ARKADELPHIA — Growing up, Jennifer Story’s parents instilled in her two very important lessons.
“No matter what job you have, you do it to the best of your ability because you never know who is watching you and because you may have to come back to that job. Never burn a bridge,” Story said. “And after 26 years with the city, I have tried not to burn any bridges.”
Story recently retired from the city of Arkadelphia after serving in multiple positions, including her most recent position as city clerk. When she first started with the city, she served as the parks secretary, then moved into accounts payable and payroll and was later city treasurer.
“Like the old saying goes, everything has a shelf life,” she said. “I just felt like it was time for me to go. A few people came in, and things started changing. … The Lord just spoke to me and said it was time.”
Story is originally from Arkadelphia, having graduated from Arkadelphia High School in 1981. She attended Henderson State University from 1981 to 1983 and has been back and forth for several years. The last time she was there was in 2013. She said she still plans on pursuing her higher education now that she is retired.
“When I first started, I was majoring in early-childhood education, and then when I moved into the treasurer’s office for the city, I wanted to pursue an accounting degree,” she said. “I think I still want to do that because one day, I want to own my own business.”
She said she eventually wants to open a child care center.
“To be honest, I am not going to retire,” Story said. “I’m too young to retire. I am going to enjoy my two months or however long the Lord says, but I do plan on getting back to work because I love to work.
“I am not afraid of work. I am not afraid to do what the Lord wants me to do. I am not a sit-at-home person.”
She said this is not a true retirement because she plans on doing something else. She is just not sure what that might be.
“I do still want to work in the public and with people,” Story said. “Where that takes me, I don’t know. It may be in an office; it may be in a store or a school.
“I do know that I want to work in the public sector.”
Nancy Anderson, who retired from the city of Arkadelphia in September, said she has known Story for close to 30 years, but in the past decade, she has seen Story “really mature and blossom.”
“I left for 10 years, and during that time, she really developed her skills …,” Anderson said. “She has become a highly sought-after speaker. …
“… She has just really blossomed those 10 years I was away. For the first few years, she was quiet and raising her family, but these past few years, she has really blossomed into an exceptional person who I am proud to call a friend.”
Story and her husband, James, have been married for five years and live in Arkadelphia. Story has two children, Victor, 31, and Chelitha Bryant, 27, from her previous marriage. James Story is the lead pastor and Jennifer Story is the youth minister for Cottrell Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Hot Springs.
“We do a whole lot in the community with our young people and try to make sure they are doing well in school,” Story said. “My husband and I do a lot at the church, including praying for the sick, and during certain times of the year, we feed homeless people.”
She said that while she never tried to force her religion onto her co-workers, they knew “the walk she had with God.”
“Where I worked, a lot of the employees would come to me with their problems, regardless of what department I was in,” Story said. “Everyone knew that if they had any kind of issue, they could come to me and ask me to pray for them. …
“… I tell people all the time, I have a lot of secrets hidden inside me that are going to go to the grave with me because people have put enough trust in me to come to me and allow me to pray with them.”
She said that was the highlight of her job. She said she didn’t want to push her religion on anybody, but “if they open the door, I’m going to step in.”
“God has been good to me, and God has allowed me to be who I am today,” Story said.
Story said she has worked with many co-workers and community volunteers over the years, and it is those interactions that she will truly miss.
“I have enjoyed the people,” Story said. “And over the 26 years, I’ve seen employees come and go, and I’ve seen city managers come and go, and I have had some awesome city managers, and I have enjoyed working with them.”
She said she particularly enjoyed working with former city manager Jimmy Bolt. Story said “he had a heart for the people.”
“He was truly for the employees, and he stuck his neck out for every single one, and he loved each and every one of us,” Story said. “But I am not going to say that every city manager has been great, because they haven’t.”
Rendi Currey, who worked with Story for the city of Arkadelphia and has known Story for 16 years, said she is one of her “very best friends.”
“She has never met a stranger and always has a good outlook on life,” Currey said. “After working with her for so long, I consider her a member of my family.”
Currey is currently the administrative assistant for the Arkadelphia School District superintendent. Currey said one thing Story has taught her over the years is how to “choose her words carefully.”
“I didn’t always have the best choice of words,” Currey said. “[Jennifer] taught me to watch my mouth. But I would always tell her, ‘God loves a sinner, so he loves me just as much as he loves her.”
Story said one thing she has taken away from her time as an employee of the city is to “always treat people the way you want to be treated.”
“Treat people with respect, and treat people with dignity,” Story said. “And whoever you work for or with, try to push that individual to make sure they feel important.
“People make mistakes every day, but just because they make it today doesn’t mean they will make the same mistake tomorrow.”
Staff writer Sam Pierce can be reached at (501) 244-4314 or spierce@arkansasonline.com.