Boswell: About to say the hardest goodbye

I know I’ve done it before — devoted my column to my grieving over great staff members and coworkers leaving me for new chapters in their lives.

It’s never so much self-pitying as it is a need to pay them tribute or let everyone know how awesome they truly are, because they are good people who have had a positive impact on my life.

But this time is a little different, because I am no less than feeling sorry for myself over the upcoming loss at the end of this next week. Don’t get me wrong, I’m ecstatically happy for her, but I feel heart broken for myself.

I have just finished a wonderful vacation in Florida, but I have returned with the knowledge that I only have one short week left with my precious Jacque.

Alisa Boswell

In my six years with the local newspaper, Jacque Cole has been so much more than a coworker, an office manager and a friend. She has basically been a second mother. In fact, I often jokingly refer to her as “office mom.”

No doubt she will be mad at me for drawing attention to her, because Jacque is one to never want or seek attention, but she has been such a special lady in my life, I can hardly help myself.

Jacque has often been the firm scolding we all needed when occasionally being caught breaking certain office policies, but she was also my daily voice of encouragement any time I felt like I just couldn’t take the stress of the job anymore or when I just wasn’t sure what to do about a situation.

She has been my voice of reason when I doubted myself, and I don’t think there was any one person as excited and happy for me regarding my recent wedding as she was. And no one knows the ins and outs of their job and their company like Jacque does.

I hardly know how I will manage without her — or how any of us will, for that matter. If/when a replacement comes in, they have some extraordinarily large shoes to fill. As for replacing Jacque herself, it just isn’t possible.

Never doubt for a second, Jacque, that I am so overwhelmingly excited for you with your new life chapter, but I hope you’ll forgive me for self-centeredly grieving for myself.

I told Jacque that come Friday, I will try to be strong, but I make no promises that tears won’t be shed.

Good luck, beautiful lady; you are forever in my heart, and never doubt that I will think of you always.

Alisa Boswell is managing editor for Portales News-Tribune. Contact her at:

[email protected]