After a banking career that has spanned over 45 years, Sharon Barton is going to hang up her McClain Bank key and enjoy retirement.

Barton, a 1971 Purcell High School graduate, began her working life after high school by attending beauty college and worked as a hair stylist for a couple of years.

Before beginning her career in banking, Barton worked for a short time at J&B Western Wear before interviewing with Don Sherman for a position at then McClain County National Bank.

Barton has worked under the leadership of six different Shermans.

“Don hired me and the president then was Neil,” Barton recalled. “That was one of the biggest blessings of my life when Don hired me.”

That was March 16, 1981, Barton recalls vividly.

She will bring her career to a close officially, June 25.

Following the leadership of Earl, who was president from 1955-1977, Neil Sherman took over and later Don N. Sherman.

Charlie took the reins from Don, followed by Donald and now Steve Sherman is serving as the bank’s eighth president.

The first two presidents were John Perry (1922-1936) and John Wells (1936-1955).

As far as training, Barton said she took classes after she began working for the bank.

And through her over four decades of banking in Purcell she has done just about everything from bookkeeping, to loan secretary and now Human Resources.

“Things used to be manual. Now they are electronic. We used to print our own checks,” Barton said.

“Now we print our own debit cards.

“And one of the biggest changes was our name change from McClain County National Bank to McClain Bank,” she recalled.

The job she looks back on as the most enjoyable was when she was a part-time teller.

“That was the most fun job I had because I got to visit with people,” said.

“But the whole time has been fun,” Barton confirmed. “I’ve made a lot of close friends by coming here.

“It’s been a fun time with the Sherman family,” she said. “They have been a very good family to work for. They’ve always had the employees in their heart.”

She has fond memories of Earl, Neil and Don and still is around Charlie, Donald and Steve.

She reminisced about deceased colleagues Perry Nemecek and Frank Conway.

“I’ve out-lived a bunch of ‘em,” she laughed. “I’ve enjoyed my co-workers and working with our customers.

“We call this our work family. When Don hired me, I really needed that at that time in my life and I will be forever grateful to him.

“It’s been a long time...It’s just time,” she said about retiring.