Jordan Wilcox
Assistant Publisher
It’s hard to put a face to inanimate objects, but almost everyone could agree that Patricia “Pat” Maurer was the face of the Clare County Review.
Hired on as a staff writer by Review founder, J.L. Grim, Pat was involved with the paper for over 40 years.
Her journalism career initially began at the Homer Index newspaper in Homer, Michigan.
In 1984, the Maurer family moved up to Clare and Pat promptly found employment with the Clare County Review.
When Grim sold the Review to the Wilcoxes in 1987, Pat continued as a staff writer.
Under the Wilcoxes, she began her beloved Bits & Pieces column and was quickly promoted to Editor and General Manager of the newspaper. When they sold it in 1991, four years later, Pat became none other than its newest owner and publisher.
She held the title of Editor, Publisher, and Owner for nearly 20 years. – Her longest-tenured role at the newspaper. Under her ownership, she ushered the newspaper into the digital age, by creating its first website and email addresses. She also made a variety of other improvements to the newspaper that can still be seen today.
Around late 2008, she began wanting to spend more time with her family and started looking for a new steward to take over the paper. She found that in Mike Wilcox again, but by no means was that the end of her story. – In fact, it was quite the opposite.
After selling, Pat became the Review’s chief correspondent. That allowed her to focus on her family, while also continuing to do what she loved – write about the terrific people and events in Clare County.
She held this role for 16 years, up until Wednesday night when she unfortunately passed away in hospice.
More details to come next week, including her obituary, and the final Bits & Pieces.
