Gray to retire after more than three decades at the Hartselle Enquirer
Pam Gray, a steadfast presence at the Hartselle Enquirer for more than 35 years, is closing a chapter not only in her own life but in the storied history of the Hartselle Enquirer. Gray will retire from her position at the newspaper at the end of the month.
Gray’s career spanned nearly four decades, and in that time, she witnessed-and helped shape-the evolution of local journalism. From her early days as a 15-year-old summer reporter covering local sports and developing photos in the darkroom to becoming a staple of the paper’s staff, Gray has seen it all.
The world of journalism she entered was drastically different from the one she’s leaving behind. She fondly recalls the days when the Hartselle Wal-Mart opened a photo studio and the team would shoot on 35mm film with quick turnarounds, making sure the images were ready for the paper’s print deadline. She remembers the pre-computer days when layout was done by hand on a giant board, pasting up waxed pieces of paper to form the paper’s pages-a tactile, hands-on process that she said feels worlds away from the digital tools in use today.
As the industry evolved, so did Gray. She still remembers the first day she and her colleagues got Apple computers-and how they quickly learned to use the technology that would change the way they worked forever. It was a whirlwind of adaptation, but Gray was always up for the challenge. Through the years, her roles grew and shifted-Gray began working full-time job at Southside Baptist Church in Decatur and stayed on part-time in the role of digital designer, where she has been since 2009.
Current and former colleagues describe Gray as an indispensable force in the newsroom and valued part of the team.
Mayor Randy Garrison worked with Gray for 14 years. “(Pam’s) dedication and talent in laying out the pages of the newspaper each week were unmatched, and I’ll always look back fondly on the countless Monday and Thursday evenings we spent working together at the Enquirer office, preparing the newspapers to go to press,” he said.
Editor Rebekah Yancey said that Gray quickly became a trusted advisor and friend and will be deeply missed at the newspaper office. “I’ve had the privilege of working alongside Pam since I joined the Enquirer in 2017, and I can’t fully express how essential she has been to our team,” Yancey said. “She was an incredible help during the challenging early years and played a key role during our acquisition by Tennessee Valley Media.”
Gray has worked under four different ownerships and multiple staff turnovers throughout her time with the paper. Through all the changes, the one constant was the sense of family she felt at the Enquirer. Whether she was working full-time or part-time, she always felt deeply connected to the paper, a part of something bigger than just a job. “I’ve made so many friends and worked with so many great people,” she reflects. “Even working part-time all these years, I always felt like I was still a part of the team.” It was more than just a family feeling for Gray. She worked alongside her father for most of her tenure. Knight was a former staff reporter, editor and part owner of the paper. Most recently Knight continued as a staff writer emeritus, writing a weekly column until 2022. Looking toward her retirement, Pam knows that the world of local media is changing. As print adapts to make room for digital platforms and the way people get their news continues to shift, she’s proud to have been part of a vital local institution for so long. “Local news is important,” she said. “It’s the avenue for people to know what’s going on in Hartselle. I will definitely miss it, but I’ll always have it in my blood.”
