I met Will Sullivan 20 years ago now. He was the managing editor of the Picayune Item, and I was the newbie in the composing department.

Will is of Irish decent, and as someone of Irish heritage myself, I admire the qualities our ancestors passed down to us. Will is a no-nonsense type person who loves the outdoors especially fly-fishing. I don’t know why anyone would want to go fishing for flies, but to each his own. (Okay, just a parting joke Will can take with him.)

Will is also a serious newspaperman, the printed word flows through his veins like the ink off a press. For 25 years he has guided his staff toward the goal of editorial excellence. Under his leadership, the staff of the Picayune Item has won numerous awards from the Mississippi Press Association. for their outstanding news and sports coverage.

He has cultivated relationships with town leaders, politicians, local organizations, businesses, and a few everyday folks who are just trying to make Picayune a better place to live and work. His views were not always well received, but he always stood by his convictions when it came to journalistic integrity.

Although I only know Will as a work colleague, I am sure the same dedication and steadfastness is applied to his family life as well. As he is beginning his retirement, I pray all the great adventures he has dreamed of come his way, and he and his wife Genie, spend their golden years enjoying every moment.

Just a few years ago, retirement seemed so far away. Now I realize that even for me it is just around the corner. Time passes so quickly in this life and you never seem to be prepared for one chapter to end and another to begin.

If I wrote down all the chapters of my life story, I suspect the throngs would not make a mad dash to the bookstore. However, if Will Sullivan penned his life story, I have a feeling it would be a best seller. Maybe he’ll have time now to write it. So long, Will, and Godspeed.