Photos Of Della Winckler’s County Board Commendation

Photos Of Della Winckler’s Goodbye Party

 

A Photo Trip Down Memory Lane

Today (Jan. 21, 2016) is the first full day that Kane County hasn’t had Della Winckler on board as a full-time employee for almost 40 years.

Winckler’s retirement was officially recognized at the Kane County Board meeting on Jan. 12, when she received a plaque and certificate of recognition from her most recent boss, Kane County Treasurer David Rickert. The Treasurer’s Office also threw together a little retirement party on Wednesday, and the parade of well-wishers was like a who’s who of Kane County and local government officials and people she has worked with and served for four decades.

“We will all miss Della,” Rickert said. “Her institutional knowledge is invaluable to Kane County, and treasurer’s offices throughout the area frequently call on her advice and expertise.”

The full text of the certificate of recognition is included below.

Winckler’s work history is also the history of Kane County government. Photos above show some of the people she’s worked with through the years.

What’s the biggest change?

“Probably in the office itself,” she said.

When Winckler started, on May 1, 1975, the Treasurer’s Office included around 40 employees, she said. Today, there are eight full-time and three part-time.

“All our work was done manually on the books — and some of the books were the size of this table,” she said, pointing at the table in the Treasurer’s Office that on Jan. 20 held a fruit basket and punch bowl for her goodbye party.

“It’s all going to computers,” she said. “Now we’re down to a minimum staff, and I think that staff does a very good job serving the residents of Kane County.”

The other big change, of course, is the expansion of the county itself, changing from a small, rural suburb to the fifth-largest county in the state of Illinois, serving a population of more than 520,000 people.

“We’re really blossomed — probably quadrupled in size during that time,” she said.

Winckler was interviewed for her first job with Kane County in the Old Courthouse on Third Street, during a time when “double-knit polyester was the popular fabric in clothing,” according to her certificate of recognition. Her official title was clerk/typist level III, and her starting salary was $450 a month.

She went on to become chief deputy treasurer, a position that combined the roll of office manager, executive secretary, customer service manager and liaison to the County Board.

Rickert said Winckler would continue to work with the Treasurer’s Office as a part-time consultant, helping with the transition and continuing to add her invaluable knowledge and experience while Rickert looks at reorganizing the office to distribute her duties. Rickert said he will appoint a chief deputy sometime in the near future.

“We’re going to keep her around — there’s only one Della,” he said. “There are things that only she will know. We will make good use of that resource when necessary.”

Winckler said Wednesday that she and her husband, Rich, planned to leave right away for a three-week vacation in Florida. After that, they’ll do some traveling, join a golf league, do some fishing and enjoy retirement life. Winckler is active with the East Aurora High School reunion committee, and she’ll be able to spend more time with that organization, as well.

Winckler’s certificate of recognition thanks her for her years of service and encourages her to begin this next phase of her life with a quote from writer Gene Perret:

“Retirement — that’s when you return home from work one day and say, ‘Hi, honey, I’m home forever.’ ”

Certificate of Recognition

Della Winckler began her career in the Treasurer’s Office on May 1, 1975. Her official title was clerk/typist level III, and her starting salary was $450 a month. On that same day, Hank Aaron broke the career record for runs batted in when his Milwaukee Brewers beat the Detroit Tigers 17-3.

Double-knit polyester was the popular fabric in clothing, and the movie Jaws would become a box-office sensation later that summer. President Ford would later recognize the end of the Vietnam War Era with the surrender of South Vietnamese troops on May 2.

During her 40-year career, Della worked with four Kane County treasurers: James Fitzgerald, Robert Critton, Gordon Volkman and David Rickert. She performed numerous functions within the office, demonstrating attention to detail and dedication to the office and her co-workers.

On March 1, 2003, Della was promoted to the position of chief deputy treasurer. This position combined the roll of office manager, executive secretary, customer service manager and liaison to the County Board into one position. Her superior knowledge of the Treasurer’s Office and its duties also meant that numerous other county treasurers would call her for consultation with their operations. Della also enjoyed a regular cadre of visitors, well-wishers and neighbors who would stop by just to say hi and pay their property taxes.

On Jan. 20, 2016, (despite numerous attempts by the treasurer to convince her otherwise), Della will retire from the Treasurer’s Office and enjoy spending time golfing and fishing with her husband, Rich Winckler.

We will all miss Della and would encourage her with a quote from writer Gene Perret: “Retirement — that’s when you return home from work one day and say, ‘Hi, honey, I’m home forever.’ ”