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It is with sadness that the partners of Simpkins Edwards announce the passing of Lynn Woodward, the firm’s first female partner, first female senior partner and former chairman of the management board.
Following a degree in agriculture at Seale Hayne (a sandwich course where she went to work on a farm and had to point out that she was just as capable of tractor driving as her fellow male students!), she took up accountancy as a career, joining a Newton Abbot firm as a trainee. 13 years later, in 1997, she joined Simpkins Edwards as a member of the farming and rural team.
In 1998 Lynn made history by becoming the first female partner at Simpkins Edwards and quickly took on responsibility for human resources; a role she was involved in all through her career. Lynn was known for her thoughtfulness, organisation and incredible diligence in everything she did.
She played a significant role in recruitment, taking great pleasure in seeing trainees join the firm and progress their careers, learning as they worked and gaining in confidence.
In 2005 Lynn was elected to the join the management board of Simpkins Edwards and held this position for 17 years. In 2012 she became the firm’s first female senior partner.
One of her long-term achievements was identifying and recruiting young managers with partner potential ensuring the firm’s future leadership. A new generation of partners are now running each of our 5 offices across Devon.
Lynn enjoyed her contact with clients; her relationship with most of them was a mix of personal and professional interest, creating a bond of trust allowing her to deliver technical expertise in a friendly and straightforward style. She quickly gained an excellent reputation across her largely, but not exclusively, agricultural fee base.
Following the retirement of a colleague Lynn took on the post of Clerk to the Trustees, for St Petrocks and Heavitree Parish Lands Charity. Her organisation and communication skills were invaluable. On her retirement she became a trustee and continued to work with the charity until recently.
Lynn stepped down as senior partner in 2019. Despite the upheaval caused by the COVID 19 pandemic she remained a great source of support to everyone at Simpkins Edwards. She retired in March 2022 after spending most of the last two years working from home due to the pandemic. She was very sorry not to be able to say a “proper” goodbye on her retirement due to continuing restrictions, but kept in touch over the last three years.
Our thoughts are with Lynn’s husband Malcolm, whom she enjoyed traveling abroad with and a passion for gardening.
Lynn leaves a lasting legacy at Simpkins Edwards; her work ethic and dedication were second to none, alongside her personality and warmth, shared with all across the years. She’s been described as a “fantastic leader”, “the best mentor” and a “special person”, who will be missed, and remembered fondly, on many counts.
The family have set up a donation and tribute page for Rowcroft Hospice, who supported Lynn in her final weeks, which can be found here: https://lynn-woodward.muchloved.com/.