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Barbara Gordon

OGDEN — For more than 31 years Barbara Gordon has kept the finances of St. Joseph Catholic Schools on track; she worked first at the high school for 15 years and then at the elementary for the last 16.

During those years she probably served alongside 10 principals, she said.

“I always just would tell them, ‘Just give it a year, it’ll all work out,’” she said. “And you just have to get used to the new person and the way they want things done.”

Now facing health challenges, the finance administrator is reluctantly hanging up her hat.

An Ogden native, Gordon first came to St. Joseph’s when her daughter Britney was a student at the elementary school. At that time, Father John Norman was principal of the high school. He recruited her for the position, where she served happily until Louise Price, who was then principal of both schools, “walked in my office one day and said, ‘Pack your stuff; you’re coming back to the elementary school with me,’” because each school was getting its own leader and Price was returning to St. Joseph Elementary, Gordon recalled.

Gordon has loved her years at both schools, especially elementary school, she said.

“It was an adjustment coming from high-school kids to these little cute elementary-school kids, but I am ever so grateful because my grandkids ended up being here with me,” she said.

Gordon’s daughter Britney has two children of her own; she enrolled both of them at St. Joseph Elementary beginning in pre3. Bailee, now 12, is in sixth grade and Sadie, 10, is in fourth grade.

“Pure heaven,” is how Gordon describes being so close to her granddaughters as they have attended school. “I feel blessed every single day,” she said. “I’m here in the mornings when they get here; I’m here after school. I see them in the hall; I get to give them hugs. It’s just been the best.”

Gordon has also enjoyed the many interactions with other students.

“You just can’t have a bad day here because you get to see life,” she said.

Gordon’s husband, David, is a counselor at Sandridge Junior High School, and “He loves his job so much, I’m not sure when he’ll retire,” she said.

Gordon feels the same way about her job, but after two heart surgeries in the last year and a snowmobile accident in Yellowstone National Park in December, she has made her health a priority so she can continue to enjoy being Bailee’s and Sadie’s grandma for many more years, she said, adding that she also plans to help a relative go through some medical treatments.

She has no intention of sitting out her years in a rocking chair on her front porch, however. She has a great love for animals and hopes to be able to volunteer at an animal shelter and, as she particularly enjoys gardening, she wants to spend more time in that pursuit. She also plans to continue being a familiar face at the elementary school.

“I’m going to miss the kids and I’m going to miss the people,” she said. “We have an amazing staff here at this school and teachers, and I just love everybody here. I’m going to miss the interaction with them, but I’ll still be coming in to pick up my grandkids or drop them off.”

Gordon’s contribution to the success of St. Joseph’s has been tremendous, Principal Jean Synowicki said. “Barbara has been an important part of the St. Joseph community for over 30 years, serving as the business manager for both the high and elementary schools.  Her kindness, knowledge and helpfulness are going to be greatly missed.”