A couple of weeks ago I stopped in to pay for my online subscription to The Alpena News and while there called upon Bill Speer. Out of his office he came. We greeted one another and shook hands. It had been a while since we last talked. It was during a conversation that I was reminded of words that Bill had stated several years ago: “I love writing and I love words.”

That is so true and it extended my thoughts to words that describe Bill. I think of “gentleman” and “gentle man.” These are the words that are so befitting Bill. Always a gentleman and always a gentle man.

He asked if I still was doing some fly fishing. I responded that I was giving thought to having some longer legs installed on a walker so that i could get into a stream but then modified that statement by simply saying, “no.” The last time I was in a stream with fly rod in hand was with Bill. It was an event that still broadcasts itself across my memory.

I want to wish Bill a very happy retirement and I do hope that he will contribute some thoughts in writing every once in a while. I do know that two aged men have vowed to one another to wet a line together in hopes of getting a fish to rise one more time.

Thank you, Bill for being the shining light of words to our community for so many years.

WILLIAM MORRISON,

Ossineke