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Obituaries published in the March 2023 edition the Texas Press Messenger.

Teresa Lavonne Hair Phillips

Teresa Lavonne Hair Phillips, co-owner and former publisher of the Robertson County News, died Jan. 27 at her home in Hearne. She was 49. Teresa and her husband Dennis Phillips shared a career at community newspapers that started in 1999 in Marble Falls, where Teresa honed her skills in advertising sales. They moved to Hearne in 2012 to run the Robertson County News for Moser Community Media, with Dennis as publisher and Teresa heading advertising sales. In 2020, they purchased the newspaper from MCM and Dennis promoted Teresa to publisher, where she served until 2021, when illness prevented her from continuing. In addition to her husband, she is survived by five children and two grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and a son. Services were held Feb. 3 at Memorial Funeral Home in Hearne. Memorial donations may be made to HOPE Animal Rescue, 1309 S. Market St., Hearne, Texas 77859, or Urgent Animals of Robertson County, http://robcoshelterpets.wix.com/robcoshelterpets.

Terence James (Terry) Fitzwater

KINGSVILLE – Kingsville Record publisher Terence James (Terry) Fitzwater died Jan. 31 in Corpus Christi. He was 65. A graduate of Wyoming Rogers High School, Central Michigan University and Rutgers University School of Law, Fitzwater worked in newspapers for nearly 40 years. He worked as an editor, general manager and publisher of local newspapers across Michigan, as well as New Mexico and Texas. Most recently, he was the publisher of the Kingsville Record in Kingsville, having previously served with the Gonzales Inquirer. His newspapers, editorials and photos won numerous journalism awards, and he served on many boards of state and local press associations. Fitzwater’s peers recognized his work as he won a first-place award for best editorial and best headline writing from the Texas Press Association and also took home honors for best column and news coverage writing from the South Texas Press Association. One of his proudest achievements was winning the prestigious Latham Award for Community Service, which recognizes the leadership a newspaper takes within its community to foster change for the better. His colleagues describe Fitzwater as a passionate believer in the importance of a free and robust press as a force for good in both a community and democracy. He championed and led local events to strengthen his community and spotlighted the stories of those serving our country, especially World War II and Vietnam War Veterans. He built strong and diverse relationships throughout his communities to ensure that his newspapers were relevant, and was a proud member of the Elks and Rotary International. He was also a member of St. Gertrude the Great Catholic Church in Kingsville. Fitzwater also enjoyed traveling, visiting national parks and museums and following sports, especially University of Michigan football. He is survived by four children, six grandchildren and other relatives. Memorial service was held Feb. 10 at St. Gertrude the Great Catholic Church in Kingville. Memorial donations may be made to the National Parks Foundation or the Folds of Honor Foundation.

James B. (Jim) Boone

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama — James B. “Jim” Boone Jr., founder and chairman of the board of Boone Newsmedia, Inc. [BNI], died Feb. 13, at UAB Hospital-Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama, after a brief illness. He was 87. Boone, a lifelong newspaperman, succeeded his father, Buford Boone, as publisher of The Tuscaloosa [Alabama] News in 1968. He built over the following half-century a community media company that now owns or manages 91 newspapers and related print and digital products in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. The company, which had operated as Boone Newspapers, Inc., since its founding, was renamed Boone Newsmedia, Inc., in 2022 to reflect its progress in serving readers and advertisers both digitally and in print.   Prior to joining his father at The Tuscaloosa News, Boone worked for his mentor Carmage Walls. He spent seven years as publisher of the Suffolk [Virginia] News-Herald, a daily newspaper. Prior to Suffolk, Boone was a business manager and a reporter for the Baytown, Texas Sun and did group management work with other Walls-owned newspapers in that area. Before the Baytown work, he traveled for Walls to help convert newspapers from hot metal/letterpress to cold type/offset. Prior to 1958, Boone worked six years at the Tuscaloosa News while a University of Alabama and high school student. Boone, a 1958 graduate of the School of Commerce and Business Administration at the University of Alabama and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at the University of Alabama (1993), served the college in many capacities. He served on the President’s Cabinet, Board of Visitors of the College of Commerce and Business Administration, the Board of Visitors of the College of Communication and Information Sciences, and on the board of the 1831 Foundation. Boone earned the Julia & Henry Tutwiler Award from the University of Alabama and earned admission to multiple Halls of Fame: the Communications Hall of Fame, College of Communication & Information Sciences at the University of Alabama; the Alabama Business Hall of Fame, College of Commerce & Business Administration, University of Alabama; the Civic Hall of Fame, West Alabama Chamber of Commerce (Tuscaloosa); and a Pillar of West Alabama by the Community Foundation of Tuscaloosa. He was a proud Eagle Scout. Boone earned multiple industry related awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alabama Press Association; the Casey Award from the University of Minnesota for leadership in the newspaper industry; and the Frank Mayborn Award from Southern Newspaper Publishers Association for leadership in the industry. Boone served on the board of directors of Regions Financial Corporation and was chairman of the corporate governance committee and a member of the trust committee in Birmingham. He also served on the board of directors at Regions Bank, Tuscaloosa, retiring from both in 2004 after many years of service. Boone also served on numerous other boards, such as the Randall Publishing Company Board of Directors; the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association Board of Directors; American Press Institute Southeastern Advisory Board; West Alabama Chamber of Commerce (past president); Christ Episcopal Church Vestry; DCH Regional Medical Center Foundation (twice past president); Tuscaloosa Academy Board of Trustees (twice past president); United Way (past director and president and twice drive chairman); YMCA (past director and president); Salvation Army Advisory Board (past chairman); Tuscaloosa Park and Recreation Authority Board (three years as chairman); Journalism Foundation of Alabama Press Association (past president); and on the Board of Trustees of the Westervelt-Warner Museum of American Art in Tuscaloosa, Ala. “Jim Boone, by his example, set the highest bar for so many for how to lead and serve a community, civic organization, church, a business organization or his family,” said Todd Carpenter, president and CEO of Boone Newsmedia and Carpenter Newsmedia. “All who knew Jim benefitted from his benevolent interest, first in their welfare as a human being, followed by wisdom and guidance he gave generously to all that is both uncommon and special,” Carpenter continued. “We are all so fortunate to have his example to follow because it inspires us to pause and think about our fellow man, and then to work harder to strive to make those around us better. That is what he did, every day, without pause, rest or interest in recognition for his good deeds.” Boone was a founding member of St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Tuscaloosa. Boone, who had moved in 2022 from Tuscaloosa to Lowndesboro, Alabama, remained active in BNI and with its affiliate newspapers until his death, regularly meeting with senior management, publishers and other staff members by video conference. Boone is survived by his wife, Carolyn, and five children. Funeral was held Feb. 17 at the Lowndesboro Methodist Church  followed by a graveside service at Oakview Cemetery.