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Obituaries published in the May 2022 edition of the Texas Press Messenger.

WINNIE NEWMAN
WHITE OAK – Winifred Ellen Molis-Newman, co-founder and former publisher and editor of the White Oak Independent, died April 15. She was 73.
A native of Nashua, New Hampshire, she grew up on a family farm. Following her love of working on creative projects, she trained in graphic arts and design. She worked with the American Heart Association, Manchester, N.H., TV station WMUR, and other clients, including Royal Press in Manchester.
It was at Royal Press that she met and worked with a Texas transplant, Jeff Newman. The pair soon married and over the years raised two children.
In Texas, the Newmans worked at the Gladewater Mirror for more than a decade before founding the White Oak Independent in 1988. The Independent grew in circulation and consistently won awards in the Texas Press Association’s annual contests. It took the sweepstakes award for best newspaper in its division for five consecutive years, three of those under Winnie Newman’s sole management. The Independent became part of Bardwell Ink in 2018.
As competent as she was in her hard-nosed news work, Newman was best known for her vibrant personality. “She would light up the room when she showed up,” as one of her friends remembered. She was an avid newspaper reader into retirement while enjoying gardening, creative pursuits and time with friends and family, especially grandchildren.
She is survived by her husband of 45 years, Jeff, two children and two grandchildren.
In keeping with her wishes and in lieu of formal services, there will be an old fashioned Irish Wake at their home on Saturday, May 14. All who knew her are welcome to attend and may contact a member of the family for more information.

JIM WILSON
WACO – Veteran newspaper executive Jim Wilson, who served as the publisher of the Waco Tribune-Herald from 2012 until his retirement in 2020, died April 15 after a battle with cancer. He was 68.
Wilson, who lived in Robertson County with his wife, Tess, had more than four decades of experience in newspapers.
He served as publisher The Eagle in Bryan-College Station from 2007-2012.
Wilson was The Eagle’s advertising director in the 1980s. He also worked for the San Antonio Express-News and The Dallas Morning News.
Before taking over as publisher for The Eagle in 2007, Wilson worked for Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. and was responsible for the operations of 13 daily and three weekly newspapers, including the Weatherford Democrat.
Wilson was a sixth-generation Texan, born in Houston and raised in Corpus Christi.
He graduated from Southwest Texas State University, now Texas State University, with a degree in journalism, but went to work on the business side of the newspaper industry.
Colleagues described Wilson as a savvy publisher with deep experience in the newspaper business who also enjoyed the outdoors and telling stories about his adventures.
“The entire Trib family was saddened to hear of Jim’s passing. For me, he was much more than a boss, he was a friend and mentor,” Tribune-Herald President Ron Prince said. “He was one of the smartest people I’ve ever known and I will miss his wise advice.”
In addition to his wife Tess, Wilson is survived by three sons.
No public funeral services were planned.

SHANNA LEE CUMMINGS
Shanna Lee Cummings, a reporter whose writing for the Van Horn Advocate made her popular with readers, died March 31. She was 43.
She and her husband Dr. David Cummings moved to Van Horn three years ago. She reported for the Advocate for 15 months, covering school board meeting and writing feature  stories.
She was previously a writer/reporter for the Humboldt Sun in Winnemucca, Nevada before moving to Van Horn. She was also an English teacher.
A native of Michigan, Cummings moved to Temple and gradated from Temple High School. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Mary Hardin Baylor in 2001 and a master’s degree from Union Institute and University. She studied English, literary theory and religion.
She taught English at Ellison High School in Killeen as well as Shoemaker High School. While her husband completed medical school in El Paso, she taught English at El Paso Community College. After her husband’s medical residency in Nevada, in 2019 they moved to VanHorn, where Dr. Cummings began medical practice.
In addition to newspaper work, she enjoyed creative writing and had several novels in progress. She was also a musician.
She is survived by her husband and other relatives.
Services were held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Temple with burial in Bellwood Memorial Park Cemetery.

DAVID LEESON
ABILENE – Two time Pulitzer Prize winner David Leeson, a former photographer for the Abilene Reporter-News and The Dallas Morning News, died in Abilene on April 16. He was 64.
Leeson was a native of Abilene and a 1978 graduate of Abilene Christian University. He worked at the local newspaper from 1977-82, then went to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. He joined the staff of The Dallas Morning News in 1984.
Leeson’s photo presentation of the homeless in Dallas garnered praise while he was at The Dallas Morning News. His 2004 Pulitzer, with Cheryl Diaz Meyer, was for coverage of the war in Iraq. It won in the breaking news category. He was an individual Pulitzer finalist in 1995 and in 1986.
He was part of the Morning News staff that won another Pulitzer in 2006 for breaking news coverage of Hurricane Katrina the year before.
He left the Dallas newspaper in 2008 as part of a newsroom buyout.
No funeral arrangements were announced.