Mountain Mail reports
Jacky Barrington, 82, founder and longtime publisher of the Magdalena Mountain Mail newspaper passed away Tuesday, March 9, following a brief illness in Centennial, Colo., where she was comforted by her family.
Born Jacqueline Louise Seddon in Wichita, Kansas, to William Podmore Seddon and Mabel Ione (Cheatum) Seddon July 13, 1927, she was an influential member of the Magdalena community for many years.
Jacky graduated as a member of the National Honor Society from Wichita High School North, class of 1945.
She married Delmar Wayne Barrington August 3, 1947, and is survived by four children, Kathryn Spuhler of Castle Rock, Colo., Victoria Lindsey of Centennial, Colo., Terrence Kent Barrington of Naperville, Ill., and Thomas Brian Barrington of Magdalena; and one sister, Barbara J. Slover of Cheney, Kan. She was the loving grandmother to nine grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
Jacky received her BA degree from Marquette University in 1966 and a MS in Sociology from University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee two years later. She came to the Magdalena area in 1975 to work at the old BIA dorms as a counselor.
On November 1, 1980, Jacky published the first monthly edition of the Magdalena Mountain Mail, which focused on the politics, ranching, and mining of the area past and present, along with other historical facts about people, places, and events. The paper evolved over the years as Jacky continued to publish it even though nine months out of the year she was overseas either in Iceland or Okinawa, Japan from 1988 to 1993 while working for the Department of Defense - again as a counselor to school age children.
After retiring from the defense department, Jacky began publishing the Magdalena Mountain Mail weekly in the fall of 1994, and the focus of the paper shifted slightly to cover current community events such as meetings of the local school board, village board, Old Timers’ Association, and so on.
The paper also expanded its coverage to include western Socorro and Catron counties, with reporters in Alamo, Reserve, Datil, Quemado, Glenwood, and Luna. The last issue of the Magdalena Mountain Mail appeared on newsstands March 18, 2002.
The newspaper continued being published by new ownership as the Mountain Mail, and has strived to continue in the community spirit she established in 1980.
Jacky Barrington loved the communities and the people who lived in the high country of western New Mexico, which she demonstrated by her 22 year commitment to bring positive, informative news to all who enjoyed reading the MMM. She is missed by many.
Next week’s Mountain Mail will feature the legacy of Jacky Barrington and her contributions to Magdalena.
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