Hello Downriver,
Since you’re reading this on the pages — or website — of the News Herald, you know that Mavis passed away last week.
And you also know she was my wife.
For many, if not most of you, you remember her as Mavis McKinney — her “stage name” as we called it.
She was an award-winning reporter, editor and the first female managing editor of the News Herald.
She was also, more importantly, a role model and mentor to young women entering the world of journalism.
I knew this by watching firsthand what she was doing in the newsroom, but more importantly by watching how she raised her three girls and influenced her granddaughters.
She was the glue that held things together in both worlds.
But when I started reading the comments on the Facebook page announcing her death on Jan. 6, I was gratified to read precisely the same feelings by the very women she touched:
“Such a great mentor & sweet soul.”
“She was such a role model for me as a young reporter — always no-nonsense but very kind, in a way that let you know she wanted to help you grow.”
“Mavis was a mentor, a friend and a true lady in every sense of the word. She helped mold so many young reporters with her knowledge, kindness and compassion.”
“She made our stories better…”
“She was a true professional and a respected, kind person.”
“I owe my career to Mavis. She was an incredible mentor, so smart and kind-hearted.”
“I will miss my editor, my mentor, and my friend.”
“She was such an essential part of my career. As many others have said, she was the heart and soul of our newsroom. And, oh, what a tenacious editor! She was so thoughtful, thorough and kind in all her ways.”
Those were from just a handful of the women who posted on the site. (If you want to know their names, you’ll have to read the posts online.)
But the accolades weren’t just from women; this is what the men in her newsroom posted:
“Mav was a gem of an editor and human.”
“She was the heart and soul of our newsroom and her lessons I carry with me every single day.”
“She was kinder than she needed to be to a young intern.”
“Much of the writing on this thread is better because of Mavis. So are the lives of us all for having known her.”
“We clashed a lot about things early in my career… but eventually I came to see her ways, which were better. Every day I catch myself changing something because on a re-read I realize it’s how she would have wanted it and it’s better structured that way.”
“She was the heart and soul of our newsroom and her lessons I carry with me every single day.”
“I still carry the lessons she taught, all these years later. And, yes, I still have an AP stylebook on my desk. There were times we disagreed, but I always came around and she was right. Of all the mentors I’ve had in my career, she was at the top of the list.”
What I find fascinating in the comments from the men is that I had the exact same relationship with her: she was not only my in-house copy editor; she was my life editor.
She made me a better person, softened the rough edges and provided the kind of insights I might have otherwise missed.
Because Mavis and I met on the job 47 years ago — along with a small cadre of other budding reporters — we were friends first, something that never changed over nearly 42 years of marriage.
Indeed, we often talked about our friendship being the foundation of our relationship, providing the base from which all else flowed.
Love? Check.
Passion? Check.
Compassion? Check.
Intelligence? Check.
The ability to argue effectively? Check.
That last one was a particular strength of our marriage: because we were friends, our arguments — which were rare to say the least — never lasted, because for one of us to “win,” someone we loved would have to “lose.”
Over the past year, I watched as a woman of strength, ability, intelligence and love of life started to dim ever so slightly.
Then almost without warning, her body failed her and I brought her home — surrounded by our artwork, the warmth of our rooms and, of course, by her family — into hospice care.
The end came unexpectedly fast: a mere three days later.
And I now find myself walking slowly through rooms, missing everything that my friend, the love of my life, did to make our house a home.
One of our friends at the paper, who worked with Mavis “for over 20 years, right up to the day she retired,” wrote this about her:
“As fractured as the editorial department became over the years, Mavis was the glue that held it all together.
All I can do while reading these tributes is to nod in agreement: Mentor, beloved editor, kind soul — she was all those things and more.”
Yes, yes she was.
——
My thanks to all who have expressed their condolences.
It’s so gratifying to hear how Mavis’ life touched so many people. I knew it, but you confirmed it.
Thank you.
——
To read my essays, check out Substack.com and look for me at “Farrandipity.” It’s free. Craig Farrand is a former managing editor of The News-Herald. He can be reached at craig.substack@gmail.com
