The Indiana Publisher

Page 4 December 2020 Kristi Hileman Pharos-Tribune English author Edward Bulwer- Lytton's now-famous words encap- sulate the purpose of a woman who strived to make her section of the world a better place. For she knew that the "pen is mightier than the sword" and she knew that putting black ink on a crisp-white sheet meant her words could make a difference. And that's what Kokomo Tribune's managing editor, Sally J. Mahan, strived to do every moment of her life. "She was the type of journalist who took her work very seriously," said Publisher Robyn McCloskey, who remained in shock most of the weekend, just like every other employee at the Kokomo-based newspaper and Logansport Pharos- Tribune, where Sally often served as an editor. Brought on board almost three years ago, Sally and her husband, Fred, had made their home in Kokomo. But early morning on Dec. 4, Sally never made it to the office. As she was picking up pillows to carefully place on the couple's bed, she experienced pains on her left side and down her arm, and later succumbed to a fatal heart attack on the ambulance ride to Ascension St. Vincent Kokomo. She was 63 years old, mother to two sons, stepmother to a daughter and son, grandmother to three youngsters, and a best friend and wife to Fred. The couple would have celebrated 21 years of marriage on Monday, Dec. 7. Not even sure his wife knew what was happening before she passed, Fred was thankful she did not suffer. "She was so full of life," he said, recalling what attracted him to her more than two decades ago when the couple met where she worked at The Times of Northwest Indiana. "Her spirit, passion, and caring. She was a mentor and a tough old broad when she needed to be, but she was especially loved." Sally had an impressive resume, working as an adjunct instructor at Valparaiso University from 1993 to 1996, the Savannah Morning News in Georgia from 1996 to 2000, and Cooke Communications LLC in Key West, Florida for a year. She then went on to pursue an assistant metro editor position with the Detroit Free Press between 2001 and 2005 before serving as managing editor with the Hilton Head Island Packet in Bluffton, S.C. In 2010, she joined the staff of LocalLabs of Chicago as a project manager and editor until 2015. Simultaneously, she did freelance work for various publications. And then in 2018, Sally was given an opportunity to shine at Kokomo's newspaper when she was hired as the managing editor. Not only did she work tirelessly at this news site, she also spent many hours guiding and directing the staff at Logansport's paper. She oversaw multiple special editions, includ- ing the sister-papers' magazine, Heartland. But along with all of her efforts to provide high-quality products, it's her presence that will be missed the most. "She was someone who was a good listener," said Robyn. "I went to her many times for advice, and she always knew what to say. I'm going to miss her advice on things." She took her job seriously, and she was the type of person who made sure newbies gained an educa- tion under her tutelage, said Robyn. "She was a strong mentor and she was so proud of her family." Fred can attest to that. "She just loved her grandbabies. Her eyes just sparkled when talking about them." Her son, Brandon Robinson who resides in Raleigh, N.C., has two children, while her stepdaughter, Kendra Meyer of Fishers, has one. Sally's other children are son, Jay Vorhagen of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and stepson, Matthew Mahan of Indianapolis. And while the family is extreme- ly close, COVID prevented them from gathering much throughout this last year. In fact, Fred said Sally had prepared her first turkey in years since they usually traveled for the holiday. With just the two of them at home, they spent a quiet Thanksgiving remembering every - thing they had been thankful for in their lives. "She was a wonderful cook," he recalled. "I miss her unbelievably." As do many others. From Key West to Detroit and from Savannah to Bluffton, Sally's influence remains evident. From Facebook condolences to text mes- sages, people continue to express their sympathy. All the while, each one remembering the impact she had on his or her life. And where words may be diffi- cult to find, Sally's will forever live on – she simply put pen to paper and wrote her story. Kokomo Tribune managing editor Sally Mahan dies at 63 Mahan Staff reports National Newspaper Association Washington, D.C. – The Fallen Journalists Memorial (FJM) Foundation thanked the U.S. Senate for passing bipartisan legislation (H.R. 3465) to autho- rize the foundation to establish a national memorial that honors reporters, editors, photographers and broadcasters who have lost their lives reporting the news. The legislation, known as the Fallen Journalists Memorial Act, was passed by the House of Representatives on September 21, 2020, and is await- ing the president's signature. Sponsored by Senator Ben Cardin (D-Maryland), Representative Grace Napolitano (D-California), Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Representative Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma), the bipartisan leg- islation authorizes the foundation to begin the process of designing and constructing the first memo- rial on public land that honors journalists who sacrificed their lives in service to America's commitment to a free press. "On behalf of all journalists who put their lives on the line each day fulfilling their duty to deliver the news, I want to thank the Congressional sponsors for their support in shepherding the measure through the House and Senate," FJM Foundation President Barbara Cochran said. "Once completed, this memorial will demonstrate to our citizens and visitors from around the world that our country values a free press, honors the sacrifices of journalists, and supports the family, friends and colleagues of the fallen." On June 28, 2018, the dead- liest attack on journalists in U.S. history took place at the office of the Capital Gazette, the local newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland, when a gunman shot and killed five employees and wounded two others. The memo- rial will honor those victims, along with journalists who have lost their lives while reporting in dangerous conditions across the globe. "Every year, journalists are Congress passes legislation honoring fallen journalists Senate clears House-passed bill for president's signature See Bill, page 11

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