Anne Marie Swan (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
jerry mcbride
Bill Roberts, former editor-in-chief durango herald From 1990 to 2017, I’ve been providing opinions on how I like coffee, the strong way. It takes courage to do that. Even if you are not popular, you must be able to stick to your roots and defend your position.
Now retired, Bill has the freedom to write guest columns, which he enjoys without reservation. He brings so much to our opinion pages with his perspective and personality.
Bill’s voice was clearly his own. The mark of a true, confident writer. A person who writes about face-to-face communication methods.
A friendship with Bill seemed unlikely. Bill has been active in the Durango scene for many years, and I was a newcomer to the community, joining him as an opinion editor two years ago. Bill stood out. It’s not just because he’s tall. Warm and funny, he was as interested in me as I was in his experience as an editor.
We quickly became friends and spent a lot of time connecting in the office, talking on the phone, and over lunch solving problems in the Southwest and the world. On our way to lunch, Bill points out what stores used to be there, who eloped with whose spouses, and the hustle and bustle and shenanigans he’s seen in the city over the decades.
Bill was my guide to this town. Every outing included a history of the event. I also relied on him to fill in the gaps between who did what to whom and what happened next.
Stories in all directions.
Bill often stopped by when running errands in town. Poking his head into my office, he said, “Can I have a minute?” His minutes usually reached over 30. When he wanted to pitch an idea, he would show up and ask, “What do you think?”
I loved his easygoing and refreshing demeanor. His diving was the ultimate compliment.
Our calls always started with the topic of his upcoming guest column. Sometimes he wanted to write about topics he had already covered. I encouraged him to explore new avenues. He gently pushed back. In the end, he usually went with his original idea, which was fine. He earned his place on the page.
Our conversations were often long and interminable, veering into heavier, existential questions and even continuing on to what we were going to make for dinner.
The calls often took place while one of them was chopping vegetables, washing dishes, or taking a walk. In our busy lives, we rarely have such consideration. In Bill’s case, it was natural. Now I realize how special our conversation was. Even if it was mediocre.
During some difficult times, Bill answered my calls. I had no foresight to contact him. I just pulled out my phone. He listened without trying to solve my situation. That’s all you need.
Bill was excited to start a new phase in his life and was looking forward to spending more time with his wife, Kathy, who had just retired. In December, he and Kathy met up with some of Bill’s friends who had worked together in the ’70s at Sweeney’s Restaurant. Although Kathy likely heard all of Bill’s stories, she also listened to the same cherished memories shared by others. And Bill was so dizzy that he spent most of the afternoon laughing out loud.
Bill had recently been enjoying connecting with old friends, inviting them over for lunch and check-in calls.
I still can’t believe he passed away. Just this week, in a magical moment of thought, I was keeping an eye out for him at City Market. I always shop there because I know he shopped there. I thought of pitching the idea to him and asking if I could submit my column sooner. Tell him about the changes that will occur in my life.
As a fairly new friend, I certainly have no history with Bill and his family. Still, he was an important figure in my life in Durango.
He encouraged me on difficult work days. When he was an editor, he did things differently. But he understood the need to leave my own mark on these pages based on what I had learned so far.
We agreed on important things. I believe this work is a service to the reader. When it’s easier and less stressful to get out of the cave, be brave and dig deep. They give benefits to letter writers and are kind to people who have different worldviews than their own.
Bill was fun. Laugh easily. Trustworthy. Decent person. And I am grateful for everything he has given me in the short time I have known him.
Anne Marie Swan is an opinion editor for: durango herald and journal In Cortez.