Sweet & Sassy: Huge milestone approaching

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Well, it’s fast approaching.

My 50th anniversary of working for the newspaper will be here before the week ends. I’m saying, it’s Monday, April 24, but another date on my records say it was April 27.

I was interviewed on a Thursday, but actually started on Monday, which was April 24 in 1967.

Nonetheless, the date doesn’t really matter. It just matters that, thus far, I have nearly put in a half century of work.

Besides, I’ll be on vacation anyway. Don’t boo me. I need some rest after working that long.

I actually began working the day after I graduated from high school on May 2, 1966, but it was for Lambert Corp. in Ansonia. I worked there until November when I got laid off. I was home earning unemployment when I knew I didn’t want that or need that, so I answered an ad to be a dishwasher at the old Haworth Restaurant just down the street at the time from the Advocate.

It was not really that exciting of work, but I got to get out and be with people. Before long, I saw the ad in the newspaper for a proofreader/typesetter job and was hired by J. Knox Dye, publisher. My job subsequently included laying out ads on the pages and taking ads to the businesses to get proofread before I was asked to join the newsroom staff in 1974.

I’ve seen it all, heard it all, done it all and covered it all. What a life I have been blessed with.

There isn’t a community in Darke County that I have not written a story on and I’ve even gone out of the county on a number of occasions. Just love telling our readers about other readers through articles made me feel special and honored to do it.

I’ve been to almost every church and used to know all of the pastors. I’ve covered birthdays, weddings, retirements, celebrations and introduced newcomers to the area. I’ve made a huge number of friends that I hope to never forget.

I’ve penned a lot of Cornerstone and Pillar of the Community features about local residents, and I have done tributes on those who have passed. For quite a few years, I helped organize our annual cookbook competition.

I’ve done stories on 4-H members and advisers, on Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, on civic organizations and their activities, on all of the schools in the county and even did agricultural stories. I interviewed people from all backgrounds that I enjoy letting our readers know about.

If I wouldn’t have done this, I wouldn’t have gotten this far in my career. I think working in the public eye helped me to mature [no wise cracks, please], got me out of my shell and assisted me in getting involved with other people.

I have to admit about the only thing I didn’t care about were the Man on the Streets…unless the people we approached were willing to do it. Controversial stories made me cringe, but they, too, have to be written about and I sure had my fair share of them.

Vehicle crashes and farm accidents were not fun, but they still had to be done.

But, I did get to judge pie and chili contests, help interview candidates for Miss Chick for the Versailles Poultry Days in recent years; and I enjoy helping the Sowards each year at Annie Oakley Festival keeping score for the girls who compete for the famous sharpshooter.

I also had the opportunity on many occasions to cover the various festivals in all of our communities.

My job took me to report on activities at the hospital, in nursing homes, at local club meetings, at veteran-related organizations and schools, to name a few. And, I’ve covered city and village council meetings, and worked with the Darke County commissioners and township trustees on stories.

I’ve worked with the best over the years. June Baker and I worked together at least 20 years before she moved on, and now Lori Denniston, current circulation manager, is next to me in seniority, with Jim Holland, a part-time employee, having a lot of years in advertising.

Some co-workers went on to work at other newspapers, including Mike Seffrin, Tony Ruble, and the late Jack Willey and Don McDermott. I know I’m probably leaving someone out, but I’m thinking my brain doesn’t hold that much memory.

Those co-workers who have passed include Jack Campbell, Jo Grottle, JoKay Miltenberger, Joanne Lehman, Bill Booker, Bud Harris, Gink Lutz and son Henry, Ron Garrison, Inez Unger and John Oliver. Once again, I don’t mean to leave anybody out.

I have had the pleasure of meeting such celebrities as Charlie Daniels, Florence Henderson and locals, Steve Baker, Gil Whitney, Cheryl McHenry and Donna Jordan.

Yes, there were lot of times my job meant that I had to spend time away from my son, Jamie, but with the help of family and friends, we survived and, as he got older, he enjoyed my occupation as much as I did.

I just wish my father were still around to see me as I reach the 50-years milestone; I think he would have been proud for he is the one who gave me my work ethic. And, I wish Janey Chrisman was still here to help me observe this milestone. But, God had other plans for the both of them. They worked in their careers for many, many years just as I did.

It’s been a great ride, with, of course, some obstacles along the way, but I persevered and I don’t regret making journalism a career at all. Sometimes, it seems like it was just yesterday that I came to work for the newspaper, but then reality sets in.

See you next week when I return from vacation.

•••••

Don’t forget:

• There will be a Treaty City Seniors dance Monday at the VFW Post on North Ohio Street in Greenville.

•••••

Happy birthday to:

• April 25 to Dennis “Beazer” Beasley, Shelly King, Makayla Waymire, Donn Thornhill, Ethan Reichert, Rich Black, Kent Wilcox, Debbie Hammontree, Emily Clark and Allen Blackburn.

• April 26 to Brad Boyter, Ryan Stoltz, Shannon Peters Hall, Pat Graham, Deanna Moody, Richard E. Hle II (80), Stephanie Grilliot, Mike Husted and Heather Wilkin.

• April 27 to Kathy Bothast, Paul McCleskey, Alex Niekamp, David George, Bill Roll, Maxine Martin and Natasha Oliver.

• April 28 to John Chrisman, Tasha Mikesell, Darin Whittington and Teri Ashby.

• April 29 to Kassi Frye, Tammy Wilcox and Karen Clack.

• April 30 to Bernie May, Cindy Horsley, John Bennett, Dr. Beth Vehre, Mark Bevins,

• May 1 to Bruce Adkins, Becky Schultz, LeAnn Kelly McClure, Tiffany Black and Ashley Julian.

Happy anniversary to: Ron and Cindy Cox on April 19; Ron and Laura Turner on April 21; and Jason and Kori Weiss on April 24; Bob and Janice Lyme on April 27; Betty and John Grimes and Nathan and Tonya Leeper, all on April 28;

•••••

Don’t forget to pray for: Tom Brumbaugh Jr., Mason Osterloh, Marilyn Peterson, Carl Francis, Harry Moody, Gary Foureman, Kent Clark, Kyndal Wynk, Ron Kreitzer, Vickie Martin, Betty Kremer, Jeff Stump, Stacy Dorko, Charlotte Metzcar, Vicki Wilker Gibson, Carl Francis, Evan Boggs, Rhonda Rodeheffer Rismiller, Janet Bolin, Shirley Miller, Roger Flory, Albert Duncan, Jack Good, Bill Duncan, Keith Starks, Darla Bowman Miller, Cheri Antrobus Davis, Scott Clark, Steve Schafer, Tom Hawkins, Greg Moody, Connie Apple, Jodie Glick, Kohen Thwaits, Jerrod Pratt, Dawn Oldiges, Judy York, Lowell Elsass, Linda Johnston, Tracy Bailey, Shannon Peters Hall, Jack Riegle, Bruce Knick, Aiden Turner, Brody Wilson, Carol Bollheimer, Roger McEowen, Al Bliss, Tim King, Gary Poor, Layna Best, Jean Eastridge, Alishia Clark Funk, Glenna Curry, Mike Bale, Phyllis Gibbons, Carmen Sanders, Michael Allen Clark, Elmer Long, Shirley Mead, Kathy Magoto,

Also, Wanda and Joe Bailey, Shelly Hoffman, Lisa Hall, Tammy Shapiro, David Magoto, Phil Clark, Sonny Hunt, Don and Nina McDaniel, D’Arleen Waymire, Pappy Harshman, Delores Duncan Bridges, John Klipstine, Elsie Svajda, Sue Chitty, Phil Chilcoat, Christine Pipenger, Paul Barton, Terry Ungericht, Gracyn Blackburn, Dave Starline, Bob Hiestand Jr., Kathy and Tom Hamilton, Joanne Sharp, Ivan Miller, Cindy Elson, Cary Van De Grift, Teresa Mayo Amspaugh, Tina Kiser Deaton, Tonia Thompson, Fred Monnin, Faye Schlecty, Sheila Reed, Bill Beasley, Kody Ketring, Bob and Sandy Finkbine, Kevin Dickey, Margaret “Peg” Bundy, Kevin Hemmerich, Penny Starns, Tim Heck, Vanna (Hannam) Abbott, Addie Henderson, Samantha Smith, Todd Walls, Ron Kramer, Dana Holzapfel, Kara Didier, Carla Welch and Bill Schuette.

And, pray for all those others who suffer from the many debilitating diseases, and may God bless all of our military people serving and protecting this nation, as well as rescue, fire and law enforcement personnel who put their lives on the line to protect us.

•••••

Jamie and I send our condolences out to the families of: Russell Huffman, Becky Dyer, Ermil Dunwoody and Donald Marker.

•••••

Think about it: “The best feeling of happiness is when you’re happy because you’ve made somebody else happy.” — Unknown.

Linda Moody is a staff writer for The Daily Advocate. Her column appears every Saturday. She can be reached at [email protected].

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By Linda Moody

Sweet & Sassy

Linda Moody is a staff writer for The Daily Advocate. Her column appears every Saturday. She can be reached at [email protected].

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