Sandy's rousing sendoff

At 3 p.m. yesterday, those of us in The Oregonian's newsroom dropped what we were doing to gather in The Well -- the conference room that's become our living room -- to toast our retiring editor, Sandy Rowe. (Yes, we actually raised a glass of champagne.)

Barely two weeks earlier, she had surprised us with the announcement she'd be leaving us at the end of the year. (See earlier post: "Sandy calls it quits") We've been through so many sad times in that room the past two years, saying farewell to beloved colleagues who were retiring early or taking a buyout, that I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Thankfully, this was an upbeat affair -- all about celebrating a gifted editor and leader with a sensitive side that surfaced when staffers were going through tough personal times.

We watched and laughed at a tribute video filled with various staffers recalling favorite anecdotes or lessons learned; nodded in agreement as the publisher, the new editor and others recounted her achievements, her personal qualities and her legacy; and listened attentively as Sandy herself thanked us for a great 16-year run at the helm of the paper.

In a booklet that compiled direct quotes from 81 current and former staffers, fellow editors from around the country and other industry leaders, these are some of the words that
were used to describe her:

Power, charisma, confidence.
Gem of an editor and good-hearted friend.
Inspiration and a class act.
Generous with her encouragement and praise, direct with her criticism.
Energy and originality.
Gracious.
Charming and suave.
Stylish outfits and fantastic jewelry.
Huge inspirational presence.
Intelligence, decency, high-mindedness of purpose.
One kick-ass woman.

My take?

Every single time I walked into Sandy's office and sat in the chair across from her desk, I knew one thing: She would be prepared to listen to me. Whether it was five minutes or fifteen, Sandy would not be on the phone, she would not be writing, she would not be typing, she would not be looking past me with an air of impatience. She'd look me in the eye and we'd converse one-on-one with no interruptions. In that simple way of doing things, she conveyed that I mattered and that she cared about what I said. My takeaway from that? Stop what you're doing -- set down your pen, look away from the computer screen, turn your body toward the other person -- and give the other person your full attention.

Of all the things said yesterday, it was something Sandy said that resonated most. Her eyes sweeping the room and her voice quavering just a bit, she said to us: "Nothing compares to the feeling of being wrapped in the love of The Oregonian."

As someone who gave so much of herself to make us all better -- to make us the best regional newspaper in the country -- she leaves with the admiration of all of us who were lucky enough to work with her during what will surely go down as The Oregonian's Golden Age.