Obituaries published in the June 2025 edition of the Texas Press Messenger.
Ronnie Dugger
AUSTIN – Ronnie Dugger, the founding editor of The Texas Observer once referred to as the “godfather of progressive journalism in Texas,” died May 27 in Austin. He was 95.
His death was related to Alzheimer’s disease complications, according to his daughter, New York Times health and science editor Celia W. Dugger.
No services are scheduled, according to Weed Corley Fish Funeral Home of Austin.
Obituaries published in the May 2025 edition of the Texas Press Messenger.
DANIEL LEE TABOR
CLYDE – Daniel “Danny” Lee Tabor, 62, of Clyde, passed away Wednesday, April 9, at Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene.
He was born Aug. 8, 1962, in Abilene, to Don and Betty Joe (Patton) Tabor. He was a 1980 graduate of Clyde High School and attended Cisco Junior College.
Obituaries published in the April 2025 edition of the Texas Press Messenger.
PAUL HARVEY DAVIS
SCHERTZ – Senior Master Sergeant Paul Harvey Davis, U.S. Air Force (Retired), who had a successful second career in the newspaper business, died Jan. 25 in Cleveland. He was 88.
Obituaries published in the March 2025 edition of the Texas Press Messenger.
MAEBETH McLAUGHLIN REYNOLDS
LUBBOCK – Maebeth McLaughlin Reynolds, who with her husband Jim Reynolds published newspapers in Lockney and Crosbyton, died Jan. 30. She was 87.
A native of Plainview, she graduated from Lockney High School in 1956 and later from Watson Business School in Plainview.
Obituaries published in the February 2025 edition of the Texas Press Messenger.
APRIL SUZANNE KELLEY
TAYLOR - April Suzanne Kelley, who had served since August as Granite Media Partner’s Central Texas area editor, including the Taylor Press and Elgin Courier, died Christmas Eve. She was 36.
A native of Monroe, Louisiana, Kelley was the first of her siblings to earn a college degree and worked nights to put herself through school before earning a Bachelor of Arts from Louisiana Tech University, with a focus on journalism.
Obituaries published in the January 2025 edition of the Texas Press Messenger.
WILLIAM WALLACE
BEAUMONT – Former Wharton County Journal-Spectator publisher William (Bill) Wallace died Dec. 6. He was 72.
Wallace served as publisher of the Wharton County Journal-Spectator and East Bernard Express from May 2009 until January 2023. Following his tenure in the Wharton community, he and his wife Karen moved to Beaumont.
By TONY FARKAS, Polk County Publishing Company
He was called a friend, a brother and even a mentor, but one of the highest compliments Greg Peak ever received was that he was a newspaper man, through and through.
Peak, who was a longtime associate of Alvin Holley, owner of Polk County Publishing Company Inc., died recently from complications of diabetes.
Final arrangements are pending.
Holley said Peak was a valuable employee for the company.
Obituary published in the November 2024 edition of the Texas Press Messenger.
MARY ANN TONGATE BENGTSON
FREDERICKSBURG – Mary Ann (MA) Tongate Bengtson, 89, the first female city desk editor at the San Antonio Express-News, died Oct. 8 at Heritage Place in Fredericksburg.
A graduate of Waco High School, she studied journalism at Texas Tech University and finished her degree at West Texas State University.
Obituaries publishe din the October 2024 editon of the Texas Press Messenger.
JESSIE FRAUSTO
DUMAS – Jessie Frausto, 67, longtime staff member of the Dumas News Press, died Aug. 30.
A native of Plainview, Frausto was a 1975 graduate of Dumas High School.
Obituary published in the August edition of the Texas Press Messenger.
TERRY LEE SCHAUB
KATY – Terry Lee Schaub, 62, of Katy died on July 21 at Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital.
A native of Lampasas, he was the sports editor at the Lampasas Dispatch Record for 17 years before he moved on to other newspaper positions, including advertising director and publisher, in Killeen, Round Rock, Smithville, Katy and Odessa. After leaving the Odessa American, he returned to Katy.