ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Maggie Burleson didn’t want anyone making a big fuss over her retirement.

After 51 years with the city of Asheville, that was a tough request to honor.

Former mayors, city leaders and longtime colleagues gathered at City Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 27, to say goodbye to Burleson, who has been part of Asheville government since 1975.

There were tears, laughter, a proclamation and a standing ovation for a woman who would have preferred to keep things low-key.

“Maggie doesn’t want us to make a big deal about her leaving,” Mayor Esther Manheimer told the crowd at a specially called City Council meeting. “So, we’re going to promise not to do that.”

The city had other plans.

Burleson spent 31 of her 51 years with Asheville as city clerk, keeping the official records of council meetings and documenting decisions that helped shape the city.

She served as downtown Asheville underwent revitalization, as the city preserved and reopened the Grove Arcade and grew into a popular destination for visitors.

She also helped keep city government running through the COVID-19 pandemic and Tropical Storm Helene.

Over the years, mayors, council members and city managers came and went. Burleson remained a familiar face at City Hall, someone colleagues could count on to know how things worked and where to find what they needed.

Many of those former city leaders returned Tuesday to see her off.

Manheimer recognized several former mayors in attendance during the presentation of a proclamation honoring Burleson’s service.

The proclamation called Burleson the “glue that binds our municipal team together” and praised her knowledge, attention to detail and kindness.

It also offered a glimpse of the Maggie Burleson her coworkers knew.

There were the candy supplies, puzzle swaps and frequent reminders to review and sign documents. And apparently, nobody ever had to worry about running out of city letterhead or envelopes when Burleson was around.

Those little things, along with her friendship and willingness to help, were among the reasons colleagues said she would be missed.

City Council member Sage Turner captured one of the meeting’s most memorable moments in a photograph of the standing ovation.

“Nearly every Mayor and City Manager from those 5 decades came to see her off,” Turner wrote in a Facebook post. “It was a moment across lifetimes, a moment one cannot forget.”

Turner said she was glad she could see through her tears long enough to take the photograph.

“Maggie will be missed,” she wrote. “Her service to this community was impeccable and endlessly kind.”

Manheimer declared Oct. 27, 2026, Maggie Burleson Day in Asheville, thanking her for more than five decades of service and wishing her a happy retirement.

The city also presented Burleson with a photograph taken by Reggie Tidwell.

Tuesday’s meeting included another important piece of business: naming the person who will take Burleson’s place.

City Council unanimously appointed Jodilynn Byrd as the new city clerk, effective Nov. 1.

Byrd became emotional as she thanked council members and city officials for the opportunity.

“This is a dream opportunity for me. It really is,” Byrd said. “I am so proud and excited to serve the community of Asheville and to serve the council.”

For Burleson, the afternoon brought together people who had worked with her across five decades of Asheville’s history.

She may not have wanted a big celebration, but after 51 years, her colleagues weren’t about to let her go without saying thank you.