A leader who has spent more than 30 years in service to Lenoir County has announced her decision to step down from her position until her retirement takes place in January.

Lenoir County Emergency Services Director Jerri King, who started her career in the county as a 911 dispatcher on May 14, 1991, announced to her staff Thursday she is taking a leave of absence, effective Friday, until her official retirement date of Jan. 1, 2022. She said she made the decision to retire because of family health issues.

“I have decided to take a leave of absence from Lenoir County Emergency Services until my retirement date of Jan. 1, 2022 to provide my full focus on the health and continued improvement of my loved ones at home,” King said. “I have discussed this at length with (County Manager Michael James) and he has accepted my decision.”

James lauded King for her service to Lenoir County and its residents.

“We appreciate the dedicated service Director King has given to Lenoir County for more than 30 years and wish her all the best in retirement,” James said. “She leaves a lasting legacy in our community.” 

King, the daughter of an Air Force veteran, lived all over the world until her mid-teens, when she and her family moved to Eastern North Carolina. After joining the county as a dispatcher in May 1991, she has served in various roles, including becoming the communications operations manager in 1999 and the deputy director of LCES in 2010.

When former longtime LCES Director Roger Dail retired at the end of 2018, she took over the reins of the department on Jan. 1, 2019 —  first as the interim director and then as the permanent director a month later.

“My professional life has been a full one and one I wouldn’t change or trade for anything,” King said. “This is just the natural transition that I am fortunate to have the opportunity to take.”

She had a message for the hard-working men and women in LCES.

“Thank you for your support through all the years, but especially the past couple of years in dealing with family medical issues in which I was needed more and more to help manage,” she said. “Please understand this decision did not come easy for me. Through many discussions with my family, prayer with my God and sleepless nights battling this decision, ultimately, I believe this to be the best decision for not only myself and my family, but for the strength of our department. 

“You guys will continue to do great things and I look forward to keeping up with you on a personal level through social media and other means. I was privileged to meet and become family with some of the greatest people any one person could ask for and no one expects.”

James said the search for King’s replacement is underway.

“We have begun our search for her successor and I look forward to identifying a new director who can continue the proud tradition of the Lenoir County Emergency Services Department,” he said.