By Jennifer Dorsett
Field Editor

Thirty-eight years is a long time, but recently retired DeWitt County Farm Bureau (CFB) Secretary Myra Parr said when you love what you do, time passes quickly.

She started her career at DeWitt CFB without any agricultural background or experience.

“I was born and raised in Waco, but I married a man from down here. So, we moved here, and I went to work for the county Farm Bureau,” Parr said. “I wasn’t a farm kid. I was a city kid who was drafted. I learned so much. I just had to grow with it.”

Parr was hired as a receptionist, answering the phone and greeting visitors, but transitioned over time to the role as county secretary and office manager.

Much changed over the years, including moving from an all-paper system to digital records, member status and billing. But Parr said one thing stayed the same: DeWitt CFB’s commitment to growing membership.

“It was always a big deal to our board of directors to have the continuous membership gain,” she said. “And as you continue growing each year, it becomes more of a challenge. You have to stay in contact with members and continually prove the value of that membership and communicate why Texas Farm Bureau is important and how it helps them.”

Ten-year memberships were available in the earlier years, where lump sums were paid upfront and memberships automatically renewed for 10 consecutive years. Parr said it was more difficult to grow memberships after that ended, but DeWitt County always managed, despite sometimes facing less-than-ideal economic circumstances.

“There was a big population and economic boom with the Eagle Ford Shale. We had lots of people move into the area and gained many new members, but now that’s done and gone,” Parr said. “But that’s just the nature of the oilfield industry. It comes and goes, and you just have to weather the tide. And we always have.”

One thing that really surprised her in her career was seeing the versatility of farms and ranches. She said watching farmers and ranchers adapt to changing economic conditions and learning about the diversity of each operation gave her a newfound respect for the profession and the hardworking people.

“My favorite part of the past 38 years has been the people. People who have made a difference and touched my life, people that I’ve helped and that have helped me. I stayed as many years as I did because of our members,” she said. “Those people inspired people. They made a big difference in my life, and I hope I somehow made a big difference in theirs.”

As she reminisced on her time with the organization, she offered her best advice for counties looking to continue growing their reach and presence.

“It’s pretty simple, really. It’s all about the members,” she said. “We need them every bit as much as they need us.”

Parr’s retirement leaves big shoes to fill, according to DeWitt CFB President Wes Dukes.

“She gave her life and personality and joy to the community through her job. I’ve been in the community for 40 years, and she’s a very special person to everybody in the community,” Dukes said. “She always got the job done and always found time to do more. You don’t train people to do that. People with that kind of work ethic are a blessing when they come, and we pray a blessing on her retirement. We miss her every day.”

Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) COO/Executive Director Si Cook, who is from DeWitt County, said he had the privilege of working with Parr when starting his career with TFB. He has admired her dedication and passion for her county and Farm Bureau members.

“Myra has been an integral part of Dewitt County Farm Bureau as long as I have been a member. She truly cared about her job, the county Farm Bureau and making sure our members were treated right,” Cook said. “She’s seen a lot of changes in our organization through the years, but one thing remained the same—her commitment to Farm Bureau and the members she served each day. Thanks so much for your dedication, Myra, and for being a friend and mentor to so many.”