It's going to be a lot quieter in the newsroom next week.

Spencer Hatton, a familiar face for readers of the Yakima Herald-Republic, is retiring after nearly 28 years in a variety of editing positions, most recently as editorial page editor.

Many of you know Spencer, who just turned 62, from his columns that run periodically in Sunday's newspaper. He has touched on everything from personal loss to incivility in politics, with a heavy dose of humor in between.

He's also well known outside the newspaper for his involvement in civic organizations and as an emcee for various events -- including the Kiwanis Songfest and the Chamber of Commerce's Ted Robertson Community Service Tribute. A showman by nature, he fills a room with his booming voice and laughter, not unlike his daily entrance in the newsroom, whether it be to ask reporters how they're doing or to announce on Casual Fridays that it's "Hawaiian Shirt Day" and demand to know why others aren't following his fashion cue.

Though he's retiring, Spencer plans to write an occasional column for the newspaper, including one he's working on for next Sunday. But for now, I'd like to share a few thoughts about him.

Spencer was hired as city editor in November 1982. I've always considered that job to be the most crucial to ensuring each day's local news report is as comprehensive as possible given our resources.

A city editor is directly or indirectly responsible for supervising all the local news reporters, coordinating their work with the photo department, keeping the copy desk apprised of stories that are coming in and dealing with the public.

He has help from other editors, but if something goes wrong, the blame frequently falls at his feet. And when something goes right, it's seldom recognized.

Current City Editor Craig Troianello points out that Spencer's impact was often felt through his pursuit of public records that officials were trying to keep secret.

One such story was the newspaper's pursuit of documents showing how Yakima City Manager Dick Zais cut a deal with former fire Chief Jerry Beeson, paying him $38,500 in 1993 to resign. A written agreement allowed Beeson to avoid being fired in return for his promise not to sue the city for wrongful discharge. The state Court of Appeals ordered release of the agreement 19 months after the newspaper filed suit.

Spencer also was adept at marshaling the forces in the newsroom to cover big stories when they broke -- not just the day of the event or the next day, but for weeks and months afterward. Among them: the brutal murders of Mike and Dorothy Nickoloff in their Parker farmhouse in 1988 and the four-member Skelton family in Outlook in 1993; the floods of 1996 that shut off downtown Yakima from the outside world; the Alar scare that tore through the apple industry in 1989 ... The list goes on.

The biggest story was the Thirtymile Fire. That blaze in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest's Chewuch River Canyon killed four wildland firefighters from Yakima and Ellensburg on July 10, 2001. Two were teenagers; the oldest was only 30.

Spencer brilliantly managed our coverage, which involved nearly everyone in the newsroom. It was a story that needed daily, detailed oversight as well as an editor who could keep a 30,000-foot view to keep the big picture in mind. Spencer did both.

Our reporters discovered that U.S. Forest Service supervisors violated the agency's own safety rules and that lives could have been spared. The agency's mishandling of the fire led to hearings in Congress, legislation that now requires independent investigations of Forest Service deaths, and the eventual criminal indictment and conviction of one of the supervisors. The Herald-Republic's reporting was recognized nationally with awards for investigative journalism.

It was important to pursue the story vigorously, Spencer said, "because of the tragedy of these young kids dying needlessly. There were monumental errors. This was an agency that said they would protect your kids. They didn't.

" ... I continue to see the family members. I weep for them."

Spencer has experienced his own personal sadness as well. He lost his first wife, Bronnie, to cancer in 2000, and a son, Jed, who was autistic, to a seizure two years later. He has written eloquently about both, and has been a tireless advocate -- as Bronnie was -- for children with special needs.

He also has been an advocate for parents of special needs children. As such, he founded the local chapter of the Washington State Fathers Network and has been its regional coordinator. Spencer also has served on the Yakima schools Special Education Advisory Council and helped out at Camp Prime Time, and each year before Christmas he visits special education classrooms dressed as a Santa's helper named Edward the Elf.

In writing columns about his family, Spencer says he has always strived to leave readers with a message that transcends what he has personally experienced. That message: "Enjoy life now. Live it while you can."

Spencer has followed his own advice, and he's certain to continue living his life well and enjoying it after he leaves the newspaper next week. And no doubt, he'll do it loudly.

Veteran reporter David Lester notes how Spencer has remained upbeat despite personal difficulties, cheering on others in the newsroom and lifting their spirits.

"He was the glue that kept us all together," Lester says.

For that, Spencer, and for all you have done for this newspaper, our readers and our community, I thank you.

One of Spencer's last assignments this week is helping his replacement, Frank Purdy, transition into the job of editorial page editor.

Frank, who lives in Toppenish, has been a copy editor at this newspaper the past 21 years; he also had a shorter stint at the Herald-Republic in 1978-79.

A native of Nashville, Tenn., Frank also worked on the copy desk at the Nashville Banner and held several positions -- copy editor, sports copy editor and news editor -- at the former Journal American newspaper in Bellevue, Wash. He is a graduate of Colorado College.

His interest in public affairs and his keen intellect, temperament, wit, institutional knowledge and writing ability make him an excellent choice for this job. In fact, you may have already seen some of his work. Frank has written several editorials for us over the past several months. But you wouldn't know it, because they represent the position of the newspaper's four-person editorial board and therefore are unsigned.

Frank, who is 57, also has done some bylined writing for the Herald-Republic, covering small-school state track championships in Cheney and state cross country championships in Pasco.

And when he's not working, you may see him running in the countryside outside Toppenish or around town. Frank -- a marathoner, ultramarathoner and tri-athlete -- is a director with the Hard Core Runners Club and volunteers as an assistant cross country and track coach at Toppenish High School.

* Bob Crider is editor of the Herald-Republic. Reach him at 509-577-7703 or bcrider@yakimaherald.com.