Katherine Atikian

Katherine “Katie” Martha Atikian, 35, died March 12, 2004. She was a contributing writer for the Muenster Enterprise.

William Buhler

William “Bill” Buhler, 77, died April 9, 2004.

He worked at The Houston Post for 25 years. He joined the Pasadena Citizen in 1973 and was publisher from 1977-87.

He also previously worked for The Houston Post advertising department and as advertising director of The Citizen.

James H. Denley

James Hamilton Denley, 56, died April 10, 2004 of complications from leukemia.

He ran the Internet division of The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn., the past five years and was editor of the Abilene Reporter-News from 1997-99.

Mark Hesse

Mark Hesse, 54, died unexpectedly April 19, 2004 after collapsing at his home.

A Houston Chronicle senior news copy editor, Hesse joined the staff in May 2000 with more than 25 years experience at newspapers in six states and two foreign countries.

 

Vann M. Kennedy

Vann M. Kennedy, 98, of Corpus Christi, died April 18, 2004.

Kennedy delivered newspapers for the San Antonio Express and the Austin American-Statesman and was hired as a circulation supervisor at the San Antonio Evening News and Express, where he later became a police reporter.

He founded the State Observer, now known as the Texas Observer, and the Texas State House Reporter and was the Austin correspondent for the San Antonio Light, Dallas Times-Herald, Beaumont Enterprise and Houston Chronicle.

Hal S. Lewis

Hal S. Lewis, 93, died April 23, 2004 of natural causes.

Lewis worked for a succession of newspapers, including the Wichita Falls Post and the Dallas Dispatch. In 1945, he joined the Dallas Times Herald full time as a police reporter and started a 31-year career. He became an assistant city editor, city editor and assistant managing editor, before being named managing editor in 1961.

David E. McDonnall

David E. McDonnall, died March 15, 2004 in Iraq.

McDonnall and four other missionaries, all associated with the Southern Baptist Conventions International

Mission Board, were victims of a drive-by shooting in Mo, which is about 250 miles northwest of Baghdad.

Wounded and in critical condition was McDonnall’s 26-year-old wife, Carrie Taylor McDonnall.

McDonnall worked for The Canyon News from 1996-98, serving as news editor from 1997-98.

The McDonnalls had been with the mission board since November 2003.

Chris Neely

Chris Neely, 37, died April 30, 2004 after a brief illness.

He wrote and edited copy for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. In December 2000, he and his wife, Cheryl Neely, relocated to North Texas and joined the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Cheryl Neely designs features pages and Chris Neely covered municipal affairs and wrote humor columns.

Franklin Patrick

Franklin Daniel Patrick, 60, died March 19, 2004 at his home in Pfafftown, N.C. after a battle with cancer.

He was a reporter for several Texas newspapers, including the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Denton Record-Chronicle, Greenville Herald-Banner, San Antonio Express-News, Texarkana Gazette and Fort Worth Press.

 

Fairy Ramsey

Fairy Ramsey, 91, of Bells died in April 2004. Ramsey had worked for The Whitewright Sun as a writer of community and church news for the city of Bells for at least 20 years.

Bert Wise

Bert Wise, 82, died of congestive heart failure, April 8, 2004.

Wise spent 35 years at the San Antonio Express-News from 1952-87, rising through the ranks until he became executive editor, then the top news post at the daily.

Wise began his newspaper career with The Dallas Morning News and later joined the Valley Morning Star in Harlingen and became city editor. He also was United Press International’s correspondent in the Rio Grande Valley.

Ernie Zieschang

Ernie Zieschang, 70, died April 24, 2004.

Zieschang was employed by the Brazosport Facts in 1956 as a business manager until moving to Liberty where he became publisher of The Vindicator and The Progress in Anahuac. He led the papers from July 1967 until he retired in June 2000.

During his career, he worked for Southern Newspapers, Liberty Newspapers and Hartman Newspapers. He was a president of Texas Gulf Coast Press Association.