COURT HOUSE – Cape May County’s Historic Courthouse on North Main Street was the site of yet another history-making event Dec. 31. In that ancient wooden structure, the first female surrogate judge in the county took her oath.
By so doing, she took the place of retired Surrogate W. Robert Hentges, who ended 40 years in office, having taken his oath in 1972.
A large crowd of well-wishers sat on wooden pew-like benches to watch Republican M. Susan Sheppard of Ocean City take her oath from Superior Court Judge J. Christopher Gibson. With Sheppard as she took her oath was husband Frank Faverzani, son, Mark Faverzani and daughter Nora Faverzani. Elder son Frank Faverzani was on a ski trip and was absent.
Among those joining the ceremony was Marlene Sheppard, the new surrogate’s mother. Her late father, Albert W. Sheppard Jr., was an original judge in Philadelphia’s Commerce Case Management Program to eliminate backlog in business cases and a member of the Common Pleas bench for 29 years.
U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Savage, District of Pennsylvania, recounted her father and uncle, who was also a judge, before presenting Sheppard with, and helping her don, for the first time, the black judicial robe that was her father’s.
Members of the Sheriff’s Department’s Honor Guard presented the colors. Nora and Mark Faverzani led the Pledge of Allegiance. Julia Wilson of Ocean City sang the “Star Spangled Banner.”
Rev. William J. Kelly of St. Damien Catholic Church, Ocean City gave the invocation and Benediction.
Deborah Jenkins closed the ceremony with “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
The line of Surrogates included:
1723, Jacob Spicer, 1st
1741, Henry Young
1768, Elijah Hughes Jr.
1787, Jesse Hand
1793, Jeremiah Eldredge
1796, Ebenezer Newton
1802, Aaron Eldredge
1803, Jehu Townsend
1831, Humphrey Leaming
1852, Elijah Townsend
1863, Peter Souder
1871, Jonathan Leaming
1877, William Hildreth
1897, E.C. Hewitt
1907, Charles P. Vanaman
1912, Edward L. Rice
1917, Harry S. Douglass
1922, Irving Fitch
1952, Arthur W. Laricks
1972, W. Robert Hentges
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