No rocking-chair retirement for Smithfield's Barbara Gutke

By Ash Schiller

April 6, 2005 | SMITHFIELD -- With 54 homes in the Hunter Meadows development completed and 13 new lots already promised, 80-year-old Barbara Gutke said her work is "keeping me young."

"I like working with people," she said. "I like being busy. I don't want to be an old lady sitting around in a rocking chair."

The northern Smithfield development area was inherited by Gutke from her great grandfather who helped homestead the city. The company is actually named after him, Joseph Hunter. The company bears his name not only to give him credit, Gutke said, but also because "if we'd called it Gutke, no one would be able to spell it or say it."

Gutke and her late husband, Harold, began developing the land about 10 years ago. The land had been dedicated to farming but it wasn't good farm land, she said. It was barely making any profit and Gutke's son suggested to develop it. The first phase consisted of just eight homes.

"We started kind of on a dare, not realizing it would be so big," Gutke said.

The development has been extremely successful and is now on its eighth phase with 10 people on a waiting list.

"For an old lady I guess it's a lot of work. The problem is, I don't feel any older than you," Gutke told the 20-year-old reporter.

One thing that distinguishes Hunter Meadows lots is the buyer gets to build their own house. They can choose their own builder, or even build it themselves. The house plans are reviewed by Gutke, who checks that they follow certain restrictive covenants. These covenants include details such as house size, garage standards and yard upkeep, she said.

Gutke used to do some of the physical work herself. With the help of family members, she would put the steel post boundary markers out in the muddy fields, but has since hired others to do the literal dirty work. "I remember it was so muddy," she said.

In the beginning, Gutke also used to try to keep the construction site clean. When dirt got pushed up on the new sidewalks, she and her grandson would go and sweep the curbs and gutters. "I must've been crazy," she said, "Now I see what a mess they make while building. I've never swept since."

Gutke said the families living in the development are "neat young kids. They love their neighborhood up here because they are all the same age."

The Bodines, a family living in one of the earlier homes, told how much they enjoy Gutke. "You can ask Barbara to do anything and she'll do it. She's really just a fun person," Teresa Bodine said. She attributes the tight-knit neighborhood largely to Gutke. "Some people come in, build and run, but not Barbara."

The Bodine children mow Gutke's lawn and say they are very fond of her. Tori Bodine, 11, said, "She has these humongous freezers with cookies in them that she gives to us after we mow her lawn."

Gutke also taught Tori how to croquet. Teresa Bodine listed many more ways Gutke contributes to the community and neighborhood, including humanitarian work, cooking, and playing the piano in church. She has also done significant work on the Book of Smithfield, a book about the city's history.

Occasionally, Gutke will substitute teach for various elementary schools. She taught full-time at Ellis Elementary for 14 years, and then went on to teach at Hillcrest Elementary for another 14 years.

Family is very important to Gutke, the mother of three children, 15 grandchildren and 17 great-grand children. Last year for her 80th birthday, she "took the whole shebang" to Disneyland.

Gutke expressed the importance of keeping one's mind busy and trying new things. "A few years ago, I thought, 'Why don't I know how to use a computer?' So I went and bought one." Although she doesn't know everything, she said she keeps track of all of the corporation's records and stays in touch with family through e-mail.

To other citizens her age, Gutke recommends to "keep your mind busy. If you have good health, you should be grateful and keep busy."

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