Gordon Bills leaves shine on Southwestern

Certain people in Creston, Southwest Iowa and maybe even other parts of the country will regularly see something that reminds them of Gordon Bills. Maybe it will be a shade of blue that stands out in even better in the sun. Maybe it will be a curve on a 1970s era Corvette.

Those items will stir the memories of Bills as he was the founder of Southwestern Community College’s auto body repair program.

Bills, 87, of Creston passed away March 15. He was born May 4, 1934, in Stennett, an unincorporated area north of Red Oak.

“He learned it on his own just working at shops,” said his son Kevin about auto body repair.

Kevin said Gordon’s knowledge started at Chuck Swift’s shop in Red Oak before moving to Gray’s body shop, also in Red Oak.

Kevin suspects it was Gordon’s sister who told him about Southwestern looking for an auto body instructor.

“He applied, wrote a letter but but didn’t think he’d get it,” Kevin said. “But they contacted him and offered him the job.”

The family moved to Creston in 1966 the same year Kevin started kindergarten. The program started in 1967.

“They wanted him to start the program from scratch as Southwestern never had it.”

The program’s first location is what is known as the former Ford dealership on Maple Street across from the former post office. The site at the college was still under construction at the time.

Like finished cars leaving the shop, the program took off.

“He averaged 18 to 20 kids a year from the beginning,” Kevin said. Kevin said he regularly visited with his dad during his shop years in Red Oak and at the college course. Kevin never took his father’s course because he got the same education at home as he grew up.

Kevin said a few projects were done at home.

“I think he repainted his ‘65 Chevy pickup five times or so. He also did some rebuildable cars then would give one to my sister or mom,” he said. “We never had an old car at home. We did a ‘55 Chevy years ago. I still have that.”

One of Bills’ students was Jeff Magneson, who replaced Bills as instructor after he retired in 1995.

“I took his class from 1979 to 1980. At the time it was just a one-year class. We hit it off. He was a parent away from home, a mentor,” he said.

Magneson was introduced to Bills and the program by Larry Rucker.

“I knew this was the place. Gordon had a different style of teaching. We were hands-on, hard core hands-on with little class time. Things were different back then. But at that time, his method of teaching was what I needed,” he said.

After his time at Southwestern, Magneson worked at Red Oak Chrysler and preferred to hire Bills’ students.

“We still kept in touch. Who do you have,” Magneson said he would ask.

That is also how Magneson learned of Bills retirement.

“He laid the foundation for the program. He started it from the ground up. Gordon got to see this built,” he said.

During the transition from Bills to Magneson, Magneson said he was given authority over parts of the program he thought Bills would have completed.

“The paint booths, you need new ones,” Magneson remembers Bills telling him. “Why didn’t you do the paint booths,” was Mangeson’s reply.

“I knew I was going to retire. The next instructor needs to make that decision,” Magneson said was Bills’ answer. “He wasn’t selfish. ‘This is your program now,’” Magneson said he was told. “He gave advice. He was a substitute when I was gone. He was there for me and for Southwestern to make sure the program kept going. This guy was a gem. He pulled no punches. He kept you on track. He cared.”

Magneson’s students over the years have competed and won in national competitions related to auto body repair. Contests are based on business ethics, written certification tests, estimate analysis and writing, preparatory job interviews including resumes and applications hands-on tests, including structural repair of damaged car frames, vertical and overhead welding, straightening and repairing sheet metal fenders and plastic bumper repair.

Vehicles that enter shops looking like a crushed pop can and leave looking brand new have been the reputation for Bills’, Magneson’s and the college’s program.

“It’s very well known,” said Tom Lesan, the college’s vice president of economic development about the program. Part of the success of the program may have been in Bills’ personality.

“You could stop and talk to him about anything outdoors. He loved it. He went hunting and fishing. He was just a great person,” Lesan said. “And he had the same report with the students. They wanted to be there.”

Others in the industry took notice, too.

“For years and years some of the best body shop owners have been on the (auto body) advisory board. Graduates are well known as people want them to be their employees,” Lesan said about the reputation. “And this was after Gordon.”

Lesan said he knows of an auto body student who was from Michigan.

“He passed a lot of programs between home and here and he’s still employed,” Lesan said.

Lesan said the program is another selling point for Southwestern.

“Not everyone is going to be an accountant, doctor or lawyer. There are still going to be people needed to work on your car,” he said. “It’s still work, but you can make a living at it.”

And sometimes the reverse happens. Lesan explained.

“I saw a retired doctor who took the auto body program. That is what she wanted to do.”