Habersham County is remembering longtime public servant Nell Goss, whose decades of service to county government included becoming the county’s first certified female deputy sheriff.
According to Habersham County officials, Goss began her career with county government on Aug. 24, 1982, and remained involved in public service for more than four decades. Her final role with the county came as a poll worker, where she continued serving voters through Feb. 10, 2026.
While there were several periods during those years when she stepped away from county employment, officials said Goss remained a familiar and respected figure throughout county government for much of her life.
Goss made local history in 1989 when she joined the Habersham County Sheriff’s Department as the county’s first certified female deputy sheriff. A newspaper article published at the time described Goss and Cornelia Police Department officer Stephanie Edge as the first two women to break into the traditionally male-dominated ranks of law enforcement in Habersham County.
A graduate of the Northeast Georgia Police Academy in Athens, Goss completed more than 240 hours of study to earn officer certification through the state of Georgia.
Although she was not assigned as a road deputy, the article noted her responsibilities included administrative duties, transporting female prisoners, mailing warrants and assisting drug task force officers by searching female suspects after arrests.
In the article, Goss described law enforcement as rewarding because no two days were ever the same.
Former Habersham County Sheriff Harrison Nix recalled Goss working alongside longtime Deputy Sheriff Ken Hightower in the courthouse office during her years with the department.
Beyond law enforcement, Goss worked in numerous county offices over the years, including the tax commissioner’s office, probate court, magistrate court, parks and recreation and elections.
“She was a long-term employee of Habersham County,” Nix said.
For many who worked in county government, Goss became part of the daily life and culture of the courthouse itself.
Her daughter, Brandi, practically grew up there.
“She worked at the courthouse since I was 2 weeks old,” Brandi recalled. “My bassinet was there.”
Current Habersham County Probate Judge Pam Wooley said she still remembers seeing Brandi in Goss’s office when Wooley joined county government in 1987.
Habersham County Elections Supervisor Laurel Ellison also remembered knowing Goss long before becoming involved in county government herself.
Ellison said Goss continued helping with elections even after retiring from parks and recreation, bringing experience that stretched back to the days when ballots were counted by hand.
“I remember she helped count ballots,” Ellison said. “She was a hard worker.”
During the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Goss was photographed holding the Olympic torch inside the historic Habersham County courthouse, a fitting image for a woman who spent decades carrying the spirit of public service throughout the community.
Outside of county government, Goss also became a familiar face to many residents through her longtime work at The Beef Baron near Baldwin, where she worked during the restaurant’s 22 years in operation.
Through law enforcement, elections, courthouse service and decades spent helping residents across multiple departments, Goss left a lasting mark on Habersham County and helped pave the way for women in local law enforcement.
