Amalia D. Aguilar

Amalia D. Aguilar, 58, died Jan. 30, 2002 at Regent Care Center in San Antonio following an extended illness.

She was the principal owner and editor and publisher of the Zavala County Sentinel in Crystal City. She worked for the city of Crystal City for several years before moving to San Antonio for a few months after marrying Tomas Aguilar.

After the couple returned to Crystal City she began working for the newspaper for several years before quitting to raise her children. She returned part time after several years and under the mentorship of Dale Barker she learned the newspaper business.

She and husband Tomas purchased the newspaper when Barker died in 2000.

Ernest Carter

Ernest “Gene” Carter, 90, died Feb. 10, 2002 in Arlington.

He was the first Linotype operator at the Muenster Enterprise in 1936 shortly after the newspaper was established. He later moved to the Baylor County Banner in Seymour, which he eventually purchased and published.

In 1960 he became owner and publisher of the Wise County Messenger in Decatur and continued there until 1973 when he retired. He also was a reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and The Dallas Morning News.

Maxine Donnell

Maxine Williams Donnell, 84, died Feb. 8, 2002 in Eliasville. She wrote the Eliasville News for the Breckenridge American and had lived there since 1935.

Raymond L. Dungen

Raymond L. “Ray” Dungen, 62, died March 4.

Dungen served as editor of The Pecos Daily News for two years before he and his wife, Maridel Spacek, purchased The New Ulm Enterprise where he was editor and publisher for more than 35 years. In 1974 the Dungens founded The Wallis News-Review and he also served as publisher.

Dungen was active in many community organizations including the New Ulm Volunteer Fire Department and the New Ulm Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Industry-West End Lions Club. He served on the board of directors of Columbus Community Hospital from 1994-2001. He was recognized as Citizen of the Year, 1988-89, by the West End Lions Club and in 1999, he and his wife were named Citizens of the Year by the New Ulm Chamber of Commerce.

He was a Little League coach in Industry. He coached and managed the New Ulm Firemen from 1979-2001, taking eight teams to the World Series in Wichita Kansas.

Ed Eakin

Ed Eakin, 74, died Feb. 20, 2002 in Austin.

Eakin was an individual member of TPA. He founded Eakin Press, the largest non-academic press in Texas, in 1979 and in 1983 moved the firm from Burnet to a new printing plant in Austin. Today the Press publishes more than 100 titles a year.

He worked at the Waco News-Tribune, El Campo News and Irving News then became co-owner the Quanah Tribune Chief and weeklies in Clarendon, Chillicothe and Saginaw in the early 1960s.

After selling his interest in the newspapers he turned his efforts full-time to his publishing company. One estimate showed he had published 1,000 books. The books largely focused on Texas tales and legends and regional interest.

Eakin also was a frequent TPA Trade Show vendor.

Jack Freudenfeld

Jack Freudenfeld, 79, died Feb. 17, 2002 of pancreatic cancer at his Dallas home.

He worked for The Dallas Morning News from 1950-88. He started in retail advertising and became advertising manager of the Sunday magazine, retail advertising manager and later advertising director before retiring. He sold and coordinated advertising for the Texas Almanac for 15 years.

Jessye B. Hammack

Jessye B. Hammack, 91, died Jan. 26, 2002 at a San Diego nursing home. She wrote the “Just Gabbin’” column for The Freer Press for many years and was manager of the Freer Chamber of Commerce for 10 years. She also worked with voting officials during the infamous Box 13 scandal involving George Parr.

Jim Jennings

Jim Jennings, 60, died Feb. 12, 2002 in Oakland, Calif. He was an editor of The Houston Post and Dallas Times Herald and worked up until his death as deputy regional editor for the Oakland Tribune.

Kenneth Milstead

Kenneth Lawrence Milstead, 62, died Feb. 13, 2002 at North Dallas Veteran’s Hospital after an extended illness. He was a career journalist who started at a newspaper in Gallatin, Mo. During his career he worked for the Dallas Times Herald, The Dallas Morning News, Irving News, Park Cities News and The Wall Street Journal.

From 1989-95 he owned and published The Suburban Tribune in Balch Springs, which won a general excellence award in the 1995 TPA Better Newspaper Contest. He also was a staunch proponent of the First Amendment.

Ben F. Ratcliff

Ben F. Ratcliff died Feb. 2, 2002 at Harris Methodist Southwest. For the last 53 years he had owned Recorder Publishing and the Fort Worth Commercial Recorder. Eight years ago the company incorporated as Ratcliff Publications to include his children. His wife, Genevieve, served as publisher and editor.

Paul Wagner

Paul Wagner, 45, died Feb. 14, 2002 from injuries suffered Jan. 28 when an automobile struck his wheelchair as he was crossing the street.

He had used the wheelchair for decades because of a neuromuscular disease. He joined the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in 1989 and was an assistant editor on the national and foreign desk. Before that he was city editor for the Tyler Morning Telegraph.

Tishann Wilde

Tishann Clements Wilde, 76, died Jan. 29, 2002 after a brief illness. She wrote the “Boiling Bits” column in the Wharton Journal-Spectator since 1987 and was a teacher’s aide and secretary at Boiling High School from 1965-85.