1979-1980 William E. Dozier Kerrville Daily Times

William E. “Bill” Dozier Jr., 102nd president, was a carrier for dailies and later a printer’s devil and sportswriter on the Delhi (La.) Dispatch, his hometown weekly. He became associate editor at age 14 until he entered college in 1939.

He attended Louisiana Tech in Ruston, La., graduating cum laude with a journalism degree June 1, 1943.

He reported for active Navy duty June 10 and served 33 months in World War II, primarily as a radar interpretive officer aboard a destroyer in a Pacific fleet task force and was released in March 1946.

He married Eleanor on Sept. 1, 1944. They had two daughters.

Dozier joined the New Orleans Times-Picayune, as a reporter and rewrite man in 1948.

Recalled by the Navy in August 1950, he served two years as an assistant Eighth Naval District public information officer. He was released again in August 1952.

He joined the Tyler Courier-Times and Morning Telegraph in September 1952 and was named editor in December 1952, a post he held 12 years.

Dozier purchased controlling interest in the Kerrville Daily Times in December 1964. He became general partner in Frio-Nueces Publications Ltd., when it purchased the Pearsall Leader, Dilley Herald and Cotulla Record on Jan. 1, 1975.

Dozier was president of Texas Associated Press Managing Editors in 1946.

He died Feb. 12, 2007, at 84 (full obituary).