Gorham to retire after 40-years at Harrison County Extension Office
By Jenna Comes, Mapleton Press
For the Harrison County Times-Reporter
Carole Gorham has been a familiar face of the Harrison County Extension Office for over 40 years.
Prior to working at the Extension Office, she had been working full-time as a certified dental assistant.
“I had just gone back to work in that position on a part-time basis after being on maternity leave following the birth of our youngest son. I had been somewhat unhappy in my job there, but jobs were not very plentiful without traveling to the city,” she said.
Carole came home one night and was reading the newspaper and saw an ad for an office assistant at the Harrison County Extension Office.
“I had been a 4-H member and later a 4-H leader for about three years, so I was somewhat familiar with Gary Guge, the County Director and knew a little about Extension besides 4-H,” she said.
She made plans to call Job Service the next day to apply for the job.
“When I got to work that morning, my co-worker asked me if I had seen the ad in the paper. She said that she thought it would be perfect for me and that I should apply. I told her that I was planning to call and apply,” Carole said.
She made an appointment with Job Service, filled out the application, took a typing and a bookkeeping test.
“I got called for an interview, was offered the position, and the rest is history!” she said. Carole started at the Harrison County Extension Office on December 13, 1985.
“The recent trend throughout the Extension system has been turnover. Harrison County has experienced this in a couple positions in recent years but the one constant has been Carole,” said Carter Oliver, Harrison 4-H County Coordinator. “Having an employee who understands the different roles in the office and at fair is invaluable.
In 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the median years of employment was just below 4 years. To have an employee stay 10 times the average length of time, is an asset and a testament to Carole. She believes in helping people and ‘Making the Best Better’.”
He added, “Carole will share how lucky she is to have worked with so many great colleagues, and we all will quickly respond by saying the same thing about her!”
What stands out the most over Carole’s 40 years of service is her dedication to the profession and to their farmers and 4-H families.
“Whether you walk through our door or call on the phone, the same person has been here to greet you and provide assistance,” he said. “Carole is full of knowledge and history and that is irreplaceable, but the way she makes people feel will be missed the most.”
Carole has always liked the variety of the job as no day is ever the same. She also Enjoyed working with youth and adult clients.
Over the years her duties have included: basic reception duties, monthly 4-H newsletter editing and mailing, correspondence for staff, maintaining 4-H databases, maintaining county fair databases, beef weigh-in and identification, county fair preparation, inventorying and ordering trophies and awards for fair, sending letters to hire judges for fair, revising, printing and assembling fair books.
At fair, Carole has helped with weigh-in and check in animals, use the fair database to prepare livestock show bills, prep the ribbons and awards for each show. She also helped with commercial and private pesticide applicator certification.
“When I started, technology was barely thought of,” Carole said. “Bookkeeping was all done by hand. An electric typewriter was high tech when I started. No computers or email for quite a few years.”
Now, almost everything is computerized or handled online.
Carter said, “Carole could join the circus with her many years of experience juggling all of her responsibilities and the unexpected curve balls thrown into the mix.”
Carole noted working at the Extension Office was great for their family.
“It was the 80s and the farm crisis was in full swing. Our family had to quit farming and forge ahead with other occupations,” she said. "There was some flexibility with the work schedule, and I had great co-workers who helped me settle into the job.”
The County Fair is always a great time of year for Carole.
“It is very hectic, a lot of pressure, and many hours spent on the fairgrounds each day, but it is a great time to interact with our 4-H’ers and their families,” she said. “I’ve always enjoyed beef weigh-in (even though often it’s really cold) but again, the families make it fun.”
Carole will miss the people most of all.
“I have met so many individuals that I would not have interacted with otherwise. Many of these people I now consider friends,” she said. “There are many 4-H’ers that are the second generation of their families that I have worked with through 4-H and that’s pretty amazing.”
While Carole doesn’t have any specific retirement plans, she plans to spend more time with their sons, grandchildren, great-grandson, other family, and friends; have coffee with my good friend
She has spent many years on the Woodbine Library Board and also serves on the Harrison County Food Pantry Board in Missouri Valley. As an avid reader, Carole said she has lot of books to read, a lot of yarn to knit and crochet, and a bunch of fabric to work through. She is the organist at their church and teaches Sunday School.
She said, “I don’t think I will be bored!”
