Sara Showman, former BJ and PD pop culture critic Mark Dawidziak’s
wife, will star in “Under the Skull and Crossbones: A Pirate’s Life for Me,”
which Sara wrote.
It will blend history, humor and song.
Mark will be playing second banana in this one, as he put it, “one
of the crew.”
6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 7, in Mentor Public Library. Another
Largely Literary Theater Company production.
Porter memorial recalled Mickey’s glory days
Former BJ columnist and Features writer Bill O’Connor reports on the
memorial event for the late legendary BJ columnist Mickey Porter at Bill’s Bath
Township home:
There were a half-dozen or so Beacon people - Mike Needs and Kathy
Fraze, Jane Snow, Karen Lefton, a couple of Mick's care givers (he was
bedridden the last year or so), Mick's sons Mike and Ben Porter and
grandchildren, a few people from Mick's neighborhood.
Mick's son Mike gave a little talk, and there were quite a few
stories, all of them funny, about the long-ago days when Mick prowled the
newsroom, resplendent in bright green, draw-string pants and a long-sleeve,
yellow tee shirt with his watch worn over the sleeve.
Farkle was there. She's as bright and lively as she ever was.
Bill
As I’ve often said,
Farkle put the sparkle in the BJ newsroom and at later reunions over the years.
For newcombers that’s the nickname the Composing Room gave Sharon Shreve Lorentzen, married to
Paul Lorentzen. Sharon also has writing skills, which she displayed in a reply
to me years ago that was so eloquently and well written that I ran it verbatim.
In that epic, she
wrote this about Mickey:
Mickey Porter - the best there. I worked for him for about 3 months,
when he was at his peak. Funny, sardonic, so intelligent. He was ahead of his
time. And a pretty good bowler, too.
She also was talented
with a dulcimer and a bohdran, an Irish
drum. And rode a Harley motorcycle trike to a passel of states in eastern
America.
Sharon started the
Family Council at Rockynol with a primary goal of helping seniors with
dementia. She did that for 11 years. And is unofficial secretary for the
Prostate Cancer Support & Education Group that meets every month. With her
husband Paul, a retired architect, they were Mr. and Mrs. Claus year after year
at local churches and restaurants.
Sharon put the sparkle
in our lives, and of a multitude of othes, in so many ways. She began at the BJ
in 1969, in the phone department, then came being a copy kid because she hoped
would lead to a reporting job but wound up being an obits writer who went the
home of the bereaved to get a photo of the recently dearly departed.
That was followed by
doing rewrites from notes that reporters called in for articles. Later a weekly
column about the happenings around town. She fetched the legendary De Nobil
cigars for State Desk editor Pat Englehart and lunch for nationally renow
newspaper group (NOT chain, he insisted) owner John Shively Knight, who had the
corner office at 44 E. Exchange Street in the warmer months and at the Miami
Herald with a view of the bay in the colder northern months.
Sharon worked the
Sports Department phones which got REALLY busy when Mohammad Ali had a title
fight.
A memorable phone call
was photographer Don Rose calling from Kent State on May 4, 1970 and announcing
“They’re shooting here!” The Ohio National Guard killed 4 students and wounded
9 others.
She went to John
Knight’s home, by appointment, and got his permission to use the name Ladies of
the Knight for the BJ women’s softball team. JSK liked the name so much he
bought their uniforms. Unlike the Beacon Bombers, the men’s team, Ladies of the
Knight actually won the championship in their third season in the league.
Farkle has a resume
with a LOT of sparkle!
September 3 Honor
& Remembrance
For former BJ
Circulation’s Dan Lias
From:
"Melissa Lias"
To: jo4wvu@neo.rr.com
Cc:
Sent: Wednesday May 25 2022 3:37:39PM
Subject: Daniel Lias Honor and Remembrance Event Scheduled
John,
Good
afternoon.
Please
feel free to post this information on your ABJ retirees blog:
Daniel
J. Lias Honor and Remembrance Event
Noon-6
p.m. Saturday, September 3
Wingfoot
Lake State Park
Dogwood
Shelter
Reply
to Melissa Lias
(330)
550-9161
Or
email
Melissa is Dan’s daughter.
Dan once was BJ Circulation home delivery manager before heading off to
Houston.
Dan’s
widow is Susan Lias. Melissa Lias and Kevin Lias are Dan and Susan’s children.
Brooklyn Rose is his granddaughter. Dan
was United Way drive chairman for the BJ for 8 years (2002-2010).
After the BJ Dan
went to the PD and then the Houston Chronicle.
Coming to the tribute to Mickey Porter? Let O’Connor know
Bill O’Connor, former BJ columnist and features writer, needs to
know how many will be coming to Mickey Porter’s memorial at Bill’s house so he’ll
know whether to prepare for a few or dozens of people.
Here’s Bill’s message to me:
Reminder - Mike and Ben
Porter, Mickey Porter's sons, are holding a memorial (party!) at O'Connor's
house, 1108 Rambling Way, Bath, next Sunday, May 29, starting at 2 p.m. If you
plan to make it, please let O'Connor know via email - loco2732@aol.com. All Beacon
folks and their attachments are invited, so you can pass the word in case
someone doesn't notice blog. (However, if Olesky finds that out, you're in
trouble.)
So, let Bill and Mickey’s
sons knows how many will be there. I will try to make it if I get back from
West Virginia and my Monongah High Alumni Reunion in time and with enough
energy left after a weekend with family and friends in my native state.
So, PLEASE contact Bill and
let him know if you plan to attend.
Mickey passed away March 18
at the age of 84 and 10 months. Mickey retired from the BJ in 2006 after 40
years at Ol’ Blue Walls on 44 E. Exchange Street.