Dee Lynch and farm life go together like horses and stables, so it’s perhaps fitting that this longtime equine enthusiast is, quite literally, riding off into the sunset in retirement.
After 26 years with the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS), Lynch and her boyfriend, Larry Williamson, recently purchased a farm in Huntington County, and they plan to while away the next chapter of their lives in the moseying vein of cowpokes and farmers bent on living each and every day to the fullest – but with an appropriate level of the leisurely.
After a rewarding career with DCS, the Nappanee native is saddling up and heading to a new home and a new adventure – retirement. It may not be quite the life about which Roy Rogers sang, but for Dee and Larry it’s a new frontier they can’t wait to explore.
“It’s just a small farm with animals,” said Dee. “But we’ve got horses, mini donkeys, chickens, dogs, cats.”
An Old McDonald-esque menagerie awaiting at her new home, Dee is happy for her myriad life experiences and more than ready for new ones.
Home on the range
Dee’s new surroundings are uniquely suited to an animal lover who once excelled as a collegiate athlete. Lynch in her younger years gained valuable experience working for a nonprofit; she followed that up by spending more than a quarter century helping shape a northern Indiana DCS office into what she believes is a shining example of the best that vital agency can be.
She’s worn a lot of proverbial headgear throughout the years, so why not make one a cowboy hat?
And like the most accomplished ranch hand, Dee has worked tirelessly to tend her herd. Some of that may be her inherent educator, as she originally planned to become a health and P.E. teacher after her graduation from Ball State University. While at BSU, Dee was a gymnast and track athlete. Before that she was a 4-H leader, so her teaching roots run deep.
But as is so often the case, life blazed a new trail for Lynch, who followed it into public service.
As the old saying (sort of) goes: When one barn door closes, another opens.
Years later, Lynch wound up at DCS after taking a test that suggested social work would be an ideal fit for her. With that suggestion in mind, she took the bull by the horns and saddled up for what would become a decades-long career in public service.
Dee began her new career working primarily in training and record keeping. Conducting training programs for caseworkers throughout the state echoed her teaching background and allowed Lynch to have a hand in creating a well-prepared workforce. She was also a supervisor for the Elkhart County DCS for 10 years.
She eventually took the reins of the Starke County DCS, serving as director until her official retirement in September 2019. Forever determined to make a difference, Dee is well aware of the work that needs to be done to make positive changes possible. And she has always been willing to do that work.
“DCS is wonderful,” said Dee. “But working in state government, you have to expect lots of change and frequent changes.”
Lynch said her staff and others in the agency are committed to working closely with families and children in need of services throughout each step of every case. Each caseworker knows his or her input is valued and that their work is appreciated, and Dee believes that goes a long way not only in making employees happy, but also in targeting the best possible outcome for every case. Whenever possible, that means working directly with families to ensure children can remain in their own homes. The result is less disruption in the children’s lives and families receiving the assistance they need from social workers who are knowledgeable and caring.
“We’re about team-building,” said Dee, “and we want to encourage [our caseworkers] and have them be involved in decision making. I think we’re going in the right direction.”
Meanwhile…back at the ranch
Dee spent 11 years as the Starke County DCS director, and in that time she developed close relationships with her colleagues. Knowing the boss was departing for new pastures, her crew didn’t hold back with gifts and accolades.
Dee took home a wagonload of thoughtful goodies, many related to her future farm life. A cake baked for her farm-themed retirement party said “happy trails” and was the dessert to a lunch of smoky links wrapped in pig-shaped buns.
“I guess they liked me a little bit,” Dee said on Facebook.
Happy trails In a mix of laughter and tears, Dee bid adieu to her friends and readied herself for a life of horses, donkeys, and motorcycles – steel horses if you will. She may also open an antique restoration shop, putting time in another of her passions.
Leaving behind a career in which she invested so much of herself for so long is never easy, but Dee believes her staff – and DCS employees throughout the state – will continue to do all they can to help Hoosier children and families. With a tip of her hat, Dee leaves knowing the Starke County DCS “ranch” is in good hands.
“I’m really going to miss my people,” said Dee. “They’re all high achievers, and I think we have one of the best offices in the state. I really believe that, and I’m very proud of that.”
With contentment in her heart, Dee gallops off into the sunset satisfied she made a difference and ready for new adventures seemingly stretching out into the blue as far as the eye can see.
Happy trails indeed.
Story by Brent Brown, Indiana State Personnel Department
Photos provided by Dee Lynch