'Thank you from the bottom of our hearts': Mary Baer, John Gaughan sign off from News4Jax

After 30 years of delivering the news and weather to viewers, News4Jax anchor Mary Baer and chief meteorologist John Gaughan signed off during Wednesday’s 6 p.m. newscast, ending an era of TV news in Jacksonville as one of the most recognizable and enduring broadcast teams.

“I have worked side by side with Mary and John for all of their 30 years here,“ news anchor Tom Wills said at the top of Wednesday’s 6 p.m. newscast, expressing his gratitude for their time sharing the anchor desk with him.

Baer and Gaughan each briefly thanked viewers for welcoming them into their homes during their careers before turning to the day’s news about alleged inmate abuse at Camden County’s jail, preparedness efforts ahead of hurricane season, a request to delay the trial of former JEA executives Aaron Zahn and Ryan Wannemacher, and more.

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Following his final forecast, Gaughan passed the baton – in this case, a remote used to navigate weather graphics – to Richard Nunn as Baer snapped a photo of the two with her smartphone from the anchor desk. Nunn will take over the station’s role as chief meteorologist.

The pair’s final broadcast came a month after News4Jax first announced their retirement from the city’s independent TV station on April 25.

In the days leading up to Wednesday’s final broadcast, Channel 4 has celebrated Baer’s and Gaughan’s retirements, including several well-wishes from viewers, local officials and colleagues shared during newscasts at 5, 5:30 and 6 p.m.

Among those offering their congratulations was Jacksonville Mayor-elect Donna Deegan, herself a former TV news anchor, who noted that their departures come just as she is about to take office.

The city’s outgoing mayor, Lenny Curry, proclaimed the day Mary and John Day in a proclamation read by Nunn and news anchor Joy Purdy.

“I don’t feel like it's happening. It’s unbelievable," Baer said, grasping a tissue.

“We’re going to miss you, no doubt about it,” Gaughan said.

In her retirement from the station, Baer plans to continue her work with Grace Under the Oaks, a nonprofit she helped found that works with children and adults with cognitive or physical issues, introducing them to horses.

For Gaughan, though, his work will continue.

“Not really retiring,” he said, noting that he’ll announce his future plans in the coming days.

Baer and Gaughan came to the station in 1992, joining anchors Wills and Deborah Gianoulis, sports anchor Sam Kouvaris and chief meteorologist George Winterling, creating arguably the longest-running newscast team in Jacksonville history.

Gianoulis retired from WJXT in 2003 and Winterling in 2009. Kouvaris left the station in May 2018 after his contract expired earlier that year.

For 20 years, Baer shared the station’s highest-rated evening newscasts with anchor Wills, who first joined Channel 4 in 1975 and has been a fixture at the station’s anchor desk for more than 40 years, and who has no plans to retire – for now.

"If you're asking me when I'm going to retire, I’m not. My goal is 50. I’d like to make it to 50. If I make it to 50, I would tie George Winterling, who hit 50. That’s a wonderful milestone,” he told the Times-Union in May.

No details were immediately available on who will replace Baer on the station’s 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts.

After Baer and Gaughan were joined by their spouses and colleagues on the set, Wills had one final thank you for each: “It has been an ever-lovin' ball working you two, day in and day out. We want to thank you for your service for all that you've done for all of us and all of your viewers. We can’t wait to see what you two do next.”

“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” Baer said.

News4Jax plans to honor Baer and Gaughan in an upcoming televised special, “Thanks 4 Thirty Years!,” at 7 p.m. on June 8.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: WJXT anchors Mary Baer, John Gaughan sign off Jacksonville's News4Jax