STARKE COUNTY – Starke County is mourning the loss of one of its most influential leaders. Nancy J. Dembowski, 91, a lifelong advocate for her hometown of Knox and for small communities across Indiana, died peacefully at her home on Monday, September 15th.
Dembowski’s public life began right here at WKVI, where she began as a secretary and then became an on-air personality; with she and the great Ted Hayes hosting a well-remembered show together. During her 25-year career at WKVI, Nancy and co-worker Kathy Van Gilder lamented that Knox lacked holiday decorations. Together they launched what became known as the Candy Cane Committee, gathering donations and volunteers to craft more than a hundred wooden candy canes to don downtown streets during the holiday season. Dembowski later said that project was her “accidental” first step into civic leadership; and the wooden candy canes have since become an instantly-recognizable and well-loved staple of Knox’s winter decorations.
In 1984, Dembowski became the first woman to be elected to the Starke County Council, serving until 1991. In 1991, Nancy was elected as mayor of Knox, where she served for eleven years. During her mayorship, Nancy ushered in projects that left a lasting mark on the city, including but not limited to the construction of the community center that was renamed in her honor in 2012, restoration of the historic Gateway Depot at the north end of Knox, and multiple improvements that earned the city two Achievement Awards from the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns.
Her public service extended to the state level when she was appointed to the Indiana Senate in 2002. After a narrow election loss in 2004, she returned to Indianapolis to serve as a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from 2006 to 2012, and she was a delegate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Throughout her career, Nancy made a point to highlight the needs of small towns and rural residents.
Even after leaving elected office, Dembowski remained engaged in community initiatives. She founded the nonprofit organization Moving Starke County Forward, in order to address health concerns, relying on volunteers and small grants to encourage healthier living across Starke County. Her efforts earned her the Starke County Chamber of Commerce’s 2016 Henry F. Schricker Award, which honors those who embody the former governor’s credo of “service before self.”
Nancy was also a member of the Starke County Economic Development Foundation, having served on that board since it first began, and additionally serving as their Vice President. She also served as Chairman of Starke United, President of the Starke County Junior Achievement board, and President of the Chamber of Commerce.
Nancy was a member of the Kiwanis Club, and a member of the Knox High School Improvement Plan Committee, the Harvest Festival Committee, and the Starke County Workforce One Advisory Board.
She became a member of the Starke County Community Foundation and was a former member of the Starke County Coalition Against Domestic Abuse where she helped institute a plan to build the Phoenix House, a safe haven for those escaping abuse. She also served as secretary for the Starke County Youth Club, and over the years was a member of numerous other boards, committees, and coalitions.
As mentioned, the city of Knox recognized Nancy’s enduring influence in 2012 by renaming the Knox Community Center to the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center.
Nancy was someone who believed that lasting change begins with ordinary citizens. “Don’t complain and say it will never change,” she once urged. “Find others who feel as you do, and work together to change it…It’s your community. Stand up and work for change.”
A celebration of her life will be held at 1PM Central Time on Sunday, October 12, at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center in Knox. Memorial contributions may be made in her honor to the Starke County Youth Club.
From her days on the air at WKVI to the Statehouse halls of Indianapolis, Nancy Dembowski leaves behind a lasting legacy that is defined by her service, vision, and deep passion for her hometown.
