After Nancy Hockenberry retired as a food service director for various places around the Midwest, she continued to pursue a passion for theater, but she also devoted much of her time to serving the children of Freeborn County.

As a guardian ad litem, Hockenberry works for Minnesota as an advocate for children in things such as custody cases, family cases and child protection cases. These children are often victims of neglect and abuse from parents who often suffer from substance abuse, Hockenberry said.

“I’m an advocate for the kids, and I tell the parents right away: I will try to work with you, and I will understand your problems. But understand this: I will only do what is in the best interest of the child, and that may not be something that you agree with,” Hockenberry said.

While social workers seek to reunite the families in child protection cases, Hockenberry said her concern is the best interest of the child.

Hockenberry has been a guardian for almost 20 years, and she said she works about 15 to 20 hours a week. She works on 10 to 12 cases at a time, and she said the length of a case can vary. Hockenberry said one of her cases has lasted about 10 years, but others last only six to eight months, and in some cases, unplanned things will occur to make the case go longer.

While seeking the best interest of the child, Hockenberry and other guardians investigate family members, schools, neighbors and anyone else in direct contact with the child.

After meeting with a child and other people in the child’s life, Hockenberry said she’ll write a court report and appear in court to make a recommendation to the judge, who then makes the final decision.

Hockenberry said the courtroom side of the job is a small part where “you put everything together in the puzzle.”

The largest part of her job is going out and meeting a child, and investigating different facets of that child’s life.

“All you can do is evaluate and try to be as fair as possible, but always the front thing in your mind are those kids. Always. That’s the main thing that drives you: Is this going to be a good place, or a good environment, or a good solution for these kids or isn’t it?” Hockenberry said.

Hockenberry said the guardian ad litem program has become more structured. One thing she can no longer do is transfer a child, which she said used to allow her to take a child somewhere outside the home like Pizza Hut so the children could open up more freely.

Age: Over 70

Address: Albert Lea

Livelihood: guardian ad litem, retired food service director and dietitian

Family: husband, Jack; children, John, 52; David, 50; Peter, 47; Timothy, 45, and Amy, 42, 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren with a third on the way

Interesting fact: Hockenberry is active in the theater. Her favorite roles have been Ethel Thayer in “On Golden Pond” and Lady Bracknell in “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

Children are often greatly affected in family cases, which are often divorces, Hockenberry said, “I tell the clients there are no winners in a divorce, only losers, and the greatest losers are the children.”

“I didn’t expect that some people have to live like this — that some children have to live like this,” Hockenberry said. “It just breaks my heart to think how hard it is for some kids to grow up.”

Hockenberry said many people in the community don’t realize what some children live through. Many of the children Hockenberry has worked with aren’t getting the attention and care they need at home, and she said many of them are behind in their schooling.

Some cases can be hard because no concrete proof sways Hockenberry to recommend one way, she said. She said she often writes in her court reports that she reserves the right to change her mind, because sometimes a parent suffering from substance abuse will check into rehab and change.

In custody cases, Hockenberry said it’s common for one parent or relative to dislike her, but her job is to look out for the welfare and the best interest of the child. Knowing one side often doesn’t like her was difficult at first, but Hockenberry said she would probably feel the same way if she was in their shoes.

After nearly 20 years, Hockenberry said she thought about retiring this spring, but she’s involved with some cases that aren’t resolved, and a few children would take her retirement as a rejection because she’s the only constant in those children’s lives.

Hockenberry said the best part of the job is seeing a child five years later and seeing their smiling faces. Last spring, Hockenberry said she was invited to the graduation party of a boy she once worked with. The adoptive mother wrote that the boy wanted to invite Hockenberry and the social worker, because if it weren’t for them, he wouldn’t be where he was, Hockenberry said.

“It’s very rewarding,” Hockenberry said. “It’s sad sometimes, and I feel very disappointed sometimes [in] the way things go, but at least I know I’ve done my best. I’ve tried the hardest I can to make things easier on these kids.”