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

HUGH AYNESWORTH

DALLAS – Hugh Aynesworth, a renowned Texas journalist who became an eyewitness to three key events surrounding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and whose career was defined by that historic moment, died Dec. 23 at his home in northwest Dallas. He was 92.

Over the years, Aynesworth worked for a half-dozen newspapers, including The Dallas Morning News and the Dallas Times Herald, plus a wire service, Newsweek magazine and ABC’s 20/20.

He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize six times and finished as a finalist four times.

Aynesworth graduated from high school in Nutter Fort, W.Va., then attended Salem College before dropping out after one semester to become a full-time journalist. He began his newspaper career in 1948, working in his home state as a freelance writer for the Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram.

He next worked for a pair of newspapers in Fort Smith, Ark. In 1950, he became a sports columnist at the Fort Smith Times Record, earning $32 a week. He served as sports editor of the Fort Smith paper from 1952 to 1954.

He later worked as a columnist for the Arkansas Gazette and as editor of the Southwest American in Fort Smith, Ark., before becoming state editor for United Press International in Denver in 1959.

He joined The Dallas Morning News in 1960, covering the space program until the assassination changed his career. According to Aynesworth, he was scheduled to interview a scientist at Southern Methodist University on November 22, 1963. 

He said he decided to take a long lunch hour and walk over to watch Kennedy’s motorcade from in front of the Dallas County Records Building, where he witnessed the shooting and its aftermath. He followed police to the Texas School Book Depository. While standing by a parked police motorcycle, he heard reports of the shooting of Police Officer J. D. Tippit in the Oak Cliff section of Dallas by a citizen using the radio in Tippit’s police car. 

Two days later he was among the press in the basement of the Dallas Police Headquarters who witnessed Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald as Oswald was being transferred.

In 1967, he moved to the Houston bureau of Newsweek as bureau chief. He then returned to the Times Herald, becoming its investigative chief in 1975.

His career included coverage of New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison, who prosecuted a man he believed was tied to a conspiracy to assassinate Kennedy.

Aynesworth co-authored seven books with Stephen Michaud, including one based on interviews with convicted serial killer Ted Bundy. In 2019, less than three years before his 90th birthday, Aynesworth appeared in and served as co-executive producer of the Netflix series Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes. Aynesworth appeared again in the Netflix series on Henry Lee Lucas titled The Confession Killer.

Aynesworth covered every U.S. manned space flight from the first Mercury orbital voyage by John Glenn in 1962 to the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. He reported on the hunt for the killer of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 and the 1993 Waco siege by federal agents that ended in the deaths of more than 70 Branch Davidians.

Preceded in death by a son, Aynesworth is survived by his wife, Paula Butler Aynesworth, and two daughters.

LESTER LEON COLE

LONGVIEW - Lester “Les” Leon Cole, who had a 29-year career with the Longview News-Journal, died Jan. 6. He was 73. A former resident of Fort Worth, he graduated from Brewer High School in 1968, and he earned a joint degree in journalism and political science from North Texas Sate University in 1972. In November 1973 he moved to Longview, where he was employed by the Longview Morning Journal as a reporter and East Texas editor until February 1980.

He married Victoria Barnett on Jan. 13, 1979, in Longview and in 1980, they moved to Houston where he was employed in the public relations department of Shell Oil.

In March 1984, the family moved to Douglas, Georgia, where he became community relations manager of Coffee Regional Hospital. In June 1985, the family relocated to Daingerfield, Texas, where he was employed in the public relations department of Lone Star Steel.

In November 1985, he returned to the Longview News Journal where he fulfilled his career before retirement another 29 years later. During this time, he served as roles as reporter, business editor, desk editor and special sections editor. He also won a writing award from United Press International and Golden Heart Award from Longview Independent School District.

He was a member of the First Christian Church of Longview.

In addition to his wife, Cole is survived by twin sons and other relatives.

Memorial services were held Jan. 12 at the First Christian Church of Longview.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Christian Church and PREP School.

CAROL LOUISE FERGUSON

GREENVILLE – Carol Louise Ferguson, retired Greenville Herald Banner writer, died Jan. 16. She was 94.

A native of Sioux City, Iowa, she attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where she was a member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority and the co-chairman of Northwestern’s Waa-Mu Show. She earned a bachelor of science degree in journalism.

She began her career as a copywriter for Montgomery Ward in Chicago and later worked at Campbell-Mithun Advertising Agency in Minneapolis and Chicago.

She married John Clark Ferguson on Aug. 9, 1952 and they moved to Greenville in 1965.

She was employed as a feature writer and columnist for the Herald Banner from 1972 until she retired in 2020. She won numerous writing awards from Press Women of Texas, National Federation of Press Women, the Associated Press and Texas Press Association for her weekly column “On Second Thought” as well as for her feature stories. She greatly enjoyed her work at the newspaper and felt that she had found a second family there. Her colleagues remember her as a talented writer and friend who highlighted many stories of her adopted hometown.

Active in the community, she served as a member of the board of directors for the Greenville Entertainment Series and the Dallas Symphony Greenville Series. She also served on the board of the W. Walworth Harrison Public Library when the new facility was designed and built. She was also a member Press Women of Texas and National Association of Press Women.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John Clark Ferguson, and two sons. She is survived by three children and other relatives.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. William’s Catholic Church on Jan. 23, followed by private burial services in Memoryland Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Knights of Columbus No. 7483 Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 9198, Greenville, Texas 75404.

KATHY CLOUGH MILLER

AUSTIN - Kathi Clough Miller, retired professional communicator and community advocate, died Jan. 3 in Austin.

A native of Plainview, she earned her news/editorial journalism degree from Texas Christian University (TCU) in 1967.

Civil unrest and protests were ongoing, and the role of women and the face of media were rapidly changing. She often talked about how the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 opened career opportunities for minorities and women. She was editor of the TCU Daily Skiff and then interned for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in summer 1966, launching her life-long communications career.

Among the first of many women reporters being hired at the time, she covered general news, education and medical issues, then became a political reporter and finally, assistant city editor over an 11-year span.

Miller moved from the newspaper to corporate communications and government relations, working with TXU Energy in Fort Worth and Dallas. Upon retiring, she moved to Austin and continued working with TXU as a consultant.

In 2013 she retired from consulting and committed her time to volunteering. She volunteered at the Bullock Texas State History Museum, beginning several years after its opening in 2001. She wrote the volunteer newsletter, The Storyteller, and served on its Volunteer Advisory Committee and as a docent. She also volunteered at the LBJ Presidential Library. In addition to being a gallery attendant, she was the author of many of the topical readings used by the volunteers.

She also supported and volunteered for Austin Pets Alive, including writing the bios and taking photos of dogs awaiting adoption and managing its website. She served in many capacities with Women for Good Government (WGG), which she joined in 2009. During her tenure and as a member and officer, she created and maintained the WGG website and Facebook page. She also served on the WGG Membership Committee and the Planning Committee. Miller was also a longtime volunteer in other government-focused organizations and initiatives, including the Travis County Democratic Party (TCDP); Travis County Voter Registration Office; Texas Freedom Network, Circle C Democrats; Texas Democratic Party; and was a Democratic Precinct chair.

She is survived by several cousins and other relatives.

A celebration of life event was held Jan. 27 at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin. Memorial donations may be made to TCU, Austin Pets Alive or a charity of choice.

BRILEY MITCHELL

LLANO – Briley Mitchell, editor of the Llano News, died Jan. 11. He was 65.

Mitchell, who studied law at Texas Tech University, was the editor of the Llano newspaper from June 2022 until he died. Prior to that time he was the sports photographer for Llano ISD athletic events. Prior to and during that time, he operated his photography business, Dust Devil Diver Photography.

He served as Llano Chamber of Commerce executive director from August 2014 to June 2022.

A native of Electra who grew up in Midland, he lived in Llano for the last 15 years. As editor of the Llano News, he served as both photographer and cheerleader for all the high school athletes, the rodeo contestants, and the small business owners in a three-county area. Mitchell was known for his steadfast support for students and the community.

Before moving to Llano, Mitchell was an avid leader at Kelview Heights Baptist Church in Midland.

He is survived by his wife, LaVina, two daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren and other relatives.

Services were held Jan. 20 at First Baptist Church of Llano. Graveside services were planned for a later date in Midland.

L.M. ‘BUDDY’ PREUSS

GIDDNGS – L.M. “Buddy” Preuss III, longtime newspaper publisher and owner of the Giddings Times & News, Burleson County Tribune, Hallettsville Tribune-Herald, Luling Newsboy and Signal, Moulton Eagle, Shiner Gazette and Yoakum Herald-Times, died Jan. 5. He was 80.

Preuss was born in 1943 to Ruth (Schkade) and Louis Marcus Preuss Jr., and grew up in Giddings. During his high school years, he rose to president of the student council, and worked as an apprentice for one of the local papers. He attended Blinn College for one year before going into the newspaper business full-time.

His career in the newspaper industry began in 1961 when the owner of the Giddings News, Ida Bloh Bloom, hired 19 year-old Preuss as the editor, making him the youngest editor ever in Texas at the time. He remained with the Giddings News until 1965 when it and a competing paper, the Giddings Star, was bought out by Harold Bredlow, who did not have any local ties. Instead of remaining with the new company, Preuss opted to take a job with the Bastrop Advertiser.

He commuted back and forth between Giddings and Bastrop every day. It was during his commute he met the love of his life, Louise Wilson, whose parents owned and operated a gas station near the bowling alley west of Giddings. The two were married April 8, 1966, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Giddings.

After a year or so of Preuss’ absence, many residents and businesses in Giddings started grumbling that Bredlow’s newspaper was not properly representing the town, and several community leaders urged Preuss to come back to start his own paper. The Preuss couple began in job printing and then produced their first issue of the Giddings Times on July 28, 1966. Their first office was in his parents’ dry cleaning shop located at 275 N. Main Street.

The couple spent many hours selling ads to local businesses to keep the paper afloat. By 1967, they were able to buy out Mr. Bredlow, and merged all the papers into one publication, which was named the Giddings Times & News.

Not long after production began, the couple relocated the business to 1181 E. Austin Street. Another big change came in 1968 when they purchased a 6,580 square-foot building from the City of Giddings at 170 N. Knox Avenue. The building, which was built shortly after WWII as a veteran’s training center, has served as the Times & News headquarters ever since then.

During the local oil boom of the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Times & News also operated an office supply store. The newspaper thrived, and even though the couple worked tirelessly, they made time to raise two daughters and three sons. Two of their sons, Sam and Sloan, followed in their parents’ footsteps in the newspaper business.

Preuss grew and changed with the times and technology. When he started in the newspaper business, stories were put on paper using typewriters, which Buddy then re-typed using a Linotype machine that produced lines of type out of hot lead. Photos were shot on film and hand-developed in a lab inside the building. For many years, in addition to serving as editor, Buddy was the advertising manager and photographer— covering the whole spectrum of local news. He also set the front page and helped run the printing press.

In 1995, computers were introduced, making the work and process of producing a newspaper much easier. The printing was eventually farmed out to larger printing presses.

“Those living in cities like Houston and Austin who have undependable mail service are able to subscribe and read online each week,” Preuss said of the digital revolution.

He took great satisfaction in how the Times & News portrayed the community, and the special editions that were produced.

Preuss remained active in the production of the paper until late December, always suggesting story ideas, while continuing to writing his Viewpoint and Solid Ground columns, and making sure the front page was up to his high standards. Always learning, he had started researching the potential of artificial intelligence during the summer of 2023.

Preuss Printing Company and the Giddings Times & News will continue with Louise and Sloan at the helm.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Louise, five children, three grandchildren and other relatives.

Services were held Jan. 12 at Phillips and Luckey Funeral Home in Giddings with burial in the Giddings Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Samaritans Purse, Himalayan Cataract Project, Texas Lions Camp., or to the charity of one’s choice.