Local News Day: Jean Seegers retires after decades of reporting local news for the community
Jean Seegers spent 25 years telling the stories of others. As she tries out retirement, she’s looking back on the people, the stories, and the work that remains part of who she is.
As part of Local News Day on April 9, Rockton-Roscoe News is highlighting the reporters who have helped tell the stories of the community over the years.
One of those voices is Jean Seegers, Senior Correspondent for Rockton-Roscoe News, who retired April 1 after more than two decades of covering the stateline.
Seegers said her path into local reporting began after she and her husband moved to Roscoe from Florida. She saw an ad for a position with The Herald newspaper, was hired as a reporter, and worked there for many years.
In 2021, she received a call from founding editor Michael McGinnis asking if she would be interested in writing for Roscoe News, an online publication covering Roscoe, Rockton, and South Beloit.
“I jumped at the chance,” she said.
That opportunity brought her back to the kind of work she had always loved. Seegers said she grew up in Darlington, Wisconsin, where she listened faithfully to a local noon broadcast, Monday through Friday. She majored in English at the University of Wisconsin in Platteville, where she enjoyed news-writing and journalism classes.
“I love telling stories, which is why I have especially enjoyed writing features for Rockton-Roscoe News. I have covered many stories, some celebrating life and some tragedies in the community. I reported on the death of our neighbors on New Year's Eve a couple of years ago (Neighbors and friends grieve over death of Roscoe couple), and the passing of a sweet little girl and her grieving family after a very long illness (Sweet Amelia is one tough cookie),” Seegers said.
“I have always preferred face-to-face interviews and have enjoyed getting to know people in the local communities,” she said.
She has also earned award-winning recognition for her work. In 2025, Seegers received third place in the Illinois Press Association awards for the Feature Writing–Personality Profile category for her story, Family tragedy leads to fulfilling career.
Seegers said she also takes pride in the standards the publication has tried to uphold.
“I am proud that writers at Roscoe News have always strived to remain unbiased in our reporting,”
Before returning to journalism, Seegers worked in a variety of roles centered on education and service. She was the director of a small science museum in Florida, a caseworker at Big Brothers/Big Sisters, an education director at Midway Village in Rockford, and a mental health outreach worker for FEMA following a hurricane in Florida.
Her first job came much earlier. Jean Seegers has been working for most of her life.
“I began with corn detasseling in Wisconsin,” she said. “The hardest job I’ve ever had.
Seegers also co-authored a book with her friend Bonnie Moore, A Life Remembered, about her husband’s father, Pastor Conrad Seegers, who “lived a memorable life.”
For anyone considering writing, whether for news writing or authoring a book, she said the work can be demanding, but worth it.
“It takes hard work, but it can be very rewarding,” she said. “There are countless opportunities to interact with people in your community, including new and current businesses, school activities, student achievements, and involvement with local political entities.”
Although she retired April 1, Seegers said she’ll still be around, and readers can expect to see her byline at times.
“As I am a restless soul, I will be looking for opportunities to be involved in local community events,” she said.
“Readers of Roscoe News may still see my name pop up occasionally. I hope to contribute from time to time.”
Over the last 25 years, Seegers has covered hundreds of stories for Rockton-Roscoe News and thousands in her entire career. She attended countless events throughout the community, recruited local news interns, and served as a mentor and a role model to many writers.
“Writing is still in my blood,” she said.
Some of the many moments Jean Seegers has been part of over the years, out in the community with the Rockton-Roscoe News team.
Local News Day, observed April 9, is a national effort to recognize and support local journalism and the reporters who cover their communities.
