Archived Opinion

SMN has lost a loyal friend

SMN has lost a loyal friend

To the Editor:

Long-time Haywood County resident Kitty Phillips passed on Election Day this month.

Kitty was a fan of The Smoky Mountain News who enjoyed the investigative reporting in the paper. She was a volunteer at Haywood Regional Medical Center during the dark times when SMN was reporting on the the David Rice problems. When the then CEO Rice forbade SMN from the hospital campus, Kitty would gather an armful of the papers and place them around the hospital. Kitty knew the importance of a viable hospital and the First Amendment right/duty to disclose shortcomings.

We enjoyed being Kitty’s neighbor for 20 years. She was always very well informed on political matters. The irony of her passing on Election Day — of all days — brought a smile to many of her friends. Kitty would have enjoyed following the outcome of the election as she did during her 95 years.

Walt Logan

Haywood County

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