Bedfordtimesregister.com - Writer remembers all his editors, past and present

I was born in 1917 and retired Jan. 15, 1987. A few weeks after my retirement, I got a call from a lady on the liturgical committee at St. Wenceslas Church in Maple Heights. They were putting together a prayer booklet for Lent and wanted to know if I thought it was a good idea to have members of the parish write about the Gospels on the Sundays during Lent. I said "yes" and she asked if I'd write the first one. I did.

I told her that I had been thinking about writing about all my experiences as a machine shop foreman for more than 40 years and this was like God was saying, "You can write what you want, but you have to write for ME first."

Within a week or two, the lady sent me a clipping from the Maple Heights Press asking for someone to write about Maple Heights and its past.

I answered the ad and Editor Ron Antonucci told me to write something. I submitted three columns. He read them and told me, "I'll take all you can write."

That was 1,086 columns ago. I wrote weekly columns for the Maple Heights Press and Bedford Times-Register until they stopped publication last August. Since then, I have been writing for the News Leader and other papers in the Record Publishing Co. weekly newspaper chain.

The past 21 years have been filled with far too many great experiences for me to even remember all of them. Each column had its own story of how it came to be. I've learned a lot, shared memories, informed younger people about the past, conducted many interviews, done some research and enjoyed every minute of it.

The best part is working with the editors and staff at the newspaper. They are like family to me. I must seem like a grandpa, or older uncle to them, because they are all younger than I.

Eric Marotta of the News Leader is my 13th editor so for. Some stayed for only a short time, others for many years.

Bob Recker, Record Publishing Co. senior editor and a former editor of the Maple Heights Press and Bedford Times-Register, left the paper May 15 to take another job. That prompted me to write about the others I've worked with.

Ron Antonucci was No. 1. Without him, I would not have had all this fun and satisfaction. I spoke to him recently and he is now head of the literature department of the Cleveland Public Library.

Lois Bowers, No. 2, was very young and attractive, but she was editor for only a short time. I wonder where she is now.

No. 3 was Mary Beth Wisniewski. I don't remember much about her, so I suppose she didn't stay on the job very long.

No. 4 was Pat Salemi. Her I remember. She and I got along great for several years. I think she respected me and I admired her. She is still working in the newspaper business as a reporter for the Sun News weekly chain.

Then came No. 5, John Campanelli, who quickly went on to bigger and better things. I hear about him now and then.

No. 6 was a young lady named Helena who left after just a few days or weeks.

No. 7 was Kelly Sponseller Jackson, another attractive young lady. I remember the time she injured her knee in a skiing accident. If my memory is correct, she was married while working as my editor.

No. 8 was Mindi Gabarik, who edited my columns for about five years. Mindi and I got along very well, with lots of kidding around and discussing whatever subject I happened to be writing about.

No. 9, Bob Recker, took Mindi's place when she moved up to be senior editor, eventually replacing her in that capacity when she left. Bob and I became friends during his nine years with the paper. I'm sorry to see him leave and wish him much success in the future. I hope we can keep in touch somehow.

Mike Hammer, (No. 10), and Dana Curcio, (No. 11), were quickly followed by No. 12, Mike Lesko, who was my editor for two years until the Maple Heights Press and Bedford Times-Register stopped publishing. At that point, Mike became an associate editor with the Stow Sentry in the same newspaper chain.

Now, Eric Marotta is the 13th editor of "The Way it Was" columns, and I look forward to working with him for a long time.

Why do I keep writing? Because I feel a need to share my memories. I want everyone to know that things have not always been the way they are now. I want readers to believe what I write. Yes, that's really the way it was. Really! People did live without computers and plastics.

Bob, I wish you great success and hope to hear from you now and then.