TOM WILLS PRODUCTIONS: No. 199: Blonde Ambition: Wilma Smith

Wilma Smith by Tom Wills, May 2013

A venture: Something, such as money or cargo, at hazard in a risky enterprise.

“Delivering a big chunk of art this morning, several miles away, in a parking lot. To a woman with a runny nose.”

This is Wilma Smith, who this week ends a 35-year Cleveland television career.

The delivery of her farewell portrait to a Fox 8 staffer was a minor venture.

The first attempt was sidelined by the rescue in May of three girls who had been kidnapped in Cleveland a decade ago. Reporter Peggy Sinkovich and Fox 8 News are all over that story, and she was working 14-hour days.

The second attempt was nearly scratched by Peggy's walking pneumonia.

But we met in the parking lot of Welshfield Inn in Troy Township, before 9 a.m. on May 18, and did the deed.

We were very efficient.

She had a fever.

It couldn’t wait any longer!

I stashed Wilma in the back seat of Peggy’s SUV.

Her retirement bash was in only three days.

It took 12 minutes because we talked a lot, reminiscing about Peggy’s days at The Vindicator newspaper (where I remain), and catching her up on old friends still there.

Old bosses never retire. They just keep saying goodbye.

Insider’s joke: I now know where the BB holes behind the map came from.

But back to Cleveland and the goodbye bash …

Peggy says Wilma’s for real. A nice person, very helpful, and a hell of a whistler. A symphonic whistler, in fact. “She whistles Beethoven.”

Wilma has won 10 local Emmy awards."For a girl from Garfield Heights, it was a dream come true. But you just don't want to stay at the party too long," she told The Plain Dealer in March.

http://www.cleveland.com/tv-blog/index.ssf/2013/03/wilma_smith_announces_she_is_retiring_ending_her_35-year_cleveland_broadcast_career.html

She grew up in Garfield Heights, attending Garfield Heights High School and Bowling Green State University. She was an undergraduate double major in speech and English, also earning a master's in broadcast journalism.

So she’s beautiful and smart. And married: living in Geauga County with her husband, Tom Gerber. They want to spend more time together, and with family. Good for them. Because journalism is not a family-friendly enterprise, and the longer the career the more difficult it gets.

Smith began her Cleveland broadcasting career on July 17, 1977, at WEWS Channel 5. She was the co-host of "Afternoon Exchange" and "Live On 5.” After 17 years at the Cleveland ABC affiliate, she moved to Channel 8 in 1994. From 1995 until 2005, she anchored the 6 and 10 p.m. In 2005, Smith cut back, doing only the 6 p.m. news.

I remember my mother watching Afternoon Exchange when I’d get home from high school. I’m pretty sure that’s when my dad’s Wilma love began, too.

“I was just wondering if you had it done yet,” he asked.

In fact, he called me twice to ask.

This is the first time my dad has asked to come over and see one of my drawings.

He loved it.

Peggy tells me Wilma was moved to tears when she gave it to her.

She didn’t want the picture to get lost in all of the retirement party hoopla, so she gave it to Wilma a day early -- in the TV station’s parking lot.

Somehow, I knew that would happen.