William Barry

William Patrick Barry, 45, died suddenly of cardiac arrest on Oct. 20, 2001.

Barry worked at the Williamson County Sun in the editorial department before moving to Washington, D.C., to work for the Library of Congress. He also was involved in musical and theatrical performances in the D.C. area.

Frances Brelsford

Frances Bridges Brelsford, died Oct. 26, 2001. She owned and edited the Nixon News along with husband George Burgess Brelsford. She also was active in Nixon Baptist Church.

Steve Clements

Stephen Clements, 34, died Oct. 25, 2001 in Wichita Falls after a battle with cancer. A city native, he worked as city editor and reporter at the Times Record News from 1991 to 1993 and from 1995 to 2001.

From his beginning as a crime reporter to his duties as a newsroom coach, Clements served a crucial role in the newsroom.

“A newspaper is the conscience of a community, and a city editor operates as the integral part of a newspaper’s conscience in the newsroom. We’ve lost that,” Editor Carroll Wilson said. “Wichita Falls is a better place because of Steve Clements, and that’s important.”

Clements worked as a reporter at the Vernon Daily Record from 1994 to 1995, he played jokes and acted goofy to put fellow reporters at ease, Family Life Editor Joyce Ashley said. But, she said his skills weren’t a laughing matter.

“He could find a story out on the street without any problem,” she said.

Edelmira Flores-Whitworth

Edelmira “Edie” Flores Whitworth died Oct. 27 after a brief illness.

She worked alongside husband Paul Whitworth at the Chronicle/Willacy Co. News in Raymondville for 25 years as co-owner and business manager. She graduated from Texas Southmost College and attended classes at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts.

John Paul Pitts

John Paul Pitts, 64, of Midland, died at a Brownwood hospital after an apparent heart attack while sailing on Lake Brownwood.

He was the oil editor for the Midland Reporter-Telegram since 1984 and had gained widespread respect among oil business officials for his coverage and knowledge of the subject.

He became the Midland editor of Drill Bit magazine in 1976 and later was publisher of the Gunnison (Colo.) Country Times.

Dorothy Reese

Dorothy Faull Reese, 84, died Oct. 9 at Memorial Hospital in Gonzales.

She was married to Edward Scheske Reese, publisher of the Gonzales Inquirer until 1991 when the family sold the newspaper to Granite Publications. Her family owned the newspaper for several generations.

In addition to sharing her husband’s love of the newspaper, Reese enjoyed ranching, gardening, raising cattle and outdoor sports.

Harriet Rose

Harriet Buckspan Rose, 86, died Oct. 4 of heart failure at Presbyterian Hospital. She was the society editor of the Dallas Times Herald in the 1930s and active on many civic boards and arts organizations.

Jack Scott

Jack Scott, 87, died Oct. 16 in Port Arthur.

He began working for the Port Arthur News in 1953 as advertising director after moving from the Bartlesville (Okla.) Examiner-Enterprise. He became publisher in 1967 and held the post for 13 years, through two building fires and a pressman strike that lasted more than a year.