This may come as a surprise to some, but I finished out my time as editor of the Gazette last week. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to serve the Charlotte County community — my hometown.

This opportunity was a dream come true. I took pictures in high school for the Gazette and never thought I would grow up one day to become its editor. This position has made me proud to grow up in our beautiful, quaint county. This job changed my life.

I have a lot of people to thank for helping me out along the way, especially the Tuckers, who were very gracious after selling the newspaper to Farmville Newsmedia.

Dot Tucker always offered a listening ear to bounce ideas off of, and gave advice about situations she had encountered many times before as a fellow lady in the business. She was my rock the entire time I was editor, and still a very good friend to me.

Bo Tucker taught me photography skills for sports in high school, and gave me the confidence I needed to take the position. David Tucker taught me how to brush things off my shoulder and realize how to work with every type of customer.

I can never thank them enough for helping me prepare and take on the position I was given.

I love this place and it will always be my home. That is what makes this the hardest goodbye. I have worked for two other papers along the way — The Kenbridge-Victoria Dispatch and The Farmville Herald — which are great papers, as well.

But, they didn’t touch my heart quite the same way as the Gazette, the paper I grew up with. It was the paper I saw my face in for sports team pictures and FFA contests. It was the paper my sister and I were featured in standing next to my Papa Wayne’s biggest vegetables from each season. It was the paper that showcased my great-grandfather standing in his field with tobacco that grew as tall as he was.

This paper has been a staple to my life and my family’s lives for generations. I love this paper and wish the very best for it.

Hannah Davis can be contacted at hannah.davis37@gmail.com.