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Thank you to all of our friends, readers, customers, and family for all you have done for us since John’s death. I never thought it would be so important to have so much support. I like to think I am pretty self-sufficient, but this last week, I’ve needed every phone call, kind word, card, flower, and meal. I don’t know what I would have done without all of you. Thank you.
Some time soon I will share more about this last week. But not today.
Today, I want to reassure you that John’s death is not the end of the Winona Post. It will go on exactly as it has been, but without, of course, John’s editorials—and his beloved football column about the Vikings. It will take us a long time to try to replace John’s editorials, which some of you loathed and some of you loved. And to true Vikings fans, it will take a while to find a replacement for John’s football columns.
You might have thought that John could just sit down at a keyboard, and out would flow a column or editorial. But that’s not how John did things. His writing was always rooted in weeks, months, even years of research—from the most important political opinion to the least important comment on the Vikes season (you might be surprised to know that he watched every game twice). He did not shoot from the hip.
The day after John’s untimely death, I spoke with all of the people at the Winona Post. Although we are mourning the loss of a husband, a boss, a mentor, a friend, we know without a doubt that we will not waver in our commitment to keep on doing what we have done for over 40 years—bring community news to the greater Winona area. Everyone at the Post is a professional. We are all prepared to continue bringing you the best of community news, the best advertising sales service, the best graphic and print work, the best delivery, and the best customer service that we can. And, as usual, let us know if that’s not happening.
Some people have wondered if our children will “take over” the paper. The answer is no. As one of my daughters said, “Are you kidding? I want people to like me!” But kidding aside, they are not going to carry on the family business. I am, together with the Post staff, who have a combined tenure of over 150 years at the Winona Post.
I hope you will see a seamless transition. We know these pages will suffer from John’s absence, but hope that for you, like us, missing John will remind you of him, and of his commitment to this area and its people.
We will do the best we can to give you the best, all the while missing our partner, John Edstrom. That was his wish.
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