Goodbye Brendan ...

Worked 18 years for Wick

Brendan FitzSimons retired as a Wick editor and publisher effective Dec. 31 after serving the company for a total of 18 years.

Since 2001, he has served as publisher of both the Arizona Range News in Willcox and the San Pedro Valley News Sun in Benson. The two communities are about 40 miles apart.

Brendan said he and his wife, Jeanne, had discussed retirement for the past several months and agreed that Dec. 31 is the time to do it.

“When one passes his mid-60s, I believe it is time to step down from working every day and start to enjoy the pleasure of the remainder of our lives,” Brendan said.

Brendan and Jeanne plan to remain in Southeastern Arizona.

He first joined the company in 1984 as editor and publisher of the Nogales International. He spent nearly four years in Florida from 1997 until 2001 taking care of family duties.

Brendan built Wick’s presence in Willcox and in Benson.

“People felt they knew the publisher and that he was approachable. His work with the community, as well as in improving the newspapers’ news and ad content, helped improve our ability to serve the community.

We wish Brendan and Jeanne well in their retirement years,” said Tom Lee, the Copper Group’s division manager.