Last week the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board honored the unsung heroes of our staff — the ministry assistants. They are the ones who work quietly behind the scenes to help the TBMB in our goal of serving churches.
For most of my nearly 36 years with the Baptist and Reflector, Susie Edwards, Mary Nimmo and Betty Williams were the three women who served in those roles. A few others came and went, but together these three women served Tennessee Baptists for more than 100 years. I was extremely blessed to work with Betty and Susie and I am even more blessed to still be working with Mary.
Betty retired many years ago and Susie developed cancer and passed away nine years ago. After Susie had to stop working as her cancer enveloped her body, we were blessed to have Linda Estey, a TBMB retiree, step in to pick up some of the slack left by Susie’s absence. Linda worked with us just a brief time before she began having health issues and had to go to the hospital.
Mary recommended that I contact Susan Dalton, who had worked part-time with Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union, and as a receptionist for TBMB. I was acquainted with Susan but didn’t really know her that well.
I called her, and as she reminded me recently, asked her “to fill in for a few days.” Well, those few days turned into 10 years when Linda did not recover and God called her home.
Susan recently informed us that she will be retiring on May 10. About a year and a half ago, Susan decided to retire but within a few weeks she checked to see if the job was still open. She was tired of watching Fox News all day. We gladly welcomed her back, but now she is leaving us again.
We have reminded her that Fox News is still on the air, but as she told us in her letter informing us of her retirement, “the time is really here to say farewell.”
Susan and her husband, Donnie, recently sold their home they lived in for most of their lives and downsized. They have moved into their new house and she is “looking forward to getting our new home in order and enjoy getting to know my new neighbors.”
I certainly understand. This issue announces my upcoming retirement at the end of this year. There comes a time in your life when you know it is time to step down.
I want Susan to know that she will be missed. It took no time at all for Susan to learn the job. She deals with subscriptions/billing and is one of our primary proof readers, along with Mary.
Susan, along with Mary, also has developed relationships with church secretaries/ministry assistants that have been invaluable not only to the paper but also to TBMB.
It did not take long for Susan to become “a member of the family.” Her friendly attitude and work ethic is an inspiration to all of us.
Our colleague, David Dawson, noted, “I have to admit, when Susan told me that she was retiring, I had mixed emotions — I was excited for her, but sad for me.
“During my seven years at the TBMB, Susan has not only been a wonderful coworker, but also a special friend. She and I have similar senses of humor and we have shared many laughs. I will miss her emails, which almost always included cheerful emojis, and I will miss seeing her smiling face when I am in the office. Simply put, I will miss my friend.”
That pretty much sums up the feelings of everyone connected with the B&R and the TBMB communications team. Thank you Susan for making a difference in our lives. B&R