The Faces of the Press & Dakotan – Kathy Pritchard A self-taught graphic artist, Kathy Pritchard has shared her talents with the Press & Dakotan for nearly 31 years. She welcomed me with a warm, friendly smile to a conference room at the Press & Dakotan office to tell me about her time working with the newspaper. The Minnesota native attended Mount Marty College in Yankton where she met her first husband, Mike. The couple settled in Yankton and added two children to their family. Sadly, Mike passed away eight and a half years ago in an accident, leaving Kathy and their two children behind. “One of those things that you never think will happen but when it does it changes your whole life,” she reflects. After being married to him for almost 24 years, it took her time to recover but she stayed focused on her priority of getting her children through high school and college. She explains how it revealed a new outlook on life. “I don’t take things for granted like I used to. I think you value your friends and family more and not take them for granted. You kind of see stuff in a different perspective.” Her children are now grown, and her daughter has blessed her with two granddaughters. She added even more members to her family when she met Elvin and they married a year and a half ago, welcoming three children and four grandchildren into the group. “We’re the Brady Bunch,” she laughs. Initially intending to go into a career in the medical field, she sought out the field of Respiratory Therapy. She enjoyed her training, though one thing held her back: she hates needles. She laughs as she explains that during clinicals she realized that she couldn’t continue in the profession. A good friend of hers, working in sales at the Press & Dakotan at that time, encouraged her to apply for an open proofreader position. She was hired for the position and remembers her first task of drawing out a Boy Scout ad, something she’s never had any experience in before. “I had no idea what I was doing, and here I am!” I laugh as she 10vHERVOICEvJANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 exclaims. She describes that job in the advertising department, where she proofread all the ads and ran tear-sheets out to the businesses that advertised in the paper. She was also responsible for laying out the Chuck’s Jack & Jill grocery ad. She later moved into the composing department and started designing advertisements. Because there were no computers at that time, she designed ads by manually cutting and pasting to create them. When technology advanced and brought computers into the business a few years later, it wasn’t an easy transition for her. When she was put in front of a computer and instructed to learn how to use it, she reflects on her initial reaction. “Oh….ok. I don’t read directions, so this is going to be a trial and error!” Fortunately, Pritchard adapted to the technology as it became a staple in her career and admits that computers have made her job A New Year’s Resolution Worth Keeping! Learn to knit or crochet. Classes available. Call for schedule. • Yarn • Books • Needles & Hooks • Gift Certificates • 909 Broadway, Tripp Park Plaza 605-689-3999 • www.eweknitit.com Open: Mon.-Fri. 10am-6pm • Sat. 10am-5pm