A few months ago, Dee Quam came to me and told me that in August she was going to retire. She said it was time. I began to think about all the things we had encountered together over the past 12 years I have worked there.

For the last 44 years, she has worked at the front counter in some fashion or another in the circulation department. She is the first person a customer sees when coming into the office.

Dee was like clock work. She came in every morning by 8 a.m. She would grab her cup of coffee, chat a little, then sit down and check messages. She would follow up with the customers or make calls to sell the paper. She would do the deposit and answer the phones. Then at noon or so, she would wrap her day up and start to deliver her papers.

Some of the things that I can tell you about Dee is that she is a hard worker. Dee will take up any challenge that you ask her to do. She is always willing to work with that customer who didn’t get a paper and see that they do. She answers the phone to help a customer. She takes pride in what she does.  She tries to make every customer happy either on the phone or in the office.

I think that just about everyone in Austin and Mower County knows her or has worked with her somehow at the paper. Just about every person that either calls or stops in she knows, or knows their kids, or some other family member.

Not only does Dee work in the office, but she delivers papers six days a week. She takes pride in that also to ensure proper delivery.

It was always fun to work with Dee. During the winter when the weather was bad, she would call me and ask me to pick her up because she never wanted to be late. Dee, thanks for the last 44 years at the Herald. It has been great working with you. Your desk won’t be the same with out you. You have worked hard and you deserve this retirement. Enjoy it.