There was a time when the death of a friend or acquaintance came as a shock. Parents, uncles and aunts were old, and grandparents ancient; their demise to be expected. But a contemporary ought not to die unexpectedly and prematurely.
After we reach an age we prefer not to admit, we reluctantly face and accept (sort of) the advent of our own demise. Even so, the passing of present and former close associates is never dismissed as a casual event.
It is almost 40 years since Mary (Cugnet) Greer left the Review for beckoning British Columbia, after nearly a decade in the service of the Review, and a key newsdesk "partner" in my early years as manager-publisher of the Review.
Thus it was with regret and a deep sense of loss that I read of her death in Kelowna, B.C., a month short of her 90th birthday.
Reporters with even a minimum of training were difficult to find in prairie community newspapers in the late 1950s. Most dailies were similarly handicapped, and kept eyes cocked for possible recruits from weeklies.
A promising young reporter left the Review weeks after my arrival, probably attracted by the above condition. Several applicants for the position were rejected, and the few accepted would not have had a chance with a more experienced publisher, so it became difficult to spot a silver lining in my quest for newdesk help.
Then one day, lo and behold, in walked a "mature" (in my view) woman, whom I knew for her activities with several rural organizations. With no previous experience, she accepted a low salary, perfect for the Review's fiscal condition. Whatever doubts I might have harbored were quickly dissipated. I found myself with an intelligent, interested, mature, adept and imaginative assistant.
Her presence came none to soon.
I had some background with a community paper priding itself on the quality of special editions called for by major community events or commemorations. I could not ignore a pending demand of this nature, and wondered how I would ever handle it.
Shortly after coming to Weyburn and the Review, I had become aware of three major, imminent occurrences, only two years apart, demanding imaginative and work-intensive application. First, 1963 would mark the 50th anniversary of Weyburn's charter as a city. Next, in 1965 Saskatchewan would celebrate its 60th year as a partner in Confederation as a province. To top it off, in 1967, Canada would commemorate its Centennial, already anxiously and enthusiastically awaited from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
For each of these events, all rating special editions, Mary and I collaborated on formats to give each edition individuality and relevance, choice of subjects to be featured in each, photos to be taken, special articles to be written, advertising to be sold for financial viability of the undertakings, and many hundreds of photographs to be collected from area residents and other sources. These photos, incidentally, had to be identified, labelled and recorded so they might be suitably captioned, and - of major importance - returned to contributors after publication.
Thanks to Mary's dedication, work and enthusiasm, the first issue was enthusiastically received, the provincial edition was reasonably respectable, and the Centennial edition won the prize as the best of its kind published in Canada.
Besides easing my lot through this demanding "specials" period, Mary Greer became recognized for the chatty column, "Quite Contrary, with Mary", appearing weekly on the Review editorial page. Her first column appeared on the page on September 14, 1961, and the last one on January 9, 1968, just a few months after that Centennial edition was printed.
I had dared hope her presence would be permanent, and I admit to shock when she told me she was moving west. I don't recall her reason for joining the westward trek, but the fact that she continued to write her column from Kelowna for a month after leaving confirms that she left on good terms. I consoled myself with the knowledge she had done a wonderful job for the Review and for Weyburn. Farewell, Mary. Perhaps there will be demands for your work where you have gone.
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