As you may have read a couple of weeks ago, Linda McThrall is no longer with The Fountain Hills Times.

Her immense talents are now geared toward serving as the program and events coordinator at the L. Alan Cruikshank River of Time Museum and Exploration Center, which I’m guessing will benefit that facility in a big way.

She worked as a reporter and special sections editor for your hometown paper in a career spanning well over two decades. She did this across two blocks of time, the most recent covering nearly 18 years. She took a 15-year break between her two stints at The Times to direct another non-profit organization so, again, the museum has a real asset on its hands.

I started here at the paper back in 2005, not too long after Linda made her return. I was fresh out of college and scared to death, but this cool lady who would occasionally throw up a peace sign made me feel right at home.

That’s not to say everyone else at the office was not welcoming and supportive – they absolutely were – but Linda is one of those people who will instantly take a young reporter under her wing to guide them with all of her heart. She has kept me under that wing through all these years, and I am truly thankful to have had her as a mentor and friend for so long. I know that relationship won’t stop now, but it certainly won’t be the same not seeing her around the office.

I saw Linda take that same approach with everyone else who came to work with us over the years, whether they were one of our rare summer interns or a fresh addition to the staff. She has always been eager to support, guide and protect, and I think that’s pretty special.

I frequently joked that Linda needed to have a tip jar in her office in order to support her second career as The Times’ therapist. I can’t tell you how many times I went down to her office over the years just to share stories, laugh at funny videos or chat about nothing in particular. Mixed into those visits, though, were sessions where she would sit patiently and listen to me go on and on about life’s many fears, worries and the like, only to follow it up with tremendous care and support.

That was a habit I noticed out of pretty much everyone else on staff, too. Linda’s office was a revolving door for folks eager to chat or vent and, looking back, it makes me wonder how she ever got any work done with all of us swinging by to hang out.

And then she went and brought Cinco into our lives, making me a firm believer that every office should just have pets hanging out at all times. No matter how bad a day was going, simply giving Cinco pets had a way of making your muscles relax and your mind ease.

I should probably wrap this up before I go on too long or get too sappy.

In short, I consider myself blessed for having someone like Linda in my life and I look forward to hearing how her new career is going as she settles in at the museum.

I learned so much from her over the years. I would not be the reporter/editor I am today without her and, while I am truly happy for her new adventure, I will absolutely miss having her around.

Take care, Linda. Know that I’m rooting for you just like you’ve rooted for me for nearly 20 years.

*peace*