Summit County’s first black bailiff known for fashion sense, friendly demeanor; Billy Razor dies at 92

Before Billy Razor went to bed, he shined two pairs of shoes to wear to his job as a bailiff in Summit County Common Pleas Court.

The next morning, he chose the pair he wanted to wear — coordinating with his outfit and suspenders — and gave the shoes a final polish.

He headed to the courthouse bright and early, in time to make coffee before anyone else arrived.

Razor was known for his fashion sense, broad smile and contagious laugh.

“I think he was one of those guys — when you look back — who was a larger-than-life character,” said Summit County Probate Court Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer, who was an attorney when Razor worked in the courts. “He was very much a character. Billy never became anybody but Billy.”

Razor, who was the first black bailiff in Summit County Common Pleas Court and was once the highest-ranking black member of the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, died Jan. 30 at the age of 92. His funeral will be Sunday.

Razor, who was born in Hazard County, Ky., moved to Akron in the early ’50s to find a better life for his wife, Bessie, and their three children. He flipped a coin to choose between Indianapolis and Akron, both cities where he had family.

He got a job with the American Hard Rubber Co. and then Goodyear Aerospace.

Razor was hired in 1961 by the sheriff’s office, where he worked his way up to the rank of captain by 1974. It was then that he learned about an opening for bailiff for new Common Pleas Judge John Reece. Razor told Harold Stubbs, the city prosecutor at the time, that he was interested, and Stubbs reached out to Reece.

“(Reece) told me it was time for a black bailiff in common pleas court,” Razor told the Beacon Journal in 1989. “But he wouldn’t give me the job for that reason ... He figured I was a pretty smart man. He just thought I was deserving. And he knew I wouldn’t take nothing from nobody.”

Reece wasn’t always the easiest judge to deal with, and Razor was the go between the attorneys and the judge.

“Billy Razor was a good guy,” said Bill Zavarello, an Akron attorney who has practiced law for more than 50 years. “I can’t imagine who else could have had the constitution to be his (Reece’s) bailiff and handle all the things that lawyers said all the time ... It took the suaveness of Billy to handle it.”

Besides his court duties, Razor also was known for selling things to those frequenting the court. Zavarello recalls Razor peddling smoke detectors. Stormer remembers Razor having an Amway catalogue on his desk, featuring household and cleaning supplies. She said she ordered a few items while waiting to meet with Reece.

Razor retired in February 1989 when Reece moved to the 9th District Court of Appeals. He wrote a song for the judge and gave it to him on his last day. “I’ll miss you so. It’ll be like a separation to me,” the song said.

After Razor’s retirement, he and Reece remained friends until the judge’s death in 2010. Razor filled in as a bailiff for other judges when they needed help and worked as a process server.

Outside of court, Razor enjoyed fishing, food and family. His wife, Bessie, died in 2012, but he left behind three kids, grandkids, great-grandkids and great-great-grandkids.

“He was an amazing father,” said Alice Razor, Razor’s daughter. “He always provided for us and made sure we had our needs. He also gave us stuff we did not necessarily need.”

Before Razor’s health deteriorated, he was excited about seeing his great-grandson graduate from Clark Atlanta University in May.

When his children or grandchildren visited, Alice Razor said he always had the same parting words for them:

“Be careful out there,” he would say.

Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705, swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com and on Twitter: @swarsmithabj.