Obituaries

Sam Attlesey

Sam Attlesey, 56, died April 2, 2003, of cancer.

He was deputy director of the Austin bureau for The Dallas Morning News and wrote his last weekly column Jan. 26.

He moved to the News in 1975, became a political reporter in 1981 and moved to the Austin bureau in 1985 where he was named to his most recent post in 1989. Before that he had a stint as reporter at the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

His death was mourned as far away as the White House by President George W. Bush who he first covered in a West Texas race for Congress in 1978.

“Sam Attlesey was a fine political reporter who had a deep love of Texas and our history,” the President said.

Leland DeBusk

Leland Darrell DeBusk, 49, who recently had been diagnosed with cancer, died April 2, 2003.

He was assistant editor of the Hood County News where he had worked since 1985. He started working at the paper 18 years ago and his crime stories increased as the population skyrocketed. He also was a columnist and won a first place from TPA’s Better Newspaper Contest in 2001.

His civic involvement included the Granbury Opera House, Relay for Life, Kiwanis Club of Lake Granbury and Crime Stoppers.

DeBusk also loved to travel and last summer realized a lifelong dream on a trip to the Far East.

Otis Francis

Otis Francis, 69, died March 5, 2003. He worked for two decades at the Sweetwater Reporter.

He started as sports editor in 1981 and became news editor after about two years. In 1990 he was named managing editor and two years later he returned to the news desk and served as news editor until retiring in 1999. He continued to work part time until 2001.

Albert S. Hopkins

Albert S. Hopkins, 86, died March 24, 2003 at a senior living center in Humble. He spent his entire 41-year newspaper career at the Austin American-Statesman where he first started in 1939 as sports writer. He retired in 1981. His father also worked for the Statesman and for The Associated Press.

John Johnston

John Andrew “Jack” Johnston, 79, died March 23, 2003 in a Houston hospital.

He retired in 1987 as a senior vice president of the Houston Chronicle and as a member of the Houston Chronicle Publishing Co. board of directors. He started as the Chronicle 56 years ago as retail ad salesman.

He left in 1954 to join The Houston Post where he became retail advertising manager and in 1961 he rejoined the Chronicle in that same post. Three years later Johnston became assistant advertising director and then advertising director in 1971. He was named a senior vice president in 1974 and a director in 1984.

Jewel Potter

Jewel Carr Shelton Potter, 85, died March 21, 2003 after a 10-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

She was the society columnist for the San Angelo Standard-Times worked 17 years as associate dean of admissions at Texas Christian University.

Frank Shannon

Frank Albert Shannon Jr., 76, died March 13, 2003 at St. Luke’s Hospital in Houston.

He helped his mother run the Wharton Journal-Spectator in the 1950s and wrote articles, mainly local sports. He also worked in broadcasting and public relations.

Jacquelyn H. Smyers

Jacquelyn H. Smyers, 64, died March 1, 2003 after a lengthy illness.

She was publisher of the Abernathy Weekly Review during the late 1980s and continued in that role and as co-owner until 1989.