OPOMAC new director reestablishes roots in Graham

As January came to a close, the new director at the Old Post Office Museum and Art Center is finishing his first month on the job and a new learning experience back in Graham.

Gordon Grubbs joined the OPOMAC after spending most of his career in education and is a native of Graham.

“I was born and raised here (in Graham), I lived here for 18 years and then I went to Austin for school at the University of Texas at Austin,” Grubbs said. “I was one of those when they had the draft lottery, I was fortunate enough to be in the top ten. So I was headed for Vietnam, and actually what I did was I joined the Air Force to avoid having to go immediately to Vietnam.”

Grubbs had a journey before coming to work in Graham. From a stint in the Air Force, to being a teacher, principal and superintendent, and even working at a bank, all of this has given him the insight to return to Graham and run the museum and art center.

He spent four years in the U.S. Air Force, where he was signed up as a medic, but because of an encounter in basic training Grubbs became a surgical tech.

Grubbs stated that he was the only one in his basic training unit that did not smoke, so when his Drill Sergeant called smoke breaks Grubbs was sent to a different area. During one of the smoke breaks he was sitting on a bench when another officer came over to him and offered him a position as a surgical tech.

For Grubbs no matter what he did he somehow always ended up in Texas.

“It just so happens that the tech school for Surgical Techs was at Sheppard Air Force Base (Wichita Falls), so here my first assignment for 16-weeks was back in my neighborhood,” Grubbs said. “I’m telling you, this was just the good Lord looking over me, my first assignment, Bergstorm Air Force Base, Austin, Texas.”

After spending more than two years at Bergstorm, Grubbs said he was then stationed in Germany at a military hospital. He spent almost two years in Germany, but said he was not fulfilling his anticipated future in education.

“As soon as I got out of there I went and started teaching. I was in the teaching business for nearly 35 years,” Grubbs said. “I had one little detour, 10-years I worked at a bank here in Graham.”

He served as the branch manager at what was then Olney Savings, then went to work at Graham National Bank for five years.

“I then went back into education as a principal, then,” Grubbs said.

He has served as a teacher and principal in Graham ISD, then was the superintendent at Newcastle ISD for 18 years.

He had retired from education five years ago, but Newcastle did not want to see him go and made him the Associate Administrator. Grubbs said during this time he worked directly with the superintendent, which he did for five years until this most recent semester where he taught 2nd, 3rd and 5th grade science and social studies.

Grubbs said this was a really trying time, but he had lots of fun and got to work with some great students. He believed he needed to move on from education and that is when one of his mentees told him about this opportunity.

“I am serving as a mentor for a young teacher, who is studying to be a superintendent. He was on the board here (OPOMAC) at one time and during one of our mentor sessions, he said (...) well the director at the museum, she is opening a new bakery and cafe in town,” Grubbs said. “They were looking for a person and he said you ought to apply. With 10 years in the bank here and then my experience in education and being a principal here in Graham, I know everybody.”

Grubbs said the position will serve as a supplemental salary to go along with his retirement.

“I said I would apply because that sounds much more interesting than teaching 2nd, 3rd and 5th graders would be,” Grubbs said. “And I did and it seemed to fit with them too, so here I am.”

For the full story, see the Wednesday, Feb. 5 edition of The Graham Leader.