2 I September 3, 2015 I North Coast Citizen I Manzanita, Oregon www.NortthastCitizen.com Saying goodbye to Kay Covert ‘ By Dan Haag How do you celebrate the life of someone truly special after they are gone? Do you hold a parade? Write a song? Build a statue? More importantly, how do you fill the void left by that person? These are the questions Manzanita is left to ponder alter the passing of Kay Covert. Kay was my friend. I’d known her as a casual acquaintance of nearly 10 years, but had the op- portunity to really get to know her working together on the Manza- nita Visitors Center project. I’ll let you have all the celebri- ties, and dignitaries in the world; knowing Kay Covert was truly one of the greatest honors of my life. When I’d heard she had passed, the world instantly felt lessened, like a watershed histori- cal moment.There was a Manza- nita with Kay and a Manzanita without her, and things would never be the same. As the tears came and went and came again, a clearer picture of who and what we have lost and whatwemust do now developed. Who Kay was cannot be boiled down to one label because she was a universe of things; a loving wife and mother, a successful entrepreneur, a supporter of the arts, a believer in progress and improvement. Kay was also a devoted ser- vant of the community and she wore it like a badge of honor. When it came to loving this town and this area, she gave of her time and talent without pause. Her passionate work on behalf of the Manzanita Business Alliance and later Chamber of Commerce was a love letter to the place she called home. On any given day, she could be seen strolling Laneda Avenue, chatting with people and carrying a stack of binders on her way to another meeting. She’d always wave and smile at everyone, ofien holding her fingers up to an ear in the shape of a phone as she juggled her binders. Kay continually surprised me. She was sweet-natured and charming and never talked down to you.When you talked to her, you were her equal, her fi'iend, her potential recruit. I ofien went home alter a meeting wondering how or why I had volunteered to do something. It wasn’t actually that complicated: Kay had asked. To paraphrase Jack Nicholson in “As Good As It Gets,” Kay made me want to be a better man. Her laugh was disarming and her ability to diffuse situations with sott words and a smile was uncanny. I remember many a meeting where the room crackled with tension and only Kay stood between total chaos. Somehow, the slight woman with the shock of white hair and quiet demeanor would calm the crowd and press on. Her ability to speak respect- fully, make eye contact, and listen Carl Wolfman returns to Pine Grove with locals comedy competition Sept. 12 “on By Laura Swanson the Re- ‘lswanson@countrymedia.net publican “Just for Laughs” with $3,113” Carl Wolfson is coming to is driving the Pine Grove on Septem- all of the ber 12th at 7:30 pm. This debate is a return engagement for Jeb Bu'sh Wolfsnn and will be in mm M»... nn‘rnl' was not lip service; she believed in open discussion the sharing of opinions. She was the very defini- tion of grace under pressure. While she often spoke sofily, she could also carry a big stick; Kay had a dry, whip-smart sense of humor that would often catch me off-guard. I nearly fell out of my chair the first time she dropped an ‘F-bomb’ in front of me. She immediately clamped her hand over her mouth, her eyes as wide as saucers, and declared “Oh, I’m so sorry!” My respect for her deepened ten-fold at that moment. With apologies to husband Wait and son Max, Kay belonged to all of us. She was a commu- nity treasure, a brightly burning beacon of our community spirit. When she went out to represent Manzanita at county or state func- tions, we could rest easy know- ing we were in good hands. She pushed us all to make our town more than just a destination; she Johnson. and the care to honor her in the most won- derful and respectful ways possible,” noted event organizer Claudia Cards may be sent to Walt c/o Kamali pushed us to make it a home. The day the Visitors Center opened, I had the privilege of standing beside Kay as people began streaming in to see the new space. Her eyes welled up and she squeezed my arm. “This is really good,” she said. The pride she felt over the project radiated from her like a physical force. Trying to come to grips with her absence feels unbearable, but bear it I will. Kay did not suffer fools and she certainly did not believe in quitting. Not with so much work to lefi to do. That is how we celebrate the life of Kay Covert. We see the groundwork and foundations she lovingly built and We press on. We never flinch awayfrom a difficult task. Most importantly, we love our families, friends, and neighbors and use that love to build and shape our community. Kaycovert Memorial to be held Nov. 1 at NCRD Gym lswanson@eountryme- dia.net or on the Manza- , nita Facebook page. Or to Claudia Johnson at claudiaejohnson@gmail. com . Please add your story ' of Kay and what she Sotheby, PO Box 820, meant to you to any of Manzanita, Or 97130 these places and/or to her Contributions have Facebook site where oth- been requested to be era are writing in letting made in Kay’s name to us know that “she will . the United Paws Of Til- not be forgotten”. ’lamook at unitedpaws. “Feel free to write to ‘ ._ , wordpress.corn/donate/ me, I will be'ofliciat- Community PIEamZ- or the Oregon Humane ing at the service,” said as have met Wlth Walt Society at www.cregon— Johnson. Or send your and he has requested that hmnane.0rg/donate/, as words ‘to Dana Zia (zia@ ; the CV91? take Place 01! Kay loved and adopted nehalemtel.net) and KaY’S binhdatCi NO- many a stray cat she’ll see toit they ., vember lsteat the Noljth Tributes and personal addedto the CPUIlty Recreation D1s- stories are welcomed - memory of met .(NCRD) gym “She we have set up a special will know about all i WaS/ls 5? mUCh 5‘ I331rt 0f “Tribute to Kay Covert” this!” she added. “And the fabric Of 0111‘ towns age for these messages, know it is comforting . and our lives that we will send to the Citizen at want to take the time Dear Kay, him to from You were an Angel of Support, Kindness and Generosityto me and Irreplaceable. «Larry Clinton , OCR Text: 2 I September 3, 2015 I North Coast Citizen I Manzanita, Oregon www.NortthastCitizen.com Saying goodbye to Kay Covert ‘ By Dan Haag How do you celebrate the life of someone truly special after they are gone? Do you hold a parade? Write a song? Build a statue? More importantly, how do you fill the void left by that person? These are the questions Manzanita is left to ponder alter the passing of Kay Covert. Kay was my friend. I’d known her as a casual acquaintance of nearly 10 years, but had the op- portunity to really get to know her working together on the Manza- nita Visitors Center project. I’ll let you have all the celebri- ties, and dignitaries in the world; knowing Kay Covert was truly one of the greatest honors of my life. When I’d heard she had passed, the world instantly felt lessened, like a watershed histori- cal moment.There was a Manza- nita with Kay and a Manzanita without her, and things would never be the same. As the tears came and went and came again, a clearer picture of who and what we have lost and whatwemust do now developed. Who Kay was cannot be boiled down to one label because she was a universe of things; a loving wife and mother, a successful entrepreneur, a supporter of the arts, a believer in progress and improvement. Kay was also a devoted ser- vant of the community and she wore it like a badge of honor. When it came to loving this town and this area, she gave of her time and talent without pause. Her passionate work on behalf of the Manzanita Business Alliance and later Chamber of Commerce was a love letter to the place she called home. On any given day, she could be seen strolling Laneda Avenue, chatting with people and carrying a stack of binders on her way to another meeting. She’d always wave and smile at everyone, ofien holding her fingers up to an ear in the shape of a phone as she juggled her binders. Kay continually surprised me. She was sweet-natured and charming and never talked down to you.When you talked to her, you were her equal, her fi'iend, her potential recruit. I ofien went home alter a meeting wondering how or why I had volunteered to do something. It wasn’t actually that complicated: Kay had asked. To paraphrase Jack Nicholson in “As Good As It Gets,” Kay made me want to be a better man. Her laugh was disarming and her ability to diffuse situations with sott words and a smile was uncanny. I remember many a meeting where the room crackled with tension and only Kay stood between total chaos. Somehow, the slight woman with the shock of white hair and quiet demeanor would calm the crowd and press on. Her ability to speak respect- fully, make eye contact, and listen Carl Wolfman returns to Pine Grove with locals comedy competition Sept. 12 “on By Laura Swanson the Re- ‘lswanson@countrymedia.net publican “Just for Laughs” with $3,113” Carl Wolfson is coming to is driving the Pine Grove on Septem- all of the ber 12th at 7:30 pm. This debate is a return engagement for Jeb Bu'sh Wolfsnn and will be in mm M»... nn‘rnl' was not lip service; she believed in open discussion the sharing of opinions. She was the very defini- tion of grace under pressure. While she often spoke sofily, she could also carry a big stick; Kay had a dry, whip-smart sense of humor that would often catch me off-guard. I nearly fell out of my chair the first time she dropped an ‘F-bomb’ in front of me. She immediately clamped her hand over her mouth, her eyes as wide as saucers, and declared “Oh, I’m so sorry!” My respect for her deepened ten-fold at that moment. With apologies to husband Wait and son Max, Kay belonged to all of us. She was a commu- nity treasure, a brightly burning beacon of our community spirit. When she went out to represent Manzanita at county or state func- tions, we could rest easy know- ing we were in good hands. She pushed us all to make our town more than just a destination; she Johnson. and the care to honor her in the most won- derful and respectful ways possible,” noted event organizer Claudia Cards may be sent to Walt c/o Kamali pushed us to make it a home. The day the Visitors Center opened, I had the privilege of standing beside Kay as people began streaming in to see the new space. Her eyes welled up and she squeezed my arm. “This is really good,” she said. The pride she felt over the project radiated from her like a physical force. Trying to come to grips with her absence feels unbearable, but bear it I will. Kay did not suffer fools and she certainly did not believe in quitting. Not with so much work to lefi to do. That is how we celebrate the life of Kay Covert. We see the groundwork and foundations she lovingly built and We press on. We never flinch awayfrom a difficult task. Most importantly, we love our families, friends, and neighbors and use that love to build and shape our community. Kaycovert Memorial to be held Nov. 1 at NCRD Gym lswanson@eountryme- dia.net or on the Manza- , nita Facebook page. Or to Claudia Johnson at claudiaejohnson@gmail. com . Please add your story ' of Kay and what she Sotheby, PO Box 820, meant to you to any of Manzanita, Or 97130 these places and/or to her Contributions have Facebook site where oth- been requested to be era are writing in letting made in Kay’s name to us know that “she will . the United Paws Of Til- not be forgotten”. ’lamook at unitedpaws. “Feel free to write to ‘ ._ , wordpress.corn/donate/ me, I will be'ofliciat- Community PIEamZ- or the Oregon Humane ing at the service,” said as have met Wlth Walt Society at www.cregon— Johnson. Or send your and he has requested that hmnane.0rg/donate/, as words ‘to Dana Zia (zia@ ; the CV91? take Place 01! Kay loved and adopted nehalemtel.net) and KaY’S binhdatCi NO- many a stray cat she’ll see toit they ., vember lsteat the Noljth Tributes and personal addedto the CPUIlty Recreation D1s- stories are welcomed - memory of met .(NCRD) gym “She we have set up a special will know about all i WaS/ls 5? mUCh 5‘ I331rt 0f “Tribute to Kay Covert” this!” she added. “And the fabric Of 0111‘ towns age for these messages, know it is comforting . and our lives that we will send to the Citizen at want to take the time Dear Kay, him to from You were an Angel of Support, Kindness and Generosityto me and Irreplaceable. «Larry Clinton , Nehalem Valley Historical Society,Under Construction,March 2024 Shipment Scans,Purple Folder F,Various News Clippings,Letter to the Community Saying Goodbye to Kay Covert,P01.tif, P01.tif