Bidding farewell to a great place to work

Wow, this is really hard to write. I knew how invested I was in this community and in this paper, but I didn't know it would be this hard to say goodbye.

It seems like only yesterday that Peter Starren called me into his office to offer me this job.

It was the start of the most exhilarating chapter in my long career. I was equally scared and excited about coming to the The Record-Courier, but things really didn't gel until I got my "Dream Team" all in place.

Being able to work with the likes of Kurt Hildebrand, Joanna Reeves, Alice Price and Tony King, along with the wonderful people that make up the rest of The Record-Courier staff has been my greatest joy and I will miss them all more than they know.

It's very rare in this business to work with a whole group of people that has the same love of their community and their paper as you do. But it happened here and I feel truly blessed to have been a part of that.

The community has been very supportive of their hometown paper, from their lively letters to the editor to all the wonderful people that served on our reader panel. Everyone that walks in our front door has a story to tell.

This staff has always treated them with the respect they deserve. Our advertisers believe in the value of our paper and have been very supportive over the years.

What more can I say? What a ride!

Thanks to every one of you. If you ever get to Coos Bay, Ore., come see me.

It will always be great to see someone from home.

-- Today is Janet Geary's last day as publisher of The Record-Courier.