Sharon Shreve Lorentzen, the famous Farkle who put sparkle in BJ blue, at my request, followed up the article about how she got the Farkle label with her memories of the BJ.

She did such a good job that I wonder why the BJ didn’t turn Paul Lorentzen’s wife into a reporter. Some damn good writing here. I didn’t change a word. Oh, a minor grammar fix here and there, but not much of that even.

A far cleaner copy than a lot of the reporters turned over to me during my 26 years at Ol’ Blue Walls.

Here are Sharon/Farkle’s memories, which are impressive even though she didn’t name me among those she remembered during her BJ years:

Memories - Sharon Shreve/Farkle

I started at the Beacon Journal in Sept. of 1969, two months out of high school. I went in, knocked, and walked into Ben Maidenburg’s office, asked if I could have a job. He hired me. He knew I wanted to write, but with no experience at all, I started with lowered expectations.

I first started in the phone department on the mezzanine, plugging in to take a call when a call came through, and plugging it in for the department it went to. Very interesting. When that system ended, I was offered either a secretary for the managing editor, or a copy kid. As I only wanted to write, I thought that copy kid would somehow get me closer to that goal. Foolish youngster. There was a certain person of authority who told me he would never let that happen. And he meant it.

I was the first female copy kid, and an official grunt - getting coffee, bringing up every edition of the 7 editions for checking, clearing and working on copy machines, rushing changes back to composing, filing pages, hustling and bustling. Bob Goins, Frank Casey, and Bill Chaney came along, too. I was literally in every department of the paper, nearly every day.

Then I was ‘promoted’ doing obits, having to go to the families’ houses to get pictures of accident victims. That was hard for an 18-year-old, with one death being a girl I had gone to high school with. Hated that part.

I was a great typist. So, long before computers, I was the typist for the reporters calling in their stories. That was so interesting and exciting. Charles Buffum, who I still see, let me write a section of an article series he was doing, about marriage. I wrote about my best friend, who had gotten married very young. Thrilling to see it on the front pages of the Community section.

I wrote the weeky columns about what was happening in town. One was - every week - Dave and Diana Neff will be playing traditional old-time music at Hale Farm Sat.-Sun. I can remember thinking, ‘who the hell are Dave and Diana Neff, and what is traditional old-time’? Boy, did I come to learn that.

When I first started dating my husband, one of our weekly dates was to go to Boulder Junction in Green, and listen/play along with a dozen others, playing banjos, fiddles, dulcimers, mandolins, etc. It was magical. That was Dave and Diana. We became very close friends, even to this day, and played in an Irish/French Canadian/Appalachian band for 11 years. We played at Hale Farm, Yankee Peddler, May Day, Nat’l Parks., even a bar mitzvah. We had monthly contra dances in Greentown. I played dulcimer (which I made), and now the bohdran - an Irish drum.

When the paper got to computers, I was the second person that was trained, because I did all the typing. I believe a composing room guy was the first. That was amazing! I have loved them ever since.

I got to work at 5:30 a.m. One of my first tasks was for Pat Englehart.  “Copy” he’d bellow (before Farkle became a thing), “Cigars!” I had to go the Western Drive-In across the street and get his stinky, beloved DiNobli cigars, and a coffee. I also had to get John Knight’s lunch, and put it on ceramic dishes, coffee in the silver pot, all on a silver tray, and leave it on his desk. He couldn’t be there when I did it. Sometimes he’d be talking to his sec’y - Shirley Follo.

I did phone work for the Sports Dept., off and on, especially during the time Mohammad Ali had the some of his biggest fights -  Fight of the Century, the Rumble in the Jungle and the  Thrilla in Manila. The phones would go crazy with people wanting the results. Tom Melody, Ray Yannucci, John Seborn, Sheldon Ocker, Paul Bailey and the rest. Great guys, great experience.

Betty Jaycox would come in around right before 6 some mornings, to write her column - no makeup, no hair done, no fancy outfits. I would get her coffee. The first time I saw her like this, I think my jaw dropped. It was made clear that this was not to be shared. She would return several hours later, in full glory, to start gathering her society news for her next column.

Fran Murphey - wow. That’s all I could think. What a marvelous whirlwind. I have a signed Cotswold Outhouse book she gave me. I marveled at her complete disdain for anything she didn’t want. She was one of a kind and gave a young woman quite a life lesson.

I still wear overalls because of her.

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.

Pat Englehart was a marvel - gruff, sarcastic, funny. The ideal image of a newsman. Luckily he had a soft spot for me. He was patient and encouraging.

On May 4, 1970, I was on the phones with our staff at Kent State. I’m sure it was Don Roese that came in to the ‘press room’ there, to give a report. As I’m talking to him, he stops, says - ‘they’re shooting! They’re shooting here.’ I yelled for Pat. He got on the phone, too. As I’m typing, he’s listening, shouting orders to staff, typing himself. The place exploded! It is one of the most amazing things to happen in my life. I still get goose bumps. It was unbelievable and continues to be.

I was also the first female permitted to wear pants - when they were redoing the newsroom, version 1, I think. We had to headquarter behind the Green Room. I was constantly running my stockings. On a copy kid salary, I just couldn’t afford it, and discussed it with - yes, again - Ben Maidenburg. I was allowed to wear slacks, no jeans, after that. After the Advertising and Sales dept. got a view of that, it was opened to all.

The Beacon Bombers - I wanted to play softball. I asked repeatedly. Jim Ricci said ‘if you let Farkle play, I’ll quit’. As I recall, he was one of their good players. So, I went to John Knight’s condo (with an appointment), asked if we could use the name “Ladies of the Knight” and start a female team. He loved it so much, he bought us uniforms, and sprung for some equipment! That did not go over well with the Bombers, although I think they got t-shirts then. Wonderful, loving Jim Derendal signed on as our coach. We were horrible - a tomboy and a bunch of secretaries who had never played. But we got better, winning a trophy in our 3rd year.

I got married in 1985, and I’m still living in Highland Square, on the same street since 1965. My bonus kids are in Virginia, Atlanta, and North Carolina - 3 kids, 4 grandchildren. Paul and I have had international students from the Caribbean, England, Australia, Egypt, Denmark, Italy, and Norway. We had a wondrous trip to Norway to visit our student’s family for 18 days. We’ve gone to England, several times, including a canal boat trip through mid-England, in which we worked 91 locks ourselves. We’ve cruised through all of the West Indies and Bahamas on Windjammer ships, and the Italian Rivieria on a large cruise ship.

I ride a Harley trike, and we have done several motorcycle trips to Georgia, New Hampshire, and all points closer. We know all the ice cream places.

I started the Family Council at Rockynol, for the advocacy of the seniors there, specifically those with dementia. For eleven years I was there nearly every day with my parents, making sure everyone was getting what they deserved. A special passion and place in my heart.

I have become the unofficial secretary for the Prostate Cancer Support & Education Group, which meets monthly, a very informative group.

Paul was an architect for his whole career, and retired in 2007. He is a great Santa, and we do Mr. and Mrs. Claus every year at local churches and restaurants.

People I remember:

 

Julius Greenfield and all the photogs

Don Gaynor

Don Bandy

Loren Tibbles

Don Fermoyle

Tom Ryan

Pete Geiger

Chas Montague

Larry Froehlich and Janis

Abe Zaidan

Ted Gup

Mark Faris

Joan Rice

Jane Snow

Bob Giles

Peggy Rader

Kathy Frazee

Charles Buffum

Kathy Goforth

Harry Liggett - sweetest guy, good boss

Doug O., when he first started. Wow, did he go far.

All these names flooding back.

Thanks John, for stirring up the memories.

Sharon

 

OLESKY NOTE: With such clean copy, I'm puzzled that no one made Sharon a reporter. I've handled a LOT of copy that was not as well-written as Sharon's memories.

 

She, indeed, put the sparkle in Farkle at the BJ.