When Mary Richards handed her job title of Story County attorney over to Democrat Stephen Holmes on Dec. 31, she felt confident she gave it to the best possible replacement.

“I worked very hard for his election campaign,” Richards said. “I think he’ll do a fine job.”

Holmes worked as Richards’ assistant in the Story County attorney’s office for the last nine years of her 20-year career. Although she has been retired only for a couple of weeks, Richards made the decision to end her reign five years ago before she ran for her final term in the office.

“I wanted to try doing some other things before I really retire, and I decided now was a good time,” she said.

Richards sees leaving the attorney’s office as an opportunity to do other things before she really retires.

Currently, Richards is working with Youth and Shelter Services, 420 Kellogg Ave., on a new program for adolescent girls called “Passages.” She is the director and coordinator of the after-school program and said she enjoys working face-to-face with the girls who participate.

Richards said there were many things she really liked about her job as county attorney.

“It’s sort of the perfect job,” she said. “It’s the kind of job where you’re always learning something new, and that’s important to me.”

She said she liked making her own decisions and giving her input on public policy.

Despite her love for the job, Richards said she probably will not be involved with the office now that she has retired but will be happy to help out if she is needed.

Part of what made being county attorney so wonderful was being in Story County, she said.

“This was a very good place to be working,” she said. The area chiefs of police and Story County sheriff were “all just very good to work with.”

Richards said Story County has a very good infrastructure in terms of services for those who find themselves in trouble. In her retirement, she said she would like to focus on helping people avoid trouble in the first place.

“I’m hoping … to put some of my energies into the preventative end of things,” she said. “One way or another, that’s what I really want to be doing.”

Richards said she was very pleased with the November elections and many of the people who took county and state offices.

“It was a marvelous year for elections,” she said. In addition to Holmes’ campaign, Richards said she was very much invested in Democrat Dennis Parmenter’s campaign for Iowa House District 62.

Richards also added, “I’m just delighted that we have Tom Vilsack as governor.”

Holmes said he will miss having Richards in the county attorney’s office.

“Mary’s very soft spoken, but firm. … She’s been very forward thinking,” Holmes said.

“I’m looking forward to the opportunities and the challenges of filling Mary’s shoes,” he said. “It’s a fantastic job.”

Holmes said he is very grateful to Richards for giving him the chance to work with her and gain the experience he needed to become county attorney.

“She gave me the opportunity to work in this office when I graduated from law school. I’m always indebted to her for that,” he said. “I just hope I can lend my own interests and abilities to the job to improve on what Mary has begun and done over these 20 years.

“She’s initiated a lot of programs and been involved in a broad variety of interests related to the county attorney job, and I’d like to continue to do the same.”