There can be only one: In memory of KB

Opinion

August 25, 2010

By Leslie N. Dees The Star Herald The Star Herald Wed Aug 25, 2010, 02:38 PM CDT

KOSCIUSKO — The Star-Herald lost a little part of its legacy on Sunday morning with the passing of William “Cooter Bill” Thompson or as I have always called him – KB. He was 71.

He loved the Star-Herald like no other in his 50-plus career and as many of his former co-workers would agree there are a few stories to tell.

Mine is not the best and or the funniest but never-the-less it is simply KB.

I started work at the newspaper on a Monday (the second busiest day of the week at the Star-Herald) in June 2007 and while I was frantically searching our computer system and getting the lay of the land, in walks KB.

Hands on his hips and staring right over my shoulder, he says, “Do you know what you are doing?”

I replied – “Well, if I don’t, there won’t be a Star-Herald this week.”

He patted me on the back and with a smile on his face, he offered a few words of encouragement and he shuffled back to his office down the hall.

He loved to give you a hard time and that day I think I won him over with my snappy comeback.

Monday morning, we all gathered around and shared our stories of KB. There were no tears or solemn faces but smiles and laughter.

On Tuesday, we shut the office down to go pay our last respects to him. I told my co-workers that it would be just like KB to throw a wrench into the deadline day at the paper.

I’m sure he’s up above laughing about it right now.

I consider it an honor that I was the last of a long line of editorial staff that worked with the one and only KB.

You will be missed but there’s a little piece of you in each edition of The Star-Herald.

And there will certainly never be another like KB.

Leslie N. Dees is managing editor of The Star-Herald. Email her at editor@starherald.net

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