Gretchen Herndon is a St. Joseph, Missouri native whose career and volunteer service have touched countless lives across multiple generations. A proud product of a hardworking, blue-collar family, Gretchen was the youngest of three siblings and grew up in a warm, multigenerational home where both grandmothers played a significant role in shaping her early values. Their influence instilled in her a love for books, baking, and nurturing others—values that would become central to the way she served her community for the rest of her life.
Gretchen was part of the first kindergarten class at Mark Twain School in 1956 and later attended Bliss Junior High—now the site of YWCA St. Joseph’s Bliss Manor transitional housing.
Her career in nonprofit work began in 1974 with the Head Start Program, first in the classroom and later as a Home Visitor serving rural Buchanan County. These visits to isolated homes left lasting impressions, and she often said she learned as much from families as she taught them—occasions sometimes marked by curious neighbor dogs or even a goat climbing onto her car.
After earning her BS in Psychology from Missouri Western, she became the Mental Health Coordinator for Head Start children and families across Andrew, Buchanan, Clinton, and DeKalb counties. During this time, she also worked as a Rural Carrier Associate of the U.S. Postal Service. She later completed her MA in Counseling Psychology at the University of Missouri–Kansas City and, in 1995, was promoted to Director of Head Start. Under her leadership, the program grew to serve over 400 families. She secured funding for expansions and quality improvements and successfully competed for Early Head Start funding in 1999, bringing services to pregnant women and children ages 0–3 and building partnerships with agencies like YWCA and InterServ. This was an exciting time for Early Childhood Education in Northwest Missouri as many partnerships were made through Youth Alliance, Missouri Western, and programs throughout the northwestern counties.
After 34 years at Community Action Partnership Head Start, Gretchen retired—but not for long. Following a heartfelt retirement celebration hosted at the YWCA, then YWCA Executive Director, Jean Brown invited her to join the Flower Festival Committee. That invitation launched a new chapter of passionate volunteerism alongside local leaders like Judy Fuston, Judy Lucas, and Shirley Twombly who sat on the YWCA Board of Directors.
Two years later, the LUBA (Ladies Union Benevolent Association) Board approached her to fill in as Executive Director of the Noyes Home for Children. Initially hesitant about having the skill set to work with children ages 5–18 in a 24-hour setting, Gretchen quickly embraced the challenge. She supported the Board’s vision to expand services for children from birth to age 18 and helped lead a capital campaign to update the facility to meet licensing requirements. She emphasized family-focused services and hired Chelsea Howlett as Program Director. After retiring from the Noyes Home, she continued her commitment by joining the LUBA Board. This was her time to completely embrace her volunteerism.
Gretchen's extensive volunteer work includes not only the historically very active LUBA Board, but also the Community Action Partnership Board, United Way’s Success by Six initiative, Youth Alliance’s Children’s Fair, Sertoma Club, and YWCA. With the LUBA Board, she has helped organize major fundraisers such as the newly launched Kindness St. Joseph, which includes children from participating public and parochial schools. The Noyes Home’s largest annual fundraiser, Take a Seat, has seen continuous growth in support from the community.
With United Way’s Success by Six, Gretchen has volunteered at Spring and Fall preschool screenings and children’s activities at Rolling Hills Public Library. During her time volunteering with Youth Alliance, their annual Children’s Fair earned such great success that it was moved from its original home of the Keatley Center to the grander scale of St. Joseph Civic Arena.
With St. Joseph and Southside Sertoma, she has been involved in children and family events including Camp Sunshine held at YMCA Camp Marvin Hillyard, a camp for children who are hearing impaired or the child of a hearing-impaired parent. Though the camp ended due to COVID-era restrictions, its impact remains a testament to Gretchen’s belief in inclusive, joyful experiences for all children. She also supports the Annual Turkey Trot, which raises funds for the YMCA, Noyes Home, and Southside Sertoma. Her involvement has helped the event grow steadily, becoming a beloved tradition in the community.
She is also a lifelong member of St. Paul Lutheran Church and treasures her role as a mother, grandmother to three, and great-grandmother to two.
A woman of remarkable warmth, wisdom, and quiet strength, Gretchen is known for showing up—consistently, humbly, and wholeheartedly—for causes and people she believes in. Her leadership is the kind that inspires others to do more, give more, and care more. Her legacy is woven into the fabric of this community—from its earliest learners to its most vulnerable families.
