My Last Editorial

Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire", April 1985, page 5

Has a final sound, doesn't it? Not so! It may be my last editorial as editor of Crown Jewels, but Don and I will still be around, involved with collecting insulators, attending shows and club meetings, and you may just see more of us than before, since we will not be tied down with publishing and mailing. Also, Don is retiring from his job. So watch out, collectors, here we come!

As I sit here in the office writing this and looking around me, there is a sadness and also a joy. One era of my life is over, but I have so many nice reminders of that era. I am surrounded with remembrances and awards. I have been honored, but the best reward has been the beautiful friendships we have formed with the greatest people in the world -- Insulator People -- for you are the Best -- you have sustained me through all my trials of publishing. The support you have given me has just been tremendous. It's impossible to thank each and everyone singularly, since it would use all the space in this magazine; but you just have to review the two hundred issues of Crown Jewels to see and know all the collectors who have participated to make Crown Jewels your magazine. What terrific people!

I have had many awards and honors, but I would like to say the one that stands out a notch above the others is the first (1976) "Outstanding Service Award" to be given by the National Insulator Association. To me this is the ultimate award, and the very first one was mine! Thank you so much, everyone.

In my Thank You's I also want to include my printers, Myrtle Scharffenberg and Family. They have stuck it out with me the whole sixteen years and two months. Thank you for your devotion and service.

There are also some other people 'behind the scenes' that I would like to Thank -- my daughter, Doreen; my sister-in-law, Mary; and my friend, Pat; who all very faithfully drop whatever they are doing on mailing day and rally to my aid when we address your issues and get them in the mail. My very grateful Thanks to all of you.

Now to the future of Crown Jewels. I don't think you will see all that much change, except your issues will be mailed from Cleveland, Ohio. There will still be the same columnists and other writers. I urge all of you to continue sending your material (show reports, articles, poems, cartoons, ads, etc.) to John and Carol McDougald, so that they may continue Crown Jewels as we know it. I feel grateful to them for taking over, since my health will not permit me to continue as editor and publisher of Crown Jewels. 

As to back issues, I have retained them and will be advertising them for sale in future issues, but first I want a vacation (R. & R.) for a couple months -- get my leg healed, so I cam dance and go to shows and do all the neat things in life. I'm not going to drop into oblivion. You'll be hearing from me from time to time. 

See you all at the National in June. 

Dora