Many of us in the Irvine newsroom knew this day would come eventually.
But we didn’t really want to think about what life would be without Don Dennis as editor of the Irvine World News.
In a day or so, we’re going to have to face that reality when Don officially retires. It’s not a day any of us are looking forward to.
It’s a position Don has held so capably since 1993. Don has been with the IWN for 30 years, has been a key leader in the newspaper’s growth and has been a friend and supporter to hundreds of journalists over the years.
You may have run into Don, who has lived in Irvine with his wife, Linda, for 33 years, on numerous occasions. The couple has raised two sons, Andy and Darren, both University High graduates. Andy was a baseball and football star at University and needless to say, Don was his biggest fan.
Don had his share of sports prowess too as one of the original members of the Misprnts, an adult softball team in Irvine. The lefthander was a pitcher, and a good one, until retiring a few years ago.
He weathered his share of line drives back to the box, but we still have him on the ready reserve list.
Irvine readers got to know Don with his insightful columns. But they didn’t get to see Don in action like we did.
What we saw was a professional in the highest sense, a man dedicated to journalism, someone committed to cutting through the red tape to provide Irvine readers with the most complete and accurate news possible.
Don was at his best working with young reporters. He loved the challenge of working with them and making them better.
Don read his share of sports stories over the years. He didn’t hesitate about pointing out that something just didn’t make sense. But he didn’t do it in an insulting way, as some editors have been known to. Don’s ultimate task was to make it easy for the readers. He would suggest that if he didn’t understand it, then it’s likely the readers wouldn’t either.
I didn’t win too many arguments with Don, simply because Don was right most of the time, clear and simple.
But myself, and others in the newsroom, always knew that Don had our backs; that he would always support us through thick and thin.
He was there to celebrate the good times with our families and provide support through the rough times.
Don has been committed to all areas of the newspaper.
But his love of sports is pretty obvious. Not many people would sit through eight games of basketball on the final day of the Irvine World News Classic for almost 30 years and then stay around to present trophies with a smile on his face.
Don wasn’t rattled by anything, not even by the current challenges of the industry, numerous format changes, computer problems or phone calls from disgruntled readers.
He’s been the rock of Gibraltar in our newsroom for decades.
“For those of you who don’t know Don – he starts his day at 7 every morning and works until the job is done,” said Paul Danison, Orange County Register team leader. “He has been the driving force behind the Register’s largest, most widely circulated community newspaper.”
Danison added that the Irvine World News won numerous CNPA awards under Don.
“Don is part of a breed of journalists who live in and love their communities and serve them through journalism,” Danison said.
“He is respected by those who have had the opportunity to work with him; and anyone who has been edited by him knows how much he loves to cut out the jargon and bureaucratese.”
Those of us who have worked for Don will be forever grateful for what he’s done for us.
Irvine folks should be too. As he moves on to his next chapter, Don, who became a grand-father this week, should be pretty proud of what he accomplished in the last one.
“Don will not be a former journalist – just as he is not a former Marine,” Paul Danison added.
From all of us, thank you Don!
