In Memoriam: The Banner's Christmas Edition

It is with heavy hearts, yet hearts filled with the most fond of memories, that we dedicate this Sunday's Christmas Edition of the Banner-Tribune to Peggy Ann Fontenot Deats.
“Miss Peggy” came to work for this newspaper as a typesetter in 1986. She had worked for the Banner previously, and also for the former weekly newspaper The Franklin Post.
She graced this newspaper and its employees with her spirit each and every day; she could always be counted on for a cheery “Good morning!” and smile; a word of encouragement, a prayer, or sage advice if sought. The Bible in her typesetting station drawer was testament to her devout faith.
Miss Peggy has typeset the annual Letters to Santa Claus that run in our Christmas Edition every year. That’s no small feat! Hundreds of letters come in, mostly written by the children themselves in Pre-K, Kindergarten and first grade. Though a tedious, laborious task, Miss Peggy always found delight in those letters, in the little ones’ wishes for gifts from St. Nicholas himself, in their innocence and in their honesty. She would share certain ones with the rest of the staff that she found especially wonderful.
Even as her health declined, she was at her station every day, almost without fail. She chose to retire two months ago, and by last week she had answered God’s call to come home.
As we typeset those letters this week, the job she so faithfully did with joy and humor for so many years, Miss Peggy was always on our minds. So we believe it is not only fitting, but an absolute must, that this year’s Christmas newspaper is offered in memory of Miss Peggy Deats.
The Christmas Edition will be distributed Saturday to print and digital subscribers.
The Staff and Management