MONROE — After Pam Young’s father had a bit of a negative reaction to being a part of “senior” living when he was old enough, she promised herself then and there that she would have a different attitude when it came time to retire. 

That was years ago, but she never forgot that – and now that she’s facing her own retirement, she said she sees opportunity to still be actively involved in doing the things she loves and staying social by using the many opportunities in town for those in their golden years.

“I love my father dearly but I’m going to have a good time and enjoy it,” Young said just days after her last day as the administrative assistant at the Green County Sheriff’s Office Jan. 7. 

Young has spent years working for the county in many departments, but has spent the last 18 at the sheriff’s office, where her interest stayed strong with the people she enjoyed and the variety it offered. 

She began thinking about retirement a handful of years ago after being diagnosed with Lupus in 2014. Young said she feels blessed that she’s been able to work as long as she has with the diagnosis, but is looking forward to going at her own pace.

“I just knew it was time,” Young said. “I am so grateful for my family, friends, my co-workers and bosses that have supported me through the years.”

Green County Sheriff Jeff Skatrud has worked with Young for about 15 years and says she’ll be someone who is missed at the department. 

“It’s darn hard to replace someone like Pam,” Skatrud said. “She was organized, knew her job well and was very kind and easy to work with.”

The administrative assistant position was filled by Lindsay Dodge, Skatrud said, and although she only had a small amount of time overlapping with Young for training, the transition has gone well. 

“We recruited an excellent replacement and we’re off to a great start,” Skatrud said. “Knowing the job is important and we were fortunate to have found someone quick. We had a lot of good choices and qualified people looking for work.”

Young grew up in Woodford and attended Black Hawk Schools until her family moved to Monroe in the early 1970s, where she finished high school. She was soon married and worked at what once was Moore Business Forms for a short time before having her two children. 

In 1985, Young found herself divorced, gave her life to the Lord and was soon remarried. It was also the year Young found herself on a path that led her to a career. She started as a typist in the clerical unit for Green County Human Services and was among several who had the job. She said before she took it, her father was kind enough to rent a typewriter for her to freshen up her skills. 

She enjoyed the clerical work and recalls in the mid-1980s when computers surfaced among the workplace and eventually became a wonderful change. By 1990, each of the typists was assigned and she was placed in the Mental Health Unit. The experience was positive, she said, but brought challenges and stress in a busy atmosphere. When she saw an opening in the Adult and Aging Unit, she continued her clerical work there before eventually transferring to the Community Support Unit.  

“I just thought, why not get to know more people — it was good for me and helped me grow,” Young said.

But it was after about a year there when she decided to continue her education, and earned her legal certificate online. Two weeks later she said she felt as if the Lord intervened when a legal secretary position opened at the District Attorney and Corporation Counsel’s office in Green County, and she landed the job. She held the position for three years, and said she enjoyed it. 

The opening at the Green County Sheriff’s Office came in 2001 and caught her eye. The position, which was then called Confidential Office Associate, is where she stayed the longest. She said it was the variety of things each day, getting out with the daily mail runs and the people she worked with that held her interest. Eventually her title became Administrative Assistant. 

There were times through the years that Young said she had some embarrassing moments she can laugh about now — like the time she heard sirens while on a mail run, but soon realized it was her who had switched on the squad car siren she was using. She once stepped into wet cement while streets were being redone and even side swiped a parking meter with her side mirror just before the city removed them. 

Her job frequently changed as the years passed as technology and laws changed but she helped disseminate information for records, responded to report requests from insurance companies, ordered supplies and provided administrative support by setting up meetings and interviews, and more.  

“I just helped wherever I was needed,” Young said.

At her retirement, Young said she feels ready to change her focus a bit, and hone in on the things she loves. 

“The Lord was putting on my heart some different things,” Young said. 

Those things include possibly looking into raising a pet therapy dog after she put her own special dog down about a year ago and maybe offering music lessons in her free time. Young has played piano since she was young, and also plays the trumpet and saxophone. Music is a big part of her life and she and her husband, Larry play every other week at Monroe Bible Church for the worship team. 

The couple also enjoys visiting nursing homes to offer ministry there. 

“It’s in our hearts to tell about Jesus,” Young said.

She also loves to travel and has a trip to Hawaii planned in the near future. Young said also on her list is spending more time with her two children, Amy and Adam, and their families that include her five grandchildren. 

Her final days at work were bittersweet, she said, but she plans to embrace retirement life fully — which was always her plan. 

“You’ve got to embrace life,” Young said. “God gave you this many years — why not make the most of them?”