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Journalist who spent 31 years with same paper dies

A former deputy editor who came from a family of journalists has died aged 81.

John Cross, who retired from the then Coventry Evening Telegraph in 1986 after 31 years with the paper, died at the city’s University Hospital following a short illness.

He was born in Nuneaton in March 1929 and, after leaving the town’s grammar school, began his journalism career with the Nuneaton Chronicle which was founded by his grandfather in the late 19th century.

Following that, John spent five years as deputy chief reporter at the Rugby Advertiser and did National Service with the army in the Far East.

He then began his long affair with the Coventry Evening Telegraph in 1955 where he served as industrial correspondent, news editor and assistant editor before spending his final six years as deputy editor.

A bachelor, John spent his later years pursuing his love of fly-fishing, wood turning, carpentry and playing Scrabble.

His grandfather Albert Cross edited two papers in Nuneaton, the Chronicle and Observer, and his father Francis and uncle Fred also edited weekly papers in Nuneaton, Walsall and Atherstone in Warwickshire.

His distant cousin Tom Hilditch began his journalism career with the Rugby Advertiser before becoming an editor and publisher in Hong Kong.

Anyone who knew John is invited to attend his funeral at Coventry’s Canley Crematorium on Wednesday at 1.45pm.