Coolidge Unified School District No. 21

Biography of Georgie Ashford Garcia
CHS Hall of Fame Class of 2024

Georgie Ashford Garcia is a proud graduate of Coolidge High School, Class of 1970. After high school, she went on to graduate from Central Arizona College. Georgie married the love of her life, Richard Garcia, on October 14, 1972. The very next month, she began working for the City of Coolidge.

Family and faith have been the guiding lights in Georgie's life, but her career has been a remarkable contribution to our city. Georgie worked her way up at City Hall and held many different positions during her 51 years that she dedicated to the City of Coolidge. She is most proud of and thankful for the 25 years that she served the public as the Judge. She made lifelong friends and worked with many wonderful people during her memorable career. In addition to her career with the City of Coolidge, Georgie has supported Coolidge youth by teaching catechism at St. James Roman Catholic Parish and serving as the CHS Cheerleading Coach in the 1990s. On June 30, 2024, she retired as the honorable Magistrate Judge of the Coolidge Municipal Court.

Georgie and Richard built their life together in Coolidge. In 1977, they welcomed their daughter, Summer, and in 1979 their son, Kiko, both of whom are Coolidge High School graduates. She is the proud Nana of her grandsons, Anthony Heet and Noah Flores, and the proud Yaya of her great-grandson River Thomas Heet. Georgie is an absolute hero and saint to her children and grandchildren.

Today, Georgie enjoys retirement with her loving husband Richard, and she has even more time to spoil her great-grandson and travel. Georgie has left a legacy to the City of Coolidge and Coolidge High School through her compassion, kindness, and charitable spirit. To know Georgie, is to love her. Her laughter, smile, and sense of humor are part of the legacy that defines her. Her devotion to her family, faith, and career has contributed to her positive reputation, and she has left an indelible footprint that will live on for generations to come. Georie devoted her life to helping and supporting others.

She has the true spirit of a Bear and a heart of gold, but Red and Blue still shine through!

Honor. Pride. Tradition.

BEAR DOWN!

Biography of Brenda Bartlett Moeller
CHS Hall of Fame Class of 2024

Brenda Bartlett Moeller has deep ties to Coolidge. Her grandparents, Archer and Pansy Bartlett, met in Coolidge and homesteaded near the Casa Grande Ruins prior to Arizona becoming a state. Born in Florence, Arizona to Worth and Barbara Bartlett, she and her 5 brothers were raised on the family farm east of Coolidge. She attended CUSD through grades K-12, during which her 2nd grade class was the first to attend the newly built West School. Brenda was active in band from grades 5-12 and began playing in the orchestra at the newly built Central AZ College during her 8th grade year. She was a member of the CHS marching band her freshmen and sophomore years, a twirler her junior year, and drum major her senior year. She continued to play in the concert bands at CHS and CAC and was an active member of NJHS and NHS.

After graduating from CHS in 1974, Brenda attended NAU and was inducted into the Tri Delta sorority. Although she began a major in music therapy, she decided to follow her dream of becoming a nurse. Returning to Coolidge, she enrolled in the nursing program at CAC, where she was a member of the National Student Nurse Association and served as treasurer for the Arizona Association of School Nurses. Graduating in 1977 with an AS and her LPN, she worked in various disciplines, including drug and alcohol abuse, the medically fragile, medical surgical, allergy and asthma specialties and pediatrics.

In 1980, Brenda moved to California, completed an AA and earned her RN degree. There she worked as a pediatric oncology nurse and as an allergy and asthma educator and nurse specialist. It was while living in Laguna Beach that she met her husband, Dirk Moeller. They wed in 1984 and a year later moved to Coolidge to raise a family. Their 2 children, Trenton and Kirstin, graduated from CHS in 2004 and 2006 respectively.

After returning to AZ, Brenda began working for the Pinal County Health Department Prenatal Program, providing prenatal care education, and childbirth classes. She worked in various clinics, including immunization and family planning. After a few years, she returned to hospital work and fell in love with the OR and served as OR supervisor. She obtained multiple state and national certifications and participated in an externship at the University Medical Center in Tucson.

Although she enjoyed hospital work, Brenda found it frustrating not being able to follow up with patients after discharge, and she wanted to give back to her community. After subbing at CUSD as a School Nurse, she was hired full-time in 1994, where she remained until her retirement in 2019. She obtained her school nurse certification through University of Phoenix and was a member of the state and national school nurse associations. During her 25-year tenure at CUSD, Brenda worked at every site, often responsible for multiple schools, including those at CAC and what is now San Tan Valley. She was frequently responsible for a student load of 1500–1800 students and would see upwards of 100 students a day.

In addition to her role as a school nurse, Brenda co-founded the Coolidge Community Theater, directing and producing multiple productions over the years. Later, through the Century 21 After School Grant, she worked with students' grades 3-5 to produce multiple theatrical performances and took pride in watching shy, reserved students blossom and perform for the schools and community.

While at CUSD, she served on numerous committees, wrote a comprehensive nursing procedure manual, hired and trained new nurses, provided education to nursing and lay staff, students, and parents. She served as lead nurse and was instrumental in bringing in computerized charting and record keeping to the nursing department.

Brenda loved watching multiple generations of families come through her office and seeing them out in the community. It touched her heart when students would run up to her, eager to introduce her to their parents. Whether it was doing home visits, visiting students in the hospital, having parents call her at home, going to their ballgames, being invited to birthday parties, or, unfortunately, attending a few funerals, being a School Nurse was more than a job for her, it was her true calling.

Biography of Darlene Jordan
CHS Hall of Fame Class of 2024

Darlene Jordan RN, CSN, grew up in Winslow, AZ. She is one of eight children and has an identical twin sister. Darlene’s route to Coolidge is interesting. On a fall evening, the Winslow Bulldogs had a big game against the Coolidge Bears. Darlene was a cheerleader for Winslow High School and Sheffield Jordan was a star football player for Coolidge. There must have been something in the air that night because, after that one football game, her life and career were forever changed. Darlene ended up marrying that football star, and she found herself moving to Coolidge to live, work, and raise a family. Over the years, Darlene worked for Pinal General Hospital, the Pinal County Health Department, Pinal-Gila Head Start, and completed her career after 31 years with the Coolidge Unified School District.

Darlene’s career with CUSD started when her eldest son broke his arm on the slide at West School. She went in to speak with the principal regarding the incident and left his office with a job as the school nurse. Upon accepting the position, she became known as “Nurse Jordan” to the students and staff. For over 30 years, Nurse Jordan worked diligently to create safe and healthy environments for all students within CUSD. As a prominent figure within the district, Darlene served on many committees, taught CPR classes, developed the Nurse’s Health and Guidelines Manual for Registered School Nurses, and worked as the district’s Lead Nurse for several years. Her experience and expertise allowed her to influence many school nurses throughout the years. Over her career, Darlene received many awards for her service with the school district, including ones from Coolidge Emergency Services, Coolidge Juneteenth Committee, the Indian Skies Retirement Community, and has received the CUSD Outstanding Service Award. She is also one of the founding members of the Coolidge Boys’ Basketball Booster Club at Coolidge High School.

Darlene states, “Working with CUSD afforded me the greatest opportunity in the world. I was able to build a career all while being able to be a highly involved parent. I was able to see my three sons start kindergarten and graduate from Coolidge High School. This allowed me the ability to work and support their education, extracurricular activities, and build and maintain positive relationships with students, teachers, staff, and the Coolidge Community.”

Today, Darlene and her husband, Sheffield are retired and live in Coolidge where she can attend a basketball game or shop at a local grocery store where she regularly runs into former students and colleagues. She loves to be able to share positive memories and leave the conversation realizing the impact she has had on the district and the Coolidge Community. Darlene and Sheffield are proud parents to three amazing, successful young men, Jerron, Shawn and Sheffield Jr., and are now grandparents.

Biography of George Rushing
CHS Hall of Fame Class of 2024

George Rushing was a lifetime Coolidge resident and long-time employee of the Coolidge Unified School District. George attended Coolidge Public Schools, but he dropped out during his freshman year of high school. At that time, he thought school was a waste of time. He later gave it some thought and went back to earn his GED. He later enrolled at Central Arizona College, where he earned a degree in electrical wiring.

George was employed by Coolidge Unified School District for over 40 years. He began work with the school system as a maintenance staff member. There, after that, he began to drive the school bus for many years. Later, he became part of the maintenance crew. He worked in the maintenance department for the school district until he retired in 2012. While working in the maintenance department, George acquired many skills which inspired him to build his own home. With the help of Sam & Romeo Fields, he built three houses. He also spearheaded the construction of New Hope Community Church, located on South Main Street in Coolidge.

During his employment with the school district, George was appointed as a liaison for the high school athletics programs. This was a new position, and it allowed him to build relationships and mentor Coolidge's athletes. After becoming the liaison, some of the students would approach him to extend their gratitude. They appreciated the concern he had for them. He was an active listener, and he encouraged students to become better versions of themselves.

George was a committed humanitarian. He cared deeply about people. He helped numerous people that were in need. He would often say, "as God has blessed us, we are to be a blessing to others." In 2001, the Chamber of Commerce presented George with the Citizen of the Year Award for his contributions to the city of Coolidge. Additionally, in 2006, George was appointed as a member of the Industrial Development Authority by the Mayor and City Council of Coolidge.

George was a dedicated husband and father. He always kept his family’s best interests at heart. He was a man of great integrity, teaching his children always to do what was right.

He was a faithful member of New Life Christian Center. Under the leadership of Pastor Joel and Catherine White. His favorite saying was, "I love you, and there is nothing you can do about it!"