Dikeman celebrates 50 years with The Tribune

Loretta George/Tribune photo Nell Dikeman is assisted to a table by Christi Allmond, Tribune staff member. Dikeman celebrated 50th years of employment with The Tribune Tuesday with a staff luncheon. Also pictured are Teresa Klumpp, Matt Resnick and Tammy Helm.

Nell Dikeman, 86, has been around the keyboard several times.

The Tribune reporter just completed her 50th year at the Fort Scott Tribune newspaper this month.

Dikeman's motivation for staying in the newspaper business goes beyond the hours or pay.

"The people, of course -- being one-on-one with people. That's what makes my job," Dikeman said.

On Tuesday, Dikeman and her coworkers celebrated her 50th year with the paper.

She shared some of her many memories of her years with the Tribune.

"From the ridiculous to the sublime," Dikeman said. "The most ridiculous memory is my husband used to tease me. He would say 'You can leave home at 9:05 and get there at nine o'clock.' I was pokey. He loved to tease me.

"The sublime memory with the Tribune, was the open house they gave me last year going into my 50th year here," she said.

She was also pleased when she received the key to the City of Fort Scott.

"When I got that key...that was sublime. It was beautiful," she said. "To top that off, God's grace shed on me for 50 years. You can't do anything without it. My Tribune family has been so supportive of me, especially in my later years. And the community, I couldn't have made more friends."

"You are the Tribune," Floyd Jernigan, Tribune publisher said. "Appreciation and words aren't enough to describe your impact and contribution to the newspaper and this community."

Dikeman began her career at the Tribune Dec. 1, 1963. She was chosen from 57 applicants by Watson Marble, the owner of the paper at the time, according to a 2012 Tribune report at her community wide celebration last year, which the Tribune hosted.

Over the years, she has penned human interest, lifestyles and society stories, taken photographs and written a column titled the Kitchen Kabinet in which she shared recipes, homemaker tips and other information. The column ran for 20 years.

Her "Memories Spring Eternal" column, one of the Tribune's most popular features, was born in 1997 and has continued ever since. The column is a look back at Tribune stories from 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago that appears each Tuesday through Friday.

Dikeman still arrives at the office at least two days each week to glean the newspaper archives in search of historical tidbits for her "Memories Spring Eternal" daily column. She attributes her ability to continue working to her family, especially son Don.

"He's my wheels," she said.