BERNE — Three decades into her career, Patricia Favreau has been honored as Clerk of the Year by the New York State Town Clerks Association.

“I was very honored, very pleased — and very shocked,” Favreau laughed. “To be honored by your peers is a very nice thing.”

Favreau has been Berne’s town clerk since 1980, and has been a member of the town clerks association since its inception 28 years ago.

She originally received the award on April 26.

“I found out in April; they honored me at the annual conference,” Favreau explained, “but it’s customary for each of the clerks who have been honored to be further recognized by their own association, and bring it to the attention of their town later on.”

She wasn’t expecting the second round of recognition at the luncheon this month with the local association, which includes Albany and Schenectady counties, where she was presented with a second plaque.

There are 10 districts in the statewide association; Favreau has been honored as Clerk of the Year for district 3.

“I haven’t had an honor like that,” Favreau said this week.

“I was the president of the association; I’ve served in practically all the offices; and I am a certified clerk; a registered municipal clerk; and member of the Masters of Municipal Clerk Academy,” she said, listing some of the positions that she has served in, each of which she also considers an honor. But, she went on, “All those things indicate work.”

While the award itself does not reward the rest of the town, monetarily or otherwise, Favreau thinks that Berne has indeed profited from her membership in the association.

“The education that we get at these annual meetings throughout the years benefits our town and constituents because it teaches me things that allow me to work better in our office,” she said.

Outside of her work as a clerk, Favreau spends as much time as she can with her family. She has four children, 10 grandchildren, and she became a great-grandmother on New Year’s Day.

“My family is a very important part of my life,” she said. While Favreau has been a widow for 11 years, she remembers the role her husband played in her work as town clerk.

“He was always supportive, and even served as my deputy for some years,” she said.

While the job has its challenges, Favreau has always made time for her family, she said, and has still managed to involve herself in various facets of town life over the years, including Berne’s youth council, the Hilltown Community Resource Center, the Hilltowns Players, St. Bernadette’s Church, and being the editor of the town newsletter.

The proclamation presented to Favreau reads, “A town is only as great as those persons who demonstrate exemplary service to their community.”

“Sometimes there are conflicts,” Favreau said this week, “but it is a wonderful job.”