Ending of an Era Eddetta Beier Grant Retires

Eddetta Beier Grant provided dedicated service to the Tulsa County District Court for over 45 years. Eddetta retired from her lengthy career with the court system as of May 1, 2021. She began as a deputy court clerk for then Court Clerk Don Austin on August 25, 1975, before the time of computers. Eddetta’s assigned tasks were to transfer court minutes on to docket sheets, wait the counter, and process civil appeals. In 1980, she was transferred by the Court Clerk to become area supervisor in Arraignments and Preliminary Hearings on the third floor of the Courthouse. In that capacity, she worked with then Special Judges Tony Graham, Jerry Perigo, Ron Shaffer, John Reif, David Peterson, Don Lane, and Sharon Bubenik. Subsequently, Eddetta served District Judge Jay Dalton as his minute clerk for nine years on a criminal docket, experiencing at close range some notable criminal trials of the time. She recalls the infamous Lee’s Chicken murder case in which several employees were marched into the restaurant freezer and shot, and, the Brett Harris/Paula Stringer case in which defense counsel Pat Williams was successful in an acquittal for Harris. In 1993, Eddetta returned to Court Clerk Sally Howe Smith’s office entering county warrants, bench warrants, and recalls into the City TRACIS computer system. In 1997, Eddetta transferred to the cost administration division supporting the cost docket handled by Special Judges Rick Clark, Todd Singer, and Kyle Haskins. Eddetta in 2000 was assigned to the Protective Order docket and parenting plan conferences; the parenting conferences then utilized referees, first Mark Barcus followed by Rodney Sparkman, and then Mary Fitzgerald, all of whom became judges. Protective Orders were on a judge rotation system allowing Eddetta to work with then Special Judges: Damon

Eddetta Beier Grant, sitting, and from left to right, Eddetta’s last judges: Judge Rodney Sparkman, Judge Wilma Palmer, Judge Kevin Morrison, Judge Theresa Dreiling, & Judge Martha Rupp Carter.

Cantrell, Carlos Chappelle, Doris Fransein, Russell Hass, Kyle Haskins, Charles Hogshead, Terry Bitting, Mark Barcus, Rodney Sparkman, Mike Zacharias, and Darlene Crutchfield. In 2005, Eddetta worked as a minute clerk in the Family Court with Special Judge Rodney Sparkman for three years.

Eddetta retired from the Court Clerk’s office in October 31, 2008, and became bailiff for District Judge Doris Fransein in the Juvenile Division, which was then housed in the old Juvenile Bureau facility on Gilcrease Museum Road. In addition, she assisted over the years Special Judges assigned to the Juvenile Division, including Judges Kirsten Pace, Terry Bitting, Ed Hicks, Bill Hiddle, Kyle Haskins, Mark Barcus, Rodney Sparkman, Wilma Palmer, and Martha Rupp Carter.

In January 2019, Eddetta became bailiff to District Judge Martha Rupp Carter, Chief of the Juvenile Division. Eddetta experienced first-hand the power outages, the flea invasion and evacuation, and then the flood-threat evacuation, all occurring at the Juvenile Bureau building. She enjoyed the move into the Juvenile Division’s new offices and courtrooms in the Tulsa County Family Center for Juvenile Justice in November 2019. Additionally, Eddetta served as needed the Special Judges in the Juvenile Division, including Judges Rodney Sparkman, Wilma Palmer, Theresa Dreiling, and Kevin Morrison. Eddetta experienced many happenings over her years with the Tulsa County District Court, the antics, victories, and losses of attorneys; the rise and fall of judges; and, the camaraderie and respect of the judges, clerks, bailiffs, court reporters, and law enforcement staff who make possible the progress of justice. Although Eddetta richly deserves retirement, she is sorely missed for her remarkable and long-lived service, her good humor and sense of fun, and her invaluable history and knowledge of the Tulsa court system. We love her, miss her, and wish her always the best!