For the past 32 years, I have greeted my fellow Daily News coworkers with a nod, a smile or the occasional high-five when arriving at work. Now that my office has moved from the darkroom to the near the front door, I see just about everyone as they arrive each morning. It’s a routine that I have taken for granted until recently.

We often times use the word “friend” to describe so many of our platonic connections; acquaintances, neighbors, coworkers and others. In reality, there’s a wide spectrum of connection that we have in the workplace, from strangers to work spouses. I rely on a trio of ladies, that my wife refers to as my “work wives,” to keep me organized and moving forward in each of the departments they run.

According to some quick internet research, the amount of time we spend with friends outside of work peaks at around age 18, then goes downhill and flattens out from our mid-30s until our 80s. Time spent with coworkers, on the other hand, steadily rises from 15 to about 25, then stays high until it drops as people start to retire in their 60s and 70s. That means that for much of our lives, we spend more time with our coworkers than with our friends and some family.

Like any small business, we are a tight-knit group of people at the Daily News, sharing our common drive to use the paper as a vehicle to keep the community informed and help local businesses thrive through our reach and audience. We share stories, triumphs, tough times and celebrations with each other over the years. I have seen my coworkers’ children grow, marry and have kids of their own.

The fabric of our work family was torn recently, leaving a huge hole in it. Our beloved Andrea Dennis, who spent more than 32 years as a sales rep and later advertising director, lost her battle with brain cancer just 6 short months after a terminal diagnosis. We laid her to rest and said our goodbyes Tuesday at a beautiful service filled with family, friends and coworkers.

As a testament to Andrea’s impact on lives that she touched daily, dozens of former coworkers from years’ past made sure to say their goodbyes. Her husband, Andy Dennis, the copy desk chief at the Daily News, received a steady stream of work friends from past to present at visitation, the service and funeral.

Grief is a natural part of life. Whether it’s expected or sudden, we will all face loss at some point. It’s common to experience grief in our workplace as well as our personal lives. Andrea’s death has us all grieving for her, Andy and their family. I have to admit helping employees cope with the death of a colleague or co-worker is not typically covered in leadership training or employee handbooks. We have had to rally around each other.

I could go on about how gracious, unflappable, elegant and compassionate Andrea was, because she was all of that and more. Instead, I will share excerpts from her obituary that really sums up who she was to her family and work family.

“Andrea Leigh (Laman) Dennis, 59, of Bowling Green died Dec. 6, 2023, at Hospice of Southern Kentucky.

Andrea fought cancer for six months in the same fashion she lived – with dignity and grace. Her kindness, wisdom, along with her love of Christ and her beautiful soul, were parts of a package of a personality that was a magnet to many, who wanted her friendship, her counsel and her company.

She was not someone who spoke critically of others. Andrea had a deep understanding of how to help and communicate with others. No gossip, no constant judgments of others and plenty of beautiful smiles and hugs were staples of her personality, and those qualities will be missed by the many lives she touched during her short 59 years.

Andrea was the advertising director at the Bowling Green Daily News and earned the trust and respect of many of her peers during her 30-plus years at the paper.

Andrea grew up in a large, loving family that was tradition-rich and leaned on God’s Word. Her beautiful nature and how she lived so gracefully will always be remembered and cherished by family, friends and co-workers.”

Friends and coworkers help us grow and improve through honest feedback and advice. They keep us accountable and aren’t afraid to call us out. Andrea was a friend who made me a better person, coworker and manager. She made us all better at the Daily News and kept me on task with to-do-lists, notes, emails and encouragement, all with a smile, even when she admonished me.

Since her illness and passing, I still look up each time I hear the front door of the Daily News open, hoping to see her stride into the office with arms full of ads, notes and client to-do lists. I know she is looking down on us from above with a smile.

– Daily News General Manager Joe Imel can be reached at (270) 783-3273 or via email at joe.imel@bgdailynews.com.