The desk was clean. The office was empty. The parking spot had a new name on it.

Courthouse workers threw a party for Mr. Sollitto where cake and memories were shared all around. — Ray Ewing

For the first time in 42 years, Joseph E. Sollitto Jr. descended the steps of the Edgartown courthouse as something other than the clerk of the superior court. As of noon on Wednesday, the longtime public servant was officially retired.

“I’m out of a job,” Mr. Sollitto said. “I’m Joe who?”

Mr Sollitto, who announced his retirement early in 2018 and did not seek reelection in November, had already begun preparations for the big day, moving almost a half a century of filings, photographs and memories out of the historic corner office on the second floor of the old brick courthouse. In the fall he feigned surprise but shed real tears as an entire courtroom full of officials, judges, attorneys, state representatives and Islanders thanked him for his four decades of service against the backdrop of his imminent departure.

On Wednesday, that day finally came, as his coworkers at the Edgartown courthouse wished him a fond farewell with a retirement party.

“What are you going to do tomorrow, Joe?” asked attorney Martin V. Tomassian.

“I won’t be up at my usual 4 a.m., that’s for sure,” Mr. Sollitto replied.

About 80 miles north at the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in Boston, Mr. Sollitto’s successor, T. George Davis, was being sworn in as Dukes County clerk of courts. Mr. Davis was elected in November and will being his six-year term Thursday. Mr. Sollitto said he reminded Mr. Davis that as the highest ranking court official in Dukes County, it’s the clerk’s job to unlock the courthouse and turn on the lights in the morning.

Leaving the corner office after 42 years. — Ray Ewing

Along with turkey wraps and tuna salad, the party included a cake with a photo of Mr. Sollitto’s first campaign button from 1976. Although later campaigns — there were six of them in all — used the phrase “Not Your Average Joe” or emphasized his famous bow tie, the one on the cake simply read, “Elect Joseph E. Sollitto Jr. Clerk of Courts.”

“The police chief told me I should have something to campaign with,” Mr. Sollitto said. “So I decided I would order these buttons and they cost me $200. But I had to pay for them out of pocket because nobody ran against me.”

During the touching event the fixture of the Edgartown courthouse shared stories and memories — many best left out of print — about his time as clerk. Amid tales of parking ticket mayhem, delinquent attorneys, and one defendant’s attempted courthouse defenestration, it became clear that Mr. Sollitto would miss the courthouse just as much as it would miss him.

“Oh yeah, it’s sad,” he said. “I started coming here as a young cop in 1968, so nearly 50 years of coming here. It’s a long time, you know.”

As district court clerk-magistrate Liza Williamson escorted Mr. Sollitto down the courthouse steps one last time — she called it his “perp walk” — longtime associates, attorneys and court officials gave Mr. Sollitto their official goodbyes and salutations. While shaking hands patting backs, Mr. Sollitto kept his sunglasses on. Everyone knew what they were hiding.

“The hardest part about retirement,” he said on the courthouse steps, “is losing my parking spot.”