Posted 5/16/01
The ëlady in the officeí says good-bye
By MaryHelen Swanson
If you live in the Rush City School District and had children go through the system in the past 35 years, your kids most likely came home from grade school with comments such as ìthe lady in the office put the bandaid on it,î or ìthe lady in the office helped me find my book,î or "the lady in the office made me feel better.î
That ìlady in the officeî is Jan Goebel, although many a youngster may not have known he name until they were older. Never-the-less sheís been a steadfast presence at the elementary school for over three decades. At the end of this school year she will no longer be ìthe lady in the office.î Goebel, a woman who has had probably more unofficial titles than anyone at the elementary school, is retiring after 35 years as secretary (official title) to the principal.
Thereís a twinge of sadness in her voice as she talks about leaving her job.
ìI absolutely loved my job,î she said, ìitís going to be hard to give it up.î
The job, she feels, was given to her by God, as the opportunity arose when her youngest entered kindergarten.
ìI love all the people, they are like my family,î she went on.
Goebel worked with several administrators including Marty Ward, Jim Walker, Gary Swenson, and Mic Louzek and Vivian Pasche who filled in during an interim without a principal.
Throughout the years sheís bandaged scraped knees, comforted maybe hundreds of youngster with upset tummies, and called a lot of moms to come get little ones who were not going to make it through the day.
Goebel performed such emergency duties as sewing ripped clothing, she dried not a few tears and attended to numerous other tasks, filling in for ëmomí or ìdadî as needed when the children came to her.
She even enjoyed the students who were precocious, who didnít like school or who didnít like being away from mom and dad and ended up spending some time with her in the school office.
Most precious, she feels, were the cheery ìgood morningsî from many of the students.
ìI enjoyed it all,î she said, adding she has not one regret.
In the 35 years sheís seen many kids come and go. The scary thing, she said, is now their kids are coming through.
Goebelís own three children attended Rush City schools. ìThey all got through school, and Iím still here,î she mused.
Sheís been an integral part of life for the teaching staff, also, watching new teachers come on board, sharing, on a number of occasions, the joy of relationships that formed among the staff, going from marriages to even taking care of some of their babies when they came along.
ìItís time to goî she said, but sheís not counting the days. She said she doesnít know how it will be when school starts in the fall.
ìI might have to be gone,î she said. I donít know how it will feel,î she went on a bit hesitantly, ìit might feel good.î
As she and husband Dean told the school board last week when she was presented with a plaque for her years of service, there are no big plans for retirement.
But Goebel does have one dream and that is to visit New York City . . . Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, Broadway plays . . .everything. I just want to feel New York, she said.
Her resignation was accepted ìwith regretî by the school board last week. In commending her for all she has done for the district, Superintendent Tim Eklund and board members praised her commitment and dedication to the school, staff and children.
C.E. Jacobson Elementary Principal Vern Koepp even noted how concerned Goebel is that the position be filled and there be a smooth transition. She has even offered to help out in August, if needed.
Board member Paul Pasche said there was one word which describes Goebelís character. ìYou represent integrity,î he told her.
Apparently the ìlady in the officeî will be missed.