elmer book[1]

8/3/2019 Elmer Book[1]

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Its been an honor and privilege to call mysel a teammate o yoursthe past three years. Have a great retirementand may you alwaysfop the nuts!Chuck Darrow

Nobody represents the best journalistic traits better than ElmerSmith as long as you dont count losing company credit cards.He still believes in being air, in nding the humanity beneaththe surace o any individual and in resisting at all costs thetemptation to simply be one o the pack.Zachary Stalberg

Dear Elmer,I will never, ever orgot our crazy, silly editorial board meetings in

the Aregood era, and your and Richs ondness or telling certainkinds o jokes long beore Rick Santorum got into the act. (Iwill elaborate here given your current venerable status as an elderstatesman and role model.) And all the hours I spent standing inyour o ce with our conversations careening over several topics,oten very ar aeld rom where we started and my deadlineapproaching.We did have un, didnt we?Heres to a great next chapter or all o us.Love,Carol Towarnicky


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When only the best will do, theres Mr. Smith.Bobbi Booker

Elmer retiring? Isnt that illegal?Karen E. Quinones Miller

As Elmer leaves any room, someone either says or thinks theregoes a classy, kind man. Te big sendo is simply on a bigger stagebut the usual sentiment prevails about a decent man who can alsowrite.Drew McQuade

Elmer, Ive always been a an o yours rom aar ... as a man whowalks with such grace and goodness. Your lovely, inectious smile

always leads the way. Someone once said, You may not alwaysremember what a person said, or what a person did, but you willALWAYS remember how a person made you eel. I have ondmemories o our brie encounters. May the Good Lord guide andprotect you as you enter this new chapter o your lie.

Marilynn Bailey

Elmer is one o the businesses real tough guys with a heart o agold and a mind that wont quit. Hes pretty unny too!Cynthia Burton

Elmer, you will always be my rabbi.For those who need a reresherin Philly-political parlance, youwere my mentor, go-to guy andoccasional guardian or my decadeon the religion beat (which wasintertwined with politics, o course) atthe Daily News. I cherished, andreaders unknowingly benetted rom,your roadmap, story ideas, religious-cultural background/perspective, thelandmines, heroes and trends in the Arican American church

community.You pointed me toward a prominent church that pulls back thecurtain on an altar baptismal tank at Easter sunrise - a great eaturethat was ho-hum to many Baptists and an astonishing look-in oralmost all other readers. And the subtexts o Good Friday LastWords preaching contests. Or church community heroes thatnever got any notice. Cityside the Arican American pulpit hasnever been ar rom the ballot box m you pointed me toward theimportant stu, the non-obvious alliances, the deals and the puresocial justice too.Tose were the days, my riend, and these are the new days, thegood days.Shalom,

Ron Goldwyn

Big thanks to you always Elmer, or being an incredible rolemodel, believing in me and teaching my daughters that a dreamlike Santa Claus comes in all colors. Tey still talk about sitting on

your knee at the Daily News and making their Xmas wishes.Yvonne Latty

Tanks, Elmer, or everything especially or playing Santa Clausall those years. Now, its really time to have some un, especially

with a job well done. Your rusted El Todd Beamon


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Best o luck in yourretirements.Sylvester M. Johnson

Speechless. How much your

voice will be missed cant beput into words. Your loveor the paper and the city itrepresents has always beenvisible in your actions andyour columns. Keep yourpassion alive.

Darlene Brindle Waties

Retire? Youve got to be kidding. All this must mean is that youllopine and spew wherever the heck you want, whenever the heckyou want about whatever the heck you want, ... Oh, my, I guessthats what youve been doing these many years, eh? Enjoy, mygood brother. I hope to sit out in the shade, in the sun and maybewatching a cool rain as I discuss and debate and just listen to your

lucid ramblings.Will Sutton

Wow Elmer. Im happy or you but really sad or us. A big loss orthe DN. CongratsWendy Ruderman Moser

Always a class act, and hes retiring? He looks 50. I should be

retiring. ake me with you, Elmer.Steve Lopez

As a reader rst and an editor second, one o the greatest pleasureso my job was editing Elmers column. It is a joy to read. It is thework o a true cratsman, always thought-provoking and, not to beoverlooked, oten quite unny. He can do serious, he can do unny,

he can do emotion. What he cant do is boring.Gar Joseph

Im soooooo sad and this news is unthinkable I wish Elmerwell as I know hell continue to inspire and enlighten everywherehe goes along his uture path, yet I cant imagine the Daily Newswithout my big brother Elmer you are an amazing source oinspiration. A calm in the storm. I love our long talks at lunch andin the middle o the newsroom. Its as i the world stops when youdrop your knowledge.Sarah J. Glover

A rock-solid colleague, riend and mentor.Al Hunter Jr.

Elmer willdenitely bemissed, but at thesame time, he hasdone his job asa journalist withdistinction, classand wisdom. I

know there arebigger and betterthings in theuture. Te Philliesand Sixers gameswill not be the same without talking to Elmer. I consider him amentor.

Chris Murray

I cant wait or his next chapter, the next step in the journey, thenext rung o lies ladder. Ater conquering one mountain, youshould go ater the next! How many metaphors can I use in onepost? Far ewer than the adjectives I could fing his way.

Rochelle Riley

Elmer isnt the retiring type. Ill be interested in seeing what hisnext venture will be.

Jackie Jones


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Sounds as thoughyou are set or a loto new adventures,Elmer! Have un inyour retirement youve earned it.Denise Cowie

In my days atthe Daily News,I always knewwhere I should go

or insights on allthings Philadelphia.Tanks or all othat Elmer. I knowthe paper will missyou a whole lot.Dave Warner

As a ellow ex-boxing writer and current columnist, I have longlooked up to Elmer, read his work and learned many things romhim. I know he wont disappear rom the scene, so I ll be looking tosee where his work will end up.

David Squires

Still hard to believe. ruly the end o an era, or the DN and Philly.Who will speak truth to power?Nia Wedobigthings Meeks

So happy that Elmer can retire while he is still one o the bestreporters in the city.

Robert Mendelsohn

And I wonder what s next what hes been dreaming o doing

ater his newspaper stint. Oten retire is an invitation to retreadand redirect.Denise James

Elmer, At ringside, courtside and curbside, you set the higheststandard, my man. Tanks or sharing your incredible wisdomthrough unorgettable columns and across the lunch table.Vernon Clark

You, Mr. Smith, were one o the rst beacons o talent, integrityand class that conrmed I had chosen the right proession. Yourpassion, strength and good humor continued to show me the wayas I navigated my own journey as it clearly did or many, manyothers. Tank you or being a light in our lives, one that still shines.

Roy S. Johnson

Philadelphiawill be not quiteas great withoutyour greatcolumns, Elmer.Best wishes toyou in whatevercomes next.

Carolyn Davis

Tis is a ttingtribute to a manwhose wisdommade a dierence in uncounted lives, including mine. You arealways my treasured riend even as both our lives change. Heavenknows weve come through some changes together already. Blessyou.Richard Aregood

Elmer Smith, a role model rom my rst day in the business untilwhat will be his last and well beyond. A lot o things change overa career. Mr. Smith has been a constant. Youve earned the respecto kings and the admiration o us regular olk. Congratulations on

Jobs Well Done.Neal Scarbrough


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Congratulations Elmer!When we met 30 years ago at NABJ-Louisville, you wastransitioning rom the shuttered Philadelphia Bulletin. You didthe transormation thing beore it became the 21st century careerbuzzword.

Enjoy the new journey [aint calling this retirement].Wayne Dawkins

Congratulations, Elmer, and happy retirement. Tanks or yourkindness all those years ago.Sarah Freligh

I want to be just like you when I grow up.Congratulations and I hope to join yousoon.

Michael Bruton

Congratulations, Elmer, on yourretirement and thanks or all yourcontributions to the newspaper proession.

Well miss you.All the best, rom a ellow ormercolumnist and rotterite.Tannette Johnson-Elie

I wouldnt be the writer I am today without your guidance alongthe way. Youve been a true inspiration to me in my career and mylie. Love you to pieces!

Stacy Julien

Oh, Elmer, Congratulations! Are you gonna be Out o Your Mindsome more, now that youre being let out o the corral? I hope so.alk about Santa Claus: just look at all the straight-up truth told sowell!Lorene Cary

It will mark the end o an era.Jenice Armstrong

Elmer, you have been a teacher or many o us with the excellenceyouve displayed as a writer and with how youve handled yourselover the years. Tank you or mentoring so many o us along theway.David Aldridge

Elmer, thank you or being a mentor and riend. Your retirementwill leave a huge void. Tank you or all you have done!Celeste Whittaker

Congratulations,Elmer. I cantwait to seewhere your newound reedomtakes you!TonyaaWeathersbee

When I was

a journalismmajor at empleUniversity in the80s, I wantedto be the next Elmer Smith. ruth is, Elmer is one o a kind. Youwill be missed. Tanks or raising the bar or excellence!!Ray Jones

Looking orward to the next chapter!Mary C. Curtis

Elmer, congratulations! I recall playing pool with you in Seoul, Koreaduring the 1988 Summer Olympics and having dinner with you a ewyears ago in Atlanta. In each case (and all others), the conversationwas always un and learning or me. Tank you or the riendship,

wisdom and journalism excellence or a LONG time!!!Curtis Bunn


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otal love to my other crush. Now, how to gure out to get thebenjamins to come Out East or the bash.

Kathleen Shea Aregood

Will hit it on the head I ll believe this retirement when I see

it! More likely is youll simply take time to have a sip o coeebeore telling it like it is. Congrats on a great, and continuing,career!

Robin Washington

Your retirement will be a loss or Philadelphia, but the whole citywill undoubtedly join your riends in wishing you the best as youbegin your next adventure.Charles Fancher

Premature enter button. Gladto honor a thoughtul, yetpassionate voice on the subjectswe should be talking about.Elmers voice will be missed

Loraine Ballard Morrill

Unpredictable, up-ront,personable and real: Elmer SmithIS Philadelphia. Best o luck, sir,its been a pleasure.

David Lee Preston

Way to go, Elmer eventhough your voice will be missed.Sherry Howard

Congratulations Elmer! May the Lord bless and keep you.William Macklin

Congratulations, Elmer! Tanks or all the great work. You made a

dierence.Butch Ward

Damn. First they tore down Hearts & Flowers then Te restleInn burned in a very suspicious re. Ten came global warming andan earthquake in Philly. Now, Elmer Smith is retiring. End o days,people. End o days. My wish or him is that he continue to writewithout shoes, and laugh without hesitation or remorseJoseph P. Blake

Congrats! Richly deserved.Gwen Florio

Dude, you slacking o already? You know youve got lots more todo :)

Congrats on a well deserved retirement, bro!Eugene Kane

Congrats Daddy!!!!! You have worked hard to earn this and youdeserve it.Cheryl Smith Arnold

What a loss or quality journalism in this town truly

irreplaceable.Will Bunch

elmer book[1]

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