Keeper of the Fort
Introducing Sapphire Smith! Business manager! Mother! Keeper of the newspaper fort! A woman with a household full of children, animals and plants, who may someday jump out of a perfectly good airplane, bravery permitting.
For Newspaper Week, Oct. 4-10, we gave Sapphire the 20-questions-style treatment: a little work, a little nostalgia and a peek at the person behind the paperwork.
Sapphire joined the newspaper six years ago after what she calls “a silly little scroll upon Indeed” led to her best career choice. Her qualifications include EP 30 Under 30 recognition, Rotary Club membership and a perfectly reasonable question about whether the magazine awards count, too.
Her official title is business manager, although she thinks “executive assistant” sounds considerably cooler. Her own description gets straight to the point: “I hold the fort down!”
That means handling legal notices, helping families publish obituaries, managing subscriptions, processing payroll and keeping up with accounts payable and receivable. The surprise requirement? Being ready for something new every day.
She loves helping spread news throughout the community, especially alongside some of her favorite people. But the work carries heartache, too. After years of helping subscribers, seeing a familiar face arrive in her inbox for an obituary can make for a sad day.
Her message from behind the scenes: Running a newspaper takes a strong team and an even stronger community.
Now, let us turn back the pages. Sapphire grew up in Wichita Falls, Texas, where her family lived in the projects and did the best they could with what they had. In ninth grade, she moved to Ingalls and attended Ripley High School, graduating in 2014. She has now spent 15 years in the Stillwater and Cushing area, with plans to raise her children in Oklahoma.
Her first job came at Braum’s in Stillwater, two days before her 16th birthday. But 8-year-old Sapphire had envisioned a different stage: She wanted to be a singer and go on “American Idol.”
Would that little girl approve of today’s Sapphire? Absolutely. She says her younger self would be happy and proud of the woman and mother she has become.
And what a supporting cast she has! There’s her significant other, Ryan Tibbetts; children Durban, Sunnie and Grayson; and two sons who live in Texas with their mother. Then come Kodi the Great Dane, cats Typo, Blitz and Smokey, and enough plants that naming, or even counting, them is out of the question.
Her perfect day off requires only a beautiful 75-degree day and time outside with her family, whether at the park or in their own yard. Anywhere surrounded by trees feels like home. Give her nature and birdsong, and she’s content.
For indoor entertainment, “The Office” remains her forever favorite, and the show she wishes she could watch for the first time again.
For transportation, she has her eye on a vintage Volkswagen hippie bus. Plenty of personality, a little nostalgia and a supporting cast ready to climb aboard. Next stop: wherever the family adventure takes them!
For adventure? Skydiving! Possibly! Eventually! She’s still considering whether her courage will make the reservation.
And for a trip down memory lane, there’s cinnamon. Her grandmother loved having cinnamon trees in her home. Sapphire doesn’t particularly enjoy the smell, but it takes her right back to playing at her grandparents’ house.
Among her newspaper projects, the Cimarron Christmas Recipe and Carol book holds the all-time favorite spot. More recently, she has loved designing the Keystone Lake Guide.
The behind-the-scenes chapter she wishes someone had photographed is the six months she brought her youngest son to work. It was the hardest stretch of her career, made easier by having him there with her.
Maintaining a career while raising three children is a point of pride. Motherhood is a demanding job all on its own; managing both a household and a business gives her plenty to be proud of.
A hobby? She’s still shopping for one she enjoys. A magical household upgrade? Laundry or dishes that do themselves. Choosing between them may require another questionnaire.
Finally, beneath all those responsibilities is a strong love for children and animals. Sapphire hopes to become a foster parent one day, and her dream is to open an animal rescue.
There you have her, readers: Sapphire Smith! Holding down the fort, raising her family and dreaming of a future with room for a few more children, a few more animals, and considerably fewer dirty dishes.