Sad times

This has been a sad year at my workplace, The News & Observer. We've had layoffs and buyouts because of the our falling revenue and deep debt. We have lost pages of content along with losing smart and talented journalists. We are all worried and scared about the future of the company and our own futures.

Worse and most heartbreaking of all have been the deaths of two former colleagues. Kathy Williams, who was an editor on the news side, died Oct. 30, and now, just a month later, Weta Ray Clark, who was an editor in the Features department, has died. Both Kathy and Weta had left during the buyouts after suffering ill health for a while.

Weta had lymphoma, and she fought it long and hard. I thought she might beat it. The last time I saw her, when we had a sendoff for people who were taking the buyout, she looked puffy from the treatment, but she seemed as cheerful and energetic as ever. She was a very pretty woman with a lovely smile and a funny sense of humor.

Weta was a good editor -- a real journalist. She was creative and worked hard to make her sections engaging and exciting. Sometimes our different interests butted hard against the other. I like for the trains to run on time, and that is not always the way things work. I was frustrated at times with Weta (or maybe more with the circumstances than with her personally), as she was with me. But in the end, I hope Weta knew how much I respected her.

Comments

[Mike Madere]

Pam, many of us in Houston are mourning Weta's passing. Weta worked at the Houston Chronicle for a good stretch of the 90s. After all of these years, I am still struck by Weta's passion to stand up for what is right. The world would be a much better place if more of us were courageous enough to follow her example.

[Pam Nelson]

I went to Weta's memorial service Saturday at the church she and her family attended in Cary. It was a nice service. The church was full, too, with church friends, work friends and relatives.
The music was wonderful, and I think Weta would have loved that most of all. One song, a sort of gospel chant by the whole congregation led by a friend of Weta's, was particularly moving. Weta's mother, Hazel Spiller, sang too. By the time Weta's youngest daughter, Madison, came to the lectern to read a Scripture passage and a poem, no one had a dry eye. Michael, Weta's husband, helped Madison walk up and read the passage when Madison choked up.
It was incredibly sad, but as the preacher reminded us over and over, Weta believed she would go to a better place and she was strong in her faith. I think that has to be a great comfort to her family and friends.