Carrying the Texas flag during the NNA opening ceremony is among the highest honors accorded the TPA president — at least in my book.

And it was extra special for me for a couple of reasons, one anticipated and one not, one joyful and one sad.

I had known for a few years that I would be flag bearer for the Lone Star State with a Texan as president of the NNA. And with 37 Texans in the room Sept. 27 to support Jerry and Vana Tidwell, the announcement of the Texas flag got a rousing cheer. It was quite a thrill.

But it was also with a heavy heart that I made my way into the room that Thursday morning with my state’s red, white and blue banner to join the 50-state cavalcade.

Just the day before we left Texas for the journey to Norfolk, Va., I learned my good friend and fellow Texas newspaper colleague Tom Beesley had been gravely injured in a motorcycle accident the previous Sunday.

Indeed as of the Thursday morning opening ceremony I was unsure if he had lived through the night. His death would come the following day.

I silently dedicated my trek through the banquet hall in Tom’s memory, knowing I would likely never see him again.

Tom was a newspaper man’s newspaper man. At some point in his career he had done it all, mostly at smaller papers and mostly in Texas, though his experience spanned the globe.

We first became acquainted as fellow officers and directors in the North and East Texas Press Association. He was the 1997 president, and me two years later.

At one point in my career I considered trying to get a job in East Texas where we could work closely together.

Unfortunate circumstances led instead to our brief time together on the same staff elsewhere.

He needed a job and I needed the help, so I asked him to come to work at Today Newspapers for as little or as long as he needed, knowing I could not offer to pay him nearly what he was worth.

He joined another former publisher, a couple of other fellows who had worked with me in other places, and several other talented writers and photographers on a staff that produced some terrific, award-winning work.

We parted company in 1995 when Lesa and I decided to take the chance on buying the Clay County Leader.

But every time thereafter, when I saw Tom, whether it was three months or three years, we reconnected as old friends, quickly getting caught up on our personal and professional triumphs and tragedies.

Our relationship was part of what my friends (and former presidents) Bob Buckel and Willis Webb have — in this space — described far more eloquently than I, the brotherhood of community journalism.