(This week The Columbian-Progress spotlights Marion County Chancery Court Deputy Clerk Mitzi Bullock.)
Q: When and where were you born?
A: I was born here in Columbia on Dec. 18, 1974.
Q: Where did you attend school?
A: I attended Columbia Academy and bounced around a little bit in college. I started off at Jones then went to Pearl River then Southern Miss.
Q: Where do you work? Tell us about your job/company.
A: I’m a deputy clerk for the Chancery Court. I’m recording land records, and I help with the chancery court stuff. I file whatever attorneys bring or deal with whatever cases come up. We do divorces, probates and anything to do with families — youth court, DHS and any type of family court.
Q: What led you to your profession?
A: It was happenstance really. I had been home for seven or eight years with my kids. I had worked at First Southern Bank for 14 years. I decided I was ready to come back to work, and (Chancery Clerk) Elisha (Moree) actually called me one day and said one of the girls was moving to Texas. I decided to come to work here.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: Interacting with people. There’s a whole lot that goes on in the front office. It’s different things all the time so it’s never a dull moment. You get to meet a lot of people.
Q: What is the most challenging aspect of your job?
A: This is like family court so there’s some sad things that come through here. There’s commitments, some of the youth court stuff is sad and you see people struggling with divorces. It’s just sad sometimes.
Q: What is the most important lesson you have learned in your career?
A: To listen to people. You never know what’s going on in their life so you just need to listen and understand before you make judgments or snap decisions.
Q: When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A: A veterinarian. I’m an animal lover.
Q: What was your first job?
A: I worked at Dean Griner in the concession stand as soon as I got my driver’s license.
Q: Who are the people who have been most influential in your life?
A: Probably my mother, Lettie Fortenberry, and my grandfather, Wilmer Byrd. She is just a really strong woman. Then my grandfather was just a sweetheart. He was always concerned for others.
Q: What is your spouse’s name?
A: Brian. He is a supervisor for Independence Contract Drilling.
Q: Do you have children?
A: I have two. Wesley passed away this past year. My daughter is Alana and goes to CA.
Q: If you could have anything for your last meal on earth, what would it be?
A: A steak cooked medium with sweet potato fries and a yeast roll.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: I want to go everywhere, but I really want to go to Ireland. It seems like it would be so pretty. It’s green; I love green.
Q: What hobbies do you like to do in your spare time?
A: I like to read. I love sports so I’m at football games, basketball games or softball games. I’m either going to see sports or play sports or hanging out with Alana.
Q: What do you enjoy about Columbia and Marion County?
A: I’ve been here all my life so you get to know a lot of people. It’s a small town and small community. You cross paths with the same people all the time, and I like that familiarity. It’s comfortable. It’s home.
Q: If you didn’t have to worry about money, what would you want to do all day?
A: I would have a zoo. We already have a lot of animals. We have cows, goats, dogs, cats, chickens, raccoons, rabbits — just any kind of animal.
Q: What is one thing you want to do that you’ve never tried?
A: My son always wanted to skydive when he turned 21 and he wanted me to go with him so I’d probably do that.
Q: Using one word for each, what are your top three morals?
A: Kindness, honesty and respectfulness.
Q: How would you like to be remembered?
A: I’d like to be remembered as a good friend that was kind and you could go to if you needed help. Someone you could count on.
— Joshua Campbell
