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Obituaries published in the January 2024 edition of the Texas Press Messenger.

JOHN M. ROBERTS

VICTORIA — John M. Roberts, retired publisher of his family newspaper the Victoria Advocate, died Dec. 12 in Round Rock. He was 78.

A native of Victoria, he was the son of the late Morris and Camille Roberts. After growing up in a newspaper family, he studied journalism at the University of Texas at Austin where he met his wife, Sharon. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1968 during the Vietnam War. After serving in Thailand, he later moved to Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda on the upper peninsula of Michigan in 1970.

When his father suffered a health scare, Roberts left the Air Force in 1972 and returned home to Victoria to embark on a career at the Victoria Advocate. His father would go on to live well for many years, and John stayed in Victoria. They enjoyed hunting deer and hogs and playing card games. John also nurtured his love of fishing for trout and redfish along the Texas Gulf Coast near Port O’Connor.

He rose in the ranks of the Victoria Advocate and led the newspaper to multiple awards for its writing, photography, and design. He stepped down as publisher in 2011 and as chairman of the board in 2020.

He also assumed leadership roles in the Texas Daily Newspaper Association, including as president, navigating the industry through changing technology and market conditions. He received the Pat Taggart Award as Texas Newspaper Leader of the Year for 1989. The Advocate is the second oldest newspaper in Texas and the oldest west of the Colorado River. It continues in family ownership as part of M. Roberts Media.

He was also active in the community, serving as president of the Victoria Economic Development Corporation, the Victoria Rotary Club, the Victoria Boys Club, and the Victoria chapter of the American Cancer Society. He also served as director and vice president of the Victoria Chapter of Commerce and as chairman of the University of Houston-Victoria President’s Advisory Council, along with the boards of many other nonprofit and civic organizations, including the Victoria Airport Commission. 

He was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church of Victoria.

He is survived by his wife, Donna Roberts of Victoria, whom he married in 1992. He is also survived by two children, two grandchildren and other relatives.

Funeral services were held Dec. 18 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Victoria with private burial in Memorial Park Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Morris Roberts Local Journalism Foundation, in care of the Victoria Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, Texas 77902.

SARAH JANE HABY BUCKNER

MARBLE FALLS – Sarah Jane Haby Buckner, 87, died Nov. 25 at her home in Marble Falls.

A native of Uvalde who attended SWT Teachers College in San Marcos, she married Bud Buckner in 1956. Following his Naval career that took them to Newport, Rhode Island, and Coronado, California, they returned to Bud’s hometown of San Marcos, where he ran the San Marcos Record with his family until 1976 when they moved to Uvalde.

In 1983, the Buckners purchased the Llano News and ran it until 1999, when they sold it and returned to Uvalde. During this time frame, both Sarah and Bud served as presidents of the South Texas Press Association. They were honored with the Chester Evans Award at the STPA convention in Corpus Christi in April 2021.

They lived on Mrs. Buckner’s family  property, Guy Haden Haby Ranch, along the Nueces River near Uvalde, until 2022 when they moved to Marble Falls to be near family.

Mrs. Buckner was active in many civic and church activities in Uvalde, San Marcos and during their Naval assignments, including Daughters of the King at St. Phillips Episcopal Church and Llano Episcopal Church. She was also an accomplished artist.

In addition to her husband of 67 years, she is survived by three children, two grandchildren and other relatives.

Services were held Dec. 1 at Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home in Marble Falls with family burial in Uvalde.

Memorials may be made to El Progreso Memorial Library https://www.elprogreso.org/donations, or St. Philips Episcopal Church https://stphilipsuvalde.breezechms.com/give/online, both in Uvalde.

KEN L. ELLSWORTH

WICHITA, KANSAS - Retired photojournalist Ken L. Ellsworth, 79, died Nov. 26.

A native of Kansas City, Missouri, he attended Ottawa State University in Kansas and served in the Peace Corps from 1966 to 1968 and in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1971.

He retired as a photojournalist in 2007 after a long career with the Abilene Reporter-News.

He is survived by a son and other relatives.

A private graveside service is planned for a later date.

BURT WYATT HENRY

MARBLE FALLS – Former San Antonio Express-News Sports Editor Burt Wyatt Henry, 62, died at his home in Marble Falls Nov. 21 after a lengthy battle with cancer.

He was a native of San Angelo. His father Don Henry worked as a sportswriter and the family would often travel to sporting events. After graduating from Lubbock Coronado High School in 1979, Burt Henry went on to study journalism at the University of Texas and later graduated from Southwest Texas State University. He served as editor of The University Star at Southwest Texas State University, joining a list of University Star editors that includes former President Lyndon Baines Johnson.

After graduation, he followed in his parents’ journalistic footsteps. He signed on as a sports reporter for the Tyler Morning Telegraph, where he worked for four years covering more than 50 East Texas high schools. He received the Regional Texas Sportswriter of the Year award by the Texas High School Coaches Association and Texas Association of Basketball Coaches.

He and his wife met as counselors at Texas Lion’s Camp during college. They married in 1986 in Dumas.

They relocated to San Antonio in 1989 when he began his 25-year career with the Express-News. He started as a copy editor, eventually rising to the rank of sports editor, with stops in high school sports, features and news. Upon leaving the Express-News, Burt worked for USAA as a Senior Digital Content Editor and Digital Content Manager for seven years. At the time of his death, he was employed by KForce, working for Jefferson Health as a digital content editor. He and his wife moved to Marble Falls in 2022 to be closer to their grandchildren.

Former colleagues remembered him for his work ethic and mentorship, keeping in touch with former co-workers throughout his life. He was a huge fan of the San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Cubs, Gonzaga basketball and UT football, among others. He attended St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church and volunteered when his children served in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by three children, two grandchildren and other relatives.

Memorials may be made to the Texas State University School of Journalism and Mass Communications or Texas Lion’s Camp.

PHILLIP MEEK

FRANKFORT, MICHIGAN – Phillip Meek, a former president and publisher of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, died Nov. 21 in his Michigan home. He was 86.

Meek was president and publisher of the Star-Telegram from 1977 to 1986 and presided over the newspaper as it won two Pulitzer Prizes.

“He was just incredibly bright and incredibly caring about his employees,” said Wes Turner, another former Star-Telegram publisher who worked as an advertising director under Meek.

Meek attended Ohio Wesleyan University before he went on to Harvard Business School, where he earned his master’s degree in business administration.

Before working in news, Meek worked for the Ford Motor Company. This experience propelled him to leadership of a Detroit task force in charge of revamping the city’s economic development program.

He went to work for The Oakland Press in Michigan, previously known as The Pontiac Press, as publisher before moving to Fort Worth in 1977. He served as the Star-Telegram’s general manager before becoming publisher.

During his time in Fort Worth, Meek served on the board of the United Way of Tarrant County and held a leadership role

in the Texas Daily Newspaper Association.

Meek was promoted in 1986 to president of Capital Cities Publishing, the Star-Telegram’s parent company at the time. He also worked for the Walt Disney Co. after its purchase of Capital Cities/ABC in 1996. He retired in 1997 after helping Disney sell its publishing assets.

Meek is survived by his wife of 63 years, Nancy, three children and other relatives.

Memorials may be made to Promedica Hospice Care of Northwest Michigan, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy or Ohio Wesleyan University.

Services are planned for mid-May 2024 to coincide with the blossoming of cherry trees on the family’s Michigan farm.