In the William Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliett, came the
words 'parting is such sweet sorrow.' These words describe my
feelings as I leave the Journal-Banner after almost 14 years as
a reporter and photographer. Combined with my 18 years in radio
I leave the media profession after 32 years.
Life as I know it will certainly be different.
This duty has been a delight to do since the first day Mary Beth
(Stivers) Montgomery told me to start an outdoor column. I have
made so many friends of local outdoorsmen that I will always treasure.
Not of least of these includes the late Paul Ray Costephens of
Silva and Ed Gossett of Ellington.
They helped me more than I can say. Paul always added a bit of
humor and wit with his fishing news. Ed Gossett did such a great
job gathering fishing news on the Reynolds County side of Clearwater
Lake.
Without their help, the column would not have been as full. But,
there are so many others, too numerous to mention, that contributed
to the column each week. I was overwhelmed at the response from
our readers.
We always had to halt the column in the winter because of high
school sports. But I was always amazed at the number of people
who would stop me at ballgames or in the supermarket and asked
when we would be starting up the outdoor column for the spring.
Thanks to everyone who helped provide us with information and
thanks to you the readers for making the column such a success.
I hope another reporter will continue the column sometime in the
future.