron. “The last time I saw my mama was when she was on her deathbed. I left praying, ‘Lord, if it be your will, please don’t ever let me have to see my mama like this ever again.’ That next day I got word that she had passed on. God has been good to me throughout all these hard times in my life, though.”
His faith helped him make it through that difficult time in his life, and he turned his attention to a promise he had made to his mama before she passed away: remodeling his home. Ron takes pride in being trustworthy, and he does his best to keep his word to people whether they are there to witness it or not.
“When you make a promise to someone, it’s important to fulfill it whether they are still there or not,” explained Ron. “I fulfilled my promise to my mom. I still have a few things to go, but it is better than what it was. It looks like a new home now.”
Ron demonstrates genuine love and gratitude to everyone he sees, and he does his best to spread joy to everyone by giving in different ways. He is also one of the most thankful people in the county and has learned various lessons to help him as he goes through life.
“I’m just so very thankful that God has blessed me with my family and friends here in Clarke County in Mississippi,” said Ron. “Life if not a bed of roses, but we have the Lord to help us and bless us.”
