“Your end, which is endless, is as a snowflake dissolving in the pure air.” – Buddhist saying
“My father always read obituaries to me out loud, not because he was maudlin or morbid, but because they were mini biographies.” – Bill Paxton
“To lose a friend is the greatest of all losses.” – Unknown
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LESLIE CRISS
When I was hired as the features editor at the Vicksburg Evening Post almost three decades ago, I also had to do obituaries.
No, it was not in the job description of features editor. But it was a responsibility every new employee learned and assumed – usually until the next newby came aboard.
Obituaries were deemed so important in the life of a newspaper, every person in the newsroom knew how to take care of them.
Doing obits is not a task to be taken lightly, but one to be handled with great care and compassion.
And it’s crucial – or it should be – that an obituary is correct. That includes proper punctuation and, for goodness sake, accurate spelling.
It might not seem important to the person doing the obit, but it should. Because it’s certainly important to the family of the deceased.
When I came aboard here at the Daily Journal 17 years ago, I waited to be told obituaries would be added to my to-do list. But that message never came.
Why?
Because of Judy McGhee.
Judy was the news clerk, which meant she took care of letters to the editor, births, military news, all manner of events listings, ordering newsroom supplies, compiling newspaper editions for bound volumes … and the list goes on.
Quite possibly the most important of Judy’s job responsibilities was obituaries.
Dealing with different personalities at funeral homes was something Judy did with great finesse. Oh, she could get agitated as all get-out sometimes, but most days she held her tongue and continued to be purely professional.
When she dealt with the family members who’d just lost a loved one, Judy showed the greatest of empathy and compassion.
And when she educated me on how to do obituaries as one of three in the newsroom – all women – to serve as backup when Judy was out, she proved to be a patient and proficient teacher.
The only times I saw Judy’s temper truly erupt were when changes came. Like many of us, she didn’t much cotton to change. In her time at the Journal, Judy witnessed many changes. But she persevered – for more than 30 years.
And those of us who were fortunate to work with her, to know her, are all the better for it.
The past several years, Judy’s health was not the best. There were a few extended hospital stays, but then she’d be right back at her desk, no matter how badly she was feeling.
After her birthday in December, Judy retired from the Daily Journal. I’d see her every now and again, and she was loving not having to work every day.
The last time I saw her, she was excited: She and her husband, David, were going to be taking two of her younger grandchildren to the beach. Instead, Judy ended up in the hospital.
An early morning call last Wednesday from David brought the sad news that Judy had died. Later that same day, her obituary arrived.
When it was published in this newspaper she loved, commas were right where they needed to be and names were spelled correctly.
It was about as perfect as could be.
Judy would have been pleased.
leslie.criss@journalinc.com