Hi! I’m Stephanie Kress and I feel honored to have been nominated for such a cool initiative! I’ve lived in Decatur County all my life, except for when I went to college at DePauw University in Greencastle and law school at the IU McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis. I am an attorney at the law office of Rolfes, Garvey, Walker & Robbins and I’ve been practicing at this firm since 2010. I have really enjoyed seeing how our community has changed over the years and it was a thrill for me to take part in that by being on the Main Street Greensburg and Decatur County Community Foundation boards of directors. I also attend Community Church of Greensburg where I’ve met some of the most genuine people I’ve ever known. In my spare time, I enjoy baking, hiking, reading, and playing games with my kids.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
I have been married to the love of my life, Dan Kress, for fourteen years. He is a general dentist at at Brown & Kress in Versailles and one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. We have three children – caring and creative Maya-10, spunky and athletic Sunny-8, and curious and handsome Harrison-6. They keep us on our toes. My parents are Rick & Lynn Bewley and Gary & Sharon Fischer and my mother-in-law is Kathy Kress. I feel very fortunate that we live close to them. They are a big part of our village and I’m not sure what we would do without them!
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
I am an attorney and I practice mostly in the realm of family law, but working in a small town allows me to see and practice many different areas of law. I enjoy advocating for others, giving a person’s story a voice, and assisting people with navigating the court system. I often explain to others that legal matters and contested hearings are like a dance and when you don’t know the steps, you can get tripped up. It’s best to have someone who knows the steps to guide you. In the future, I hope to be a judge or magistrate in our county.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
I’ve lived here my whole life, except for the years I spent in college and law school. I’m a 2001 graduate of Greensburg Community High School. After Dan graduated from dental school, we purchased a home here in Greensburg where we have lived since 2011. We dearly love our neighbors and neighborhood!
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
The most interesting person I’ve met has to be David Miers. He is dearly missed. He really got me interested in serving our community by asking me to be on some of our local non-profit boards. David always seemed to have the answers to every problem and he had an authoritative, yet gentle approach, always with a little bit of humor thrown in for good measure. I appreciated his leadership and mentorship more than he knew.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
Despite my pale skin and red hair, the beach is my happy place. I’d love to be on a beautiful white sand beach right now.
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
One of my favorite movies is Mary Poppins.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Every single person has inherent value and can teach you something, including your best friend, your worst enemy, your political rival, and that annoying person you just cannot stand to be around. Let go of your judgments and try to get to a point of mutual understanding, which doesn’t necessarily mean agreement. It’s really hard to hate people up close. It’s hard to hate people when you’re conversing over coffee or dinner. It’s hard to hate people when you’re looking them in the eyes. Talk less. Listen more. Get curious about how people came to be who they are.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
My husband and I would like to take a family heritage trip to Ireland, Germany, and Sicily.
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
I would have to say Hunter Pharmacy or the Corner Store. I’d ride my bike with my friends to those stores with some change to buy brown paper bags full of candy. I’ve never been a smoker, except for those candy cigarettes I was addicted to for a while back in the ’90s.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
I would probably be far too starstruck to have a meaningful lunch with anyone famous. At this point in my busy life, I’d probably choose to get all my best girlfriends together for lunch. Our schedules rarely allow this, so picking a day where we could magically all be available to meet at the Tree City Brew Co. for some pizza and brews sounds like a pretty fantastic time to me.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
My favorite thing about this community has to be my family and friends, the farmers’ market, and the concerts that pop up around town in the spring, summer, and fall.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
I hope to be a judge or magistrate in Decatur County. I would also love to continue to be a part of local nonprofit boards.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I am currently training for a mini marathon. Also, I really enjoy the art of dance. It has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I danced as a little girl, in high school, and on DePauw’s dance team, and then I returned to Greensburg to coach the Pirateers for about 5 years, which was a ton of fun. I hope to return to coaching some day!
Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
Maui! The sand, the clear ocean water, the turtles and whales, even that sweet smell of plumeria that seems to permeate the air… It really is paradise.
Q: Favorite month? favorite holiday? and best single day on the calendar?
Favorite month is probably July. It conjures up really fun memories of the 4th of July parade, swimming, boating, grilling, and taking fun summer trips. Favorite holiday is Thanksgiving – the BEST food and family time without the hassle of presents. Best single day on the calendar would have to be my birthday. I share it with my son, so that makes it extra special.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
Pretty much anyone I see engaging in an act of kindness inspires me to do the same. Kindness is contagious in the best way.
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Comforting, cozy, and family.