Jan. 7—On Saturday, Jan. 4, President Joe Biden signed U.S. House Resolution 9421 into law, officially renaming the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) office in Bucoda after the late Bucoda Mayor Rob Gordon, who died in June 2024 following a nearly eight-month battle with cancer.
It will now be known as the Mayor Rob Gordon Post Office. The USPS is currently organizing a community dedication ceremony at a later date with details to be announced soon, according to a news release from U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez’s office.
Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, spearheaded bipartisan efforts with the support of the entire Washington House delegation to file HR 9421 in August 2024 after Gordon’s death. By mid-December, the bill had been approved by both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate before being sent to Biden’s desk for final approval.
Along with being Bucoda’s mayor, Robert “Rob” Gordon, 42, also served as a firefighter starting at the age of 16, working his way up to be the Bucoda Fire Department’s assistant chief.
He also operated his own trucking company and the family’s ranch in town. He is survived by his two children, Jakob and Anna Gordon, along with his wife, Miriam Gordon, who now serves on the Bucoda Town Council.
“Rob served the town of Bucoda selflessly and proudly for many years as a firefighter, assistant fire chief, councilman, and then mayor,” Miriam said in the release. “He went above and beyond in all he did to make the town a better place for all of its residents. He wanted to make sure it would once again be a place where children, especially his own Jakob and Anna, could ride bikes and play without worry. He loved this small town and gave so much of himself and time to it. I don’t think anyone would disagree with me in saying Rob became the backbone of this town in the short time he was given. He would never expect anything like this and being the humble man he was, he would shy away from it. However, I know if he was here now he would be extremely honored to have the town’s post office named after him. Jakob, Anna, myself and Rob’s family are very thankful for what everyone has done to honor and remember Rob, especially this. Thank you.”
Gluesenkamp Perez, who had been working with Rob to help secure federal funding to purchase a new fire engine for the Bucoda Fire Department along with addressing other community needs, stated Rob was the epitome of a servant leader with incredible work ethic and dedication to his community.
“Rob was tough, fair minded and always gave people the opportunity to be the best version of themselves. His passing is a true loss for our community, but his life of service and dedication will remain forever,” Gluesenkamp Perez said in the release. “I’m grateful to have had the chance to know and work alongside him. By renaming Bucoda’s Post Office — and by defining our values and our heroes for ourselves — we can help preserve Rob’s legacy and remind our children what matters in life. I’m grateful to my bipartisan colleagues for their support in getting this legislation across the finish line and signed into law, and I can’t wait to see this become reality.”
Thurston County Commissioner Wayne Fournier — also a firefighter who was diagnosed with cancer around the same time Rob was and served as the nearby City of Tenino’s mayor during Rob’s tenure on the Bucoda Town Council — echoed Gluesenkamp Perez’s sentiment and stated it was a great honor to support the effort to rename the post office.
“Rob was not only a dedicated public servant who selflessly gave his time as both a leader and a firefighter, but he was also a personal friend who stood beside me during some of the most challenging moments of our lives — through cancer treatment and in the trenches of our shared work,” Fournier said in the release. “Renaming the post office is a fitting tribute to a man whose legacy of service, compassion and bravery will continue to inspire all who knew him. May this honor serve as a reminder of his unwavering commitment to his community and the lives he touched.”
Current Bucoda Mayor Callie Carpenter thanked Gluesenkamp Perez for not just her efforts to get HR 9421 signed into law but continued efforts to help the Town of Bucoda.
“The Town of Bucoda is proud to honor a wonderful husband, father and community servant. Rob Gordon’s service and sacrifice will never be forgotten,” Carpenter said in the release. “Thank you to Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez for her continued support to the Town of Bucoda and Rob Gordon’s family.”
To view HR 9421, visit the U.S. Congress website at https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/9421.
Video of comments made by Gluesenkamp Perez on the U.S. House Floor in December advocating for the passage of HR 9421 can be seen at https://tinyurl.com/2nvwk7td.
The Mayor Rob Gordon Post Office is located at 108 N. Main St. in Bucoda.