Susan Watson celebrates retirement from Nebraska Press Association
By Adaline Linscott
Susan Watson has had a connection to newspapers her whole life. Growing up in Ord with two younger sisters, Sheri and Shannon, Susan helped at the newspaper her parents owned, the Ord Quiz.
Susan says that her family was busy with lots of activities, especially with the newspaper. Susan and her sisters worked in the back room for their parents since they were young. She graduated from Ord High School in 1972 where she was involved in a lot of activities such as the marching band, dance team, student council, journalism department and was even president of the pep club. While in the marching band, Susan said “I played the tuba, but I actually started out with the clarinet, I think somebody dared me to play the tuba and so I did,” she laughed. The mascot of Ord High School is a chanticleer, which is a fighting rooster. 
When asked about childhood memories Susan said something other newspaper kids would understand, “One of my favorite memories would be going to the Nebraska Press Convention! Back then, it was in all different places. My favorite was at Forte Robinson. That was like a vacation for my family so it was fun.”
Another fond memory for Susan with her family was the tradition of always having a big Christmas.
“We always went to church and then unwrapped gifts. They were the most fun,” she said.
Her first job as a teenager was babysitting for the newspaper editor’s son Doug. “Little Doug” as Susan called him grew up to be very involved in his own community as well. She recounted how all of her friends were jealous that she got to spend time with such a cute kid like “Little Doug.” After highschool, Susan made her way to the University of Nebraska Lincoln. She studied Journalism with an emphasis in advertising. Asked if she was involved in any clubs or other activities on campus to which she asked with a laugh, “Besides partying?” was, “I worked at the teachers college, the masters program department, and the history department. I worked all the way through college.”
With her degree in journalism, she planned on going into copywriting after college. That is exactly what she did, starting out writing TV and radio commercials. She did not end up enjoying it so she moved to the media buying TV, radio and newspaper advertising. Her husband Jim’s career took them to a few different places around the country. After working at an ad agency in Omaha, Susan and her husband moved to Rochester, New York for two years and then to Minneapolis, Minnesota for 13 years. While in Minneapolis, Jim and Susan got married in their own home, with their two friends and two cats as their witnesses. “After that we got straight on a plane and flew to Hawaii.” she says after recalling January being the coldest time in Minnesota.
In 2000, Susan’s parents sold the newspaper in Ord and that’s when her and Jim moved back to Nebraska, this time to the city of Lincoln. For the first few years back in Nebraska, Susan enjoyed her love for vintage and antiques while running two antique booths at antique stores. She saw an ad in the newspaper for a job at the Nebraska Press Association and responded to it. This began her 16 year long job with the Nebraska Press Association.
Susan says that she is looking forward to retiring, but it will be quite a transition. “It’s going to be different, when you’ve been working since you were fourteen years old, it’s difficult to just stop working.” I asked what she was the most excited for to which she responded “Everything! Just being able to focus on a new adventure and spend as much time as I can with pets and my sisters, traveling with my husband, and there’s no deadlines! That will be the best thing ever. I also want to volunteer with animals of any kind, I just love animals.”