Deputy Ranko seeks top job at office
Washington County Deputy Prothonotary Joy Schury Ranko is seeking the Democratic nomination to succeed Prothonotary Phyllis Ranko Matheny, who plans to retire at the end of her term in 2015.
The prothonotary is the chief clerk and keeper of all records related to civil cases.
Ranko, 55, of North Strabane Township, grew up in Canonsburg. She is a daughter of Laverne Schury of Canonsburg and Charles Schury of Fredericktown.
A graduate of Canon-McMillan High School, she has 13 years of experience in the prothonotary’s office. She has also served on the courthouse safety committee.
She and her husband of 32 years, Robert Ranko Jr., have two sons. They spent 17 years volunteering with 84 Youth Baseball League, and they owned and operated the Second Time Around furniture store.
Ranko attends Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Roman Catholic Church, Meadow Lands, where she is a member of Christian Mothers. While a member of the former St. Genevieve parish, she was a lector.
Ranko is recording secretary of the Washington County Council of Democratic Women, of which she was president for four years and vice president for two years. She was also treasurer of the Ladies of the Elks Lodge 776 and she has volunteered for the American Cancer Society.
“I am the most qualified candidate as I am currently working in the prothonotary’s office and know all the jobs done by everyone,” Ranko said in a news release. “When someone is not there, I am the backup. I started as a clerk and I understand all the duties it takes to keep this office running. The taxpayers deserve nothing less. My mom is a retired nursing assistant at Canonsburg Hospital and my dad is a self-employed business owner. They have been hard-working individuals and I know nothing else but that, too.”
She said she wants to see the prothonotary’s office continue functioning daily in an efficient, friendly manner with the elected prothonotary working along with the clerks as Phyllis Ranko Matheny does.
“If I am elected, I will be able to continue with business as usual,” she said, adding that she plans to aggressively pursue the automation of records that is now in progress.