When I heard Lettie Gavin Gudmestad had hit her final typewriter key, I knew we had to have some special recognition for the work she did for the Highline Times as editor of the Women's section. This was back in the days when weekly papers had dedicated sections.

I knew Lettie well. She was crusty, outspoken and cantankerous and very talented. But her editor was the highly esteemed Reid Hale.

Reid is retired and living in Bothell so I called him and asked for some thoughts regarding the news of Lettie's demise. Here is his response.

Jerry,

In my 18 years as editor of the Highline Times, I never had a more unforgettable meeting of anyone than when Lettie Gavin stormed into my Highline Times office.

She slapped the latest edition down on my desk and proceeded to tell me that the entire Women's section stunk. She proved it by going over each article, line by line.

She informed me she had worked on the Detroit Free Press, came West with her husband, who had served in the Navy during World War II and left her to "rot" in a kitchen somewhere in Normandy Park. She told me to hire her before she killed him.

I did, she didn't, and she was the making of one of the best Women's Sections in all of the community newspapers in the state and she garnered enough awards to prove it. She later took her career to the Seattle P-I and I never ever had an editor like her again. She could curse like a sailor, drink her whisky on ice and write up a storm.

Lettie Gavin was a one of a kind. She broke free from being a housewife in a day when that took guts. She had them.

Reid Hale

Elsbeth and I were in the bowling alley in Ballard having a hamburger last week. Just as I was eating a French fry I saw a tiny lady walking past our table.

She was no bigger than a tall tulip and dressed like a fastidious office manager. Her silvery gray close-cropped perm made a stunning contrast to a beautifully tailored black wool and red jacket and crimson blouse. Her sharply creased black slacks and size 4 shiny sensible walking shoes made an appealing picture as she made her way to the exit.

I was smitten, as was Elsbeth, so I caught her attention by saying," I'll bet I am older than you."

She smiled and said briskly," I will bet you 25 cents you aren't. I will be 100 years old on June 4."

We were stunned and asked her if we could take her picture. She was not the least bit shy and gladly answered my impetuous questions.

Her name is Beatrice Williams and she lives in Ballard. She is a widow with two children, a daughter and a son, and grew up in Burien.

She attended Sunnydale Grade School, which would make her a member of the 1920 graduating class.

She was Beatrice Lane then and is sharp as a needle. She started and operated Angie's Cleaners and Banner Dye works in Seattle for 37 years.

She reads the Ballard News Tribune and also reads the Highline Times brought to her by her daughter. She knows that her family will be putting on a party for her and I told her to expect someone from the paper to be there for a chunk of birthday cake.