Lynda Detterman Obituary

Lynda Joy Benroth Detterman

Lynda Joy Benroth Detterman, 79, passed away peacefully Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Rocky River.

She was born Sept. 13, 1944, in Tiffin, to Calvin and Elva Mae (Smith) Detterman.

She is survived by her son, Jeff Benroth and his partner Jackson Starkey; brother, Dwight Detterman and his wife Sandra (Rice) and their son Shawn (Kerri) Detterman; and sister, June (Detterman) Harris and her husband David and their children, Nathan (Kasey) Harris and Rachel (Chris) Burns.

Lynda's education and professional career was an exceptional and lifelong journey. She earned her B.S. in Education from Bluffton College in 1966, her M.S. in Guidance and Counseling in Education from Kent State University in 1977, and received her Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University in 1984.

Lynda brought her education and skills to bear teaching at Baldwin Wallace College and Suffolk University. She was also responsible for the creation of a new Portsmouth, New Hampshire site for Antioch College. She built the consulting group Detterman + Associates, Inc. over the course of many years, and her firm offered longtime support to the Air Force Materials Research Laboratory, Cigna Group, Wachovia Bank, Bentley College, Elsie Y. Cross Associates, private executive clients, and many more.

Lynda spent most of her professional life enjoying New England. An enthusiastic Cantabrigian, her work kept her frequently in the air and on the road, while her spare time was spent tending the garden, hiking in the mountains, and enjoying trips to the Cape and other day trips. Her time in Massachusetts and New Hampshire brought her joy through the landscape, geography, and culture, and in the community connections she forged in local politics alongside many engaging and enduring friendships.

In her later years, she decided to return to Ohio where she could be closer to family and old friends. There, she began volunteering with the Transplant House of Cleveland, engaged in local politics to support her neighborhood, and even began knitting with a neighborhood cadre of friends. Her love of music, art, culture, design, and architecture was the lens through which all things passed.

Lynda's strength and passion will always be appreciated by her friends, family, and peers. Her life's efforts were dedicated to education, cultural diversity, women's rights, organizational development through consulting and executive coaching, community stewardship, and development. Throughout it all, she remained committed to her family, friends, work, and community, and she will be dearly missed.

Memorial gifts may be made to American Civil Liberties Union.

At the following locations on the published dates are gatherings to celebrate and share our experiences of Lynda. I hope you'll be able to join us for one and you're welcome to any of them. We hope to see you there!

- Tuesday, Sept. 17, 4-8 p.m., Lakewood Congressional Church, 1375 W. Clifton Blvd., Lakewood, Ohio, 44107

- Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2-5 p.m., Home of Dwight and Sandy Detterman, 485 W. County Rd. 6, Tiffin, Ohio, 44883

- Saturday, Sept. 21, 3-6 p.m., Home of Marcy Crary and Tim Hall, 103 Prince St., W. Newton, Massachusetts, 02465