I had expected the farewell party to be unbearably sad. I was wrong.

With cake and coffee, we recently said goodbye to 27 Seattle Times newsroom staffers, who together have worked 508 years at the newspaper. The event turned out to be a celebration of all that they have contributed and everything we do.

In late January I wrote about painful cuts we are making at The Times. At the time I promised an accounting of staff cuts once the situation became clearer. Anticipating layoffs, I wasn't looking forward to this moment.

As I explained at that time, the cuts are driven by the continuing sluggish economy, the worst advertising recession in decades, rising newsprint prices and costly litigation concerning the future of the joint operation between The Times and the Hearst Corp., owner of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Since then we worked through a process that enabled us to offer severance packages to individuals for whom leaving made economic sense. With great cooperation from our human-resources people and members of The Newspaper Guild, we were able to make the cuts without laying off anyone in the newsroom.

All who are leaving the newsroom do so voluntarily, which is a blessing. It's one reason the farewell party wasn't what I had feared it might be.

I should say here that all departments at The Times are going through the same sort of cuts, some to an even greater extent than the newsroom. Given different circumstances, not all could avoid layoffs, but I believe the hardship has been handled as humanely as possible.

In all, when the current cuts are done, the company will have 134 fewer people.

Those leaving have almost 2,000 years with The Times, an astonishing number. Throughout the company, work is being reorganized or eliminated. It's fair to say that many, most or probably all of us are working longer and harder.

The entire newspaper industry has been going through this ordeal, with some absolute horror stories about how the cuts are being accomplished.

My apprehension about the farewell party wasn't that Times people would feel mistreated, just that the sense of loss would be overwhelming. So many wonderfully talented people leaving all at once. So much experience gone.

But as we gathered in the Seattle REI conference room a few blocks from The Times, we were joined by about two dozen former Times staff members, as well as people from other departments. Many readers will recognize the bylines and photo credits of people like Georg N. Meyers, sports editor; Don Duncan, reporter; Bruce McKim, photographer; and Jean Godden, columnist.

What struck me was the sense of continuity. So many of us in the room — those who came before, those now departing and those still here — have shared the privilege of creating a daily newspaper. We are part of an enduring legacy, and this farewell was another moment in our collective history.

Blaine Newnham made the point in his remarks. Some 40 years ago Georg Meyers offered him a job at The Times, but it didn't work out for him then. About 20 years ago he and Meyers covered the Olympic Games together in Los Angeles, and then Meyers retired. Now Blaine will be retiring in about a month.

There were friendships and associations in the room that span generations. Dick Pryne and his son, Eric Pryne, were both there. Dick retired in 1983, after 37 years in the newsroom. Eric has been here since 1976 and is still going strong.

In the spirit of continuity, each departing staff member was introduced by a colleague staying on. The comments, including one sung to the accompaniment of a ukulele, were funny and heartfelt. Normally we tell other people's stories, but this day we were telling our own.

There was sadness, too. How could there not be. Columnist Danny Westneat made that point in honoring Mary Rothschild, who had been his editor and mentor when he was a cub reporter 15 years ago at the Valley Daily News in Kent. Basically he told her, "I'm sad. I don't want you to go."

Each of the honorees got a chance to say goodbye and reflect on his or her career at The Times. I wish all readers could have been there to hear how much these people have cherished the opportunity to serve you.

They have enjoyed the chance to work side by side with colleagues who share their passion for excellence in journalism. Barry Wong, who is leaving after 26 years, expressed it so well when he said working at The Times hadn't just made him a better photographer, it made him a better person.

For a collective 508 years, they have written and edited the best stories, taken the best photos and done whatever else they could to produce a newspaper of distinction. A newspaper they could be proud of and you would find worthy of your time and attention.

That's what the former Times staffers at the party did during their careers. That's what those of us still here, in the newsroom and in every other department, will continue to do.

Space doesn't permit me to honor all 134 people leaving The Times Company, but here are the newsroom people and their years at the newspaper. (As usual, those of us in the newsroom get the recognition on behalf of all the other people who make our work possible):

Judith Blake, 19, reporter; Deanna Borboa, 5, senior clerk; Les Carpenter, 8, sports reporter; Pam Dotson, 19, digital production assistant; Sandy Freeman, 45, news researcher; John Gomes, 33, desk editor; Chris Houlihan, 34, permissions specialist; Lynn Jacobson, 5, assistant arts and entertainment editor; Jim Mallery, 30, national/foreign news editor; Marty McOmber, 3, business reporter; Kris Moe, 8, desk editor; Cheryl Morningstar, 37, research assistant; Lynn Mucken, 25, desk editor.

Blaine Newnham, 23, associate editor and sports columnist; Andrea Otanez, 6, assistant features editor; Sue Pelton, 30, photo archiving specialist; Matt Peterson, 3, sports reporter; Cole Porter, 28, photo director; Ray Rivera, 5, reporter; Mary Rothschild, 12, assistant metro editor; John B. Saul, 28, deputy metro editor; Bob Sherwin, 20, sports reporter; Kristina Shevory, 3, business reporter; Harley Soltes, 22, photographer; Sherry Stripling, 28, reporter; Krysta Tabuchi, 3, news resident, and Barry Wong, 26, photographer.

Thanks and best wishes to all.

Inside The Times appears in the Sunday Seattle Times. If you have a comment on news coverage, write to Michael R. Fancher, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111, call 206-464-3310 or send e-mail to mfancher@seattletimes.com.