Bittersweet farewell

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On Saturday, I, along with numerous others — locals and out-of-towners alike — bid a bittersweet farewell to one of Perryville’s native sons.
Randy Pribble was many things to many people —mentor, colleague, friend, father, grandfather — but to most, especially here in Perry County, he was the voice of the community, its watchdog, and its conscience for three decades, filling various roles at the Perry County Republic-Monitor from reporter to publisher.
Randy died Nov. 17 surrounded by his family at his home in Columbia. He was 68.
Based on remembrances of friends and family and some reading of my own, Randy’s voice was often humorous, but it could also be, well — a bit more direct — when circumstances warranted.
No newspaperman worth his salt is ever going to make everyone happy. The very nature of the job often means speaking truth to power or shedding light on something people would like to keep hidden. Once you add in editorial or opinion writing, the number of people who may not be happy to see you can add up quickly.
The trick — one Randy seemed to pull off quite well — is making sure that those people who disagree with a stance you’ve taken still feel seen and heard. After all, disagreements are normal. How boring would life be if everyone thought and felt the same way?
According to those who knew him best, Randy would often invite those who disagreed with him — some of whom could get quite vocal — to sit down and discuss the matter over a cup of coffee, something I hope to continue.
Randy was born in Perryville in 1954 to Shirley Jeanette Francis, who later married Lawrence Thomas Pribble, Randy’s adoptive father. He married his high school sweetheart, Susan Kay Lott in 1974 and spent the next four years serving in the United States Navy before returning to Perryville in 1978.
For the next 26 years, his byline would grace the pages of the Republic-Monitor, first as a reporter, then editor and eventually publisher.
In 2017, I stepped in as editor of the Republic-Monitor and history buff that I am, I spent some time learning about those who came before. That’s how I first met Randy.
Well, I say met. It was mostly phone calls and Facebook chats, and it really started off with his wife. I was trying to get a hold of Randy to discuss the history of the Republic-Monitor, but I somehow ended up with Sue’s number instead. We had a nice chat.

Once I got my contact information sorted and I got answers to my questions, that wasn’t the end. I would call Randy from time-to-time to ask his opinion or advice on one thing or another. He always took the time to weigh in, usually offering some valuable insight — or at least a funny story.
After leaving the Republic-Monitor, Randy later spent several years filling publisher roles at sister newspapers in Indiana and Texas before purchasing The Mountain-Echo in Ironton, which he and Sue published until their retirement in 2019.
Randy, an avid fisherman and gardener, didn’t get much time to enjoy that retirement. He died from complications with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a rare brain disease affecting 1 in 600,000 people in the U.S. that weakens muscles and lungs.
I’d like to think that’s ok, because from where I sit, behind the same desk where he sat, he lived plenty. Highlighting his memorial service was a collection of family photos and videos that showed a man dedicated to his family and his community and more than a few that showed off his sense of humor.
A table at the front of the room was filled with items that served as remembrances — from a fishing pole to Stephen King novels and a bound copy of the newspaper her served for so many years. At the side of the room was another table, this one dedicated to his love of gardening, complete with a sign declaring he was “up to his a**hole in tomatoes,” some of which were available for mourners in addition to packets of seeds from his garden.
Along with his wife, Sue, Randy is also survived by two daughters, Sarah Pribble (Jesse Gage) of Columbia, and Rachel (Vannak) Vong of Delta Junction, Alaska; three grandchildren, Xochi Anchondo and Ezra Gage of Columbia, and Grizzly Vong of Delta Junction; one brother, Lawrence (Mary Jo) Pribble, Jr. of Melbourne, Fla.; three sisters, Kathy Stanley of Bonne Terre, Veva Pribble of Bloomsdale, and Rebecca (John) Rose of Bloomsdale; brother-in-law Keith (Juanita) Lott of Bonne Terre; and sister-in-law Maria Rosales of Corona, Calif.
According to his obituary, “Randy believed deeply in the power of community newspapers to affect positive, lasting change in the lives of the people they serve. He is remembered as a mentor and friend to all who were fortunate enough to work for him, especially those whom he helped become publishers themselves.”
Randy touched many lives, both personally and professionally. His legacy will continue through his loving family, many friends and the generation of journalists, designers, ad sales professionals and publishers he helped shape, including myself.
In the newspaper business, a notation of “- 30 -” traditionally signifies the end of a story, but it’s not necessary here. Randy Pribble will be missed, but not forgotten.
His byline may fade, but his story will continue.

Robert Cox is publisher of the Perry County Republic-Monitor. His email is RMpublisher63@gmail.com.