When Janice Bender of Wessington Springs announced her retirement after 26 years working for Jerauld County, she also made it clear she didn’t want an open house to celebrate.
“You can imagine my surprise when I walked into the community room and saw so many family and friends there for me,” she said of the retirement celebration held in her honor last month. “I was completely blown away at the event.”
Bender started at the county in September 1996 at the Department of Health and continued there for seven years. She then moved to the equalization office in December of 2003 as deputy director, taking the helm as director in January 2016. Once Bender announced her retirement earlier this year, Christina Karsky was hired to fill Bender’s position.
As for retirement plans, Bender said she looks forward to more time attending her grandkids’ events and activities.
“I liked working with the taxpayers and the people I worked with at the courthouse are amazing,” she said. “We are more like a family. I will miss that.”
