Prince Albert, SK -
PRINCE ALBERT - For the last 46 years, GÉrard PagÉ and his family have always been there with the paper and a smile.
But soon, that PagÉ connection to the Prince Albert Daily Herald will be gone.
"I'm 80 now, I'm not 16 anymore," he said. "I'm going into full retirement."
PagÉ will retire Thursday from his route after his family had held the position for more than 40 years. First started by his oldest child, Lucille, the route passed through all five of PagÉ's children before his youngest, Roger, gave it up when he was 16 years old.
There was a hiatus from the paper route for the family for some time, until PagÉ's late wife, Yvette, spoke with a former circulation manager about the route and discovered she and her husband could deliver papers in the Columbian Centre seniors' apartment building.
"I delivered the papers, and she collected," he said. "It was a partnership."
For PagÉ, the job allowed him the chance to be social on a daily basis with the people who became his friends.
"I stop and chat with all kinds of people," he said. "
According to Lorraine Brassard, assistant circulation manager at the Daily Herald, PagÉ was also a reliable carrier, and someone they knew would get the job done and then some.
"He always went above and beyond," she said.
"He's always been there, he's always been reliable and he's always done an excellent job."
That assessment goes to all the PagÉ carriers and was confirmed by another Herald manager.
"We've had no complaints in almost 50 years," added circulation manager Darrell Rathgeber.
Although the long-standing paper route of the PagÉ family will be no more, that doesn't mean the PagÉ connection will be erased from the paper.
A number of family members - including reporter Joshua PagÉ, GÉrard's grandson - have direct and indirect connections to the paper, allowing the PagÉ name to live on at the Herald.
As for PagÉ, his first act of retirement is to go on vacation with various family members and see family in Alberta and British Columbia.
"I'm taking my first act of full retirement," he said. "It's time that I take time for myself."
kjarvis@paherald.sk.ca
