Each year we remember those no longer with us who dedicated a significant part of their careers to regional journalism. As with all walks of life, coronavirus this year also took its toll on those who worked in our industry.
Here, as the final part in our series of pieces looking back at the year, we feature a selection of obituaries which have appeared on HTFP over the past 12 months, along with some of the tributes that have been paid to them by friends and colleagues.
Jonathan Barry
Photographer who was picture editor at the Worcester News until this year. He died after a cancer battle aged 54.
“Jonathan was an incredibly talented photographer who instinctively knew how to capture the best shot in any situation.” – Michael Purton, editor of the News
Mario Basini
Journalist dubbed “the best writer ever to grace the pages” of the Western Mail. He was 77.
“He was hugely respected and he didn’t have to seek out the biggest names for his interviews, they came to him.” – Mail columnist Carolyn Hitt
Chris Beech
Editor of the St Albans Observer who became regional marketing manager at Newsquest South East. He died aged 54 days after undergoing major surgery.
“It is rare to find someone who cares as much about people as they do about the products they produce and the customers that consume them.” – Newsquest South East managing director Mike Harper
David Bell
Former Rutherglen Reformer editor who continued to cover football for the Hamilton Advertiser until last year. He was 77.
“David was a legendary Lanarkshire journalist. My sincere condolences to his family.” – Advertiser editor Robert Mitchell
Alex Blackwell
Former Harborough Mail deputy editor who died aged 40.
“Alex was fearless in his questioning of those responsible for injustice, and many times stood up for those unable to stand up for themselves.” – Former Mail editor Neil Pickford
Chris Brayne
News editor and leader writer who spent his entire career with York daily The Press. He was 91.
“Chris was a man who earned respect without raising his voice and his attention to detail and quiet charm were easy to underestimate.” – Former Press newsdesk colleague John Richardson
Rachel Buller
Assistant editor of Archant’s Norfolk magazine and former chief reporter of the Eastern Daily Press, who died four months after being diagnosed with cancer aged 45.
“She was a wonderful person to work with, full of energy, spirit and fun and always making plans for the future.” – Norfolk magazine editor Dominic Castle
Iris Clapp
Former Colchester Daily Gazette news and features editor, who died aged 67 after a cancer battle.
“She was a warm, caring, intelligent woman who had a passion for life and a thirst for knowledge.” – Vicky Passingham, her deputy features editor at the Gazette
Tony Colling
Photographer who spent almost half a century with the Sunderland Echo. He was 76.
“His legacy will be on display in the homes of thousands of Wearsiders whose lives he recorded for the Echo, including ours.” – Former Echo colleague Ron Stout
Nigel Dean
Sports editor who spent four decades with the Dorset Echo before leaving last year. He died of cancer aged 57.
“He made the Echo a better place to be and we should all ensure we strive to be better people for having known him.” – Echo editor Diarmuid Macdonagh
Sir Harold Evans
Once voted the greatest newspaper editor of all time, his first editorship was at the Northern Echo in the 1960s. He was 92.
“Fifty years after he left, North-East readers still talked of him in awe. A true inspiration.” – Former Echo editor Peter Barron
Yvonne Evans
The first female editor of the Bury Times, who ran the newspaper for 26 years. She was 85.
“All of us who worked with her couldn’t help respecting her. And she became a wonderful friend.” – Times colleague Neil Brandwood
Jean Fitchew
Former Crawley Observer chief reporter who trained many young reporters. She was 85.
“She knew what made a news story, and had a sense of fairness and decency in telling it, without any need for sensation.” – Former Observer reporter Phil Kerswell, who trained under Jean
Ron Green
Editor who ran the Kent Messenger, Kent Today and Kent Online during his career. He was 73.
“Ron was a true gentleman, a kind, considerate individual and a superb journalist and editor who would always treat his staff fairly.” – David Jones, former Evening Post and Medway Messenger editor
Michael Guy
Editor who founded the Leigh Times and ran the newspaper until his death aged 85.
“Mr Guy was a big man with a big heart, firm but always fair in his dealings with people and he earned the respect of those he worked with through his dedication to the industry that he loved.” – Leigh Times obituary
David Henshall
Editor who came out of retirement to run the Ipswich Star in the mid-1990s and continued to write for the newspaper until last year. He was 90.
“He was a wonderful writer, with such a light touch and no short amount of humour. It was a privilege for us to publish his weekly column until only recently.” – Current Star editor Brad Jones
Derek Hilton
Former editor of the Hull Daily Mail’s weekly series who spent six decades in the regional press. He was 83.
“Quietly spoken and with a gentle humour, Derek was a stalwart of an excellent editorial team, a first-rate journalist and a true gentleman of the press.” – Former colleague Phil Ascough
Peter Homer
News editor who served the Chichester Observer for more than 40 years. He was 77.
“Everything Peter wrote so perfectly epitomised the concept of trusted, local journalism.” – Observer editor Gary Shipton
Bill Jamieson
Former executive editor of The Scotsman who continued to write for the paper until August this year. He was 75.
“He knew everyone, and they trusted him because he was a man of integrity, honesty and wisdom.” – Former Scotsman editor Ian Stewart
Colin Jenkins
Deputy head of print at Portsmouth daily The News, who died suddenly aged 57 after suffering a cardiac arrest.
“He really believed in what he did, he was a proper example of a regional journalist.” – Mark Waldron, editor of The News
Don Ludlow
Deputy editor on both Darlington’s now-defunct Evening Despatch and the free Advertiser series, he continued working as a sub-editor at the Northern Echo into his 70s. He was 89.
“He steered me through – always very calm and he never said a bad word about anybody.” – Former Echo group colleague June Hawden
Derek Masterton
Former Daily Record assistant news editor who died aged 66 after testing positive for coronavirus.
“He was a great reporter and if there was something going on in his beloved Ayrshire he knew about it before anyone else.” – Andy Lines, the Daily Mirror’s chief reporter and former Record news editor
Scott McHugh
Former deputy sports editor at the Hull Daily Mail. He was 47.
“He was a great guy, a character and I felt an excellent journalist.” – Former Mail sports journalist Richard Tingle
James Mills
Former Express & Star and Shropshire Star reporter who went on to a Fleet Street career. He died of heart failure aged 48.
“He was so witty and clever, talented and humble, very easy going and a pleasure to be around. We were lucky to have had him in our lives and he will be missed forever.” – His father Arthus Milles, himself a former Express & Star and Shropshire Star journalist
John Morgan
Sports correspondent who served the Yorkshire Evening Post for more than 50 years and conducted an impromptu interview with the Queen while receiving his MBE. He was 90.
“John was probably the kindest, warmest, funniest man I’ve known. What he didn’t know about sport – any sport – wasn’t worth the effort.” – Former YEP feature writer Anne Pickles
Allene Norris
Teesdale Mercury editor who also worked at titles including the Northern Echo and Teesside Gazette. She was 84.
“She was a great person to be around and my girls were all very close to her.” – Allene’s son Richard James
Dan O’Neill
Journalist who spent four decades with the South Wales Echo. He was 90.
“Readers will remember his acerbic wit and he took no prisoners. The word legend is used too often but Dan absolutely was.” – Former Echo editor Alastair Milburn
Andy Plaice
Former Melton Timed editor and Rutland Times managing editor who went on to teach journalism at De Montfort University. He died after a brain cancer battle aged 54.
“Andy was both a fantastic journalist and also an amazing teacher of journalism. He inspired hundreds of students at DMU and before that countless young journalists on his newspapers.” – Tor Clark, former Harborough Mail editor and current associate professor in journalism at the University of Leicester
Colin Roberts
Editor who spent more than 40 years with the Crewe Chronicle. He was 80.
“Colin knew Crewe and the people of Crewe well and over the years had gained their trust and respect. He also had the respect of his staff – more than that though, he was our friend.” – Chronicle chief reporter Belinda Ryan
Sue Robinson
Former Burton Mail, Nottingham Post, Leicester Mercury and Derby Telegraph journalist. She died suddenly aged 59.
“She was a wonderful character who did her very best to make others happy. She appreciated her friends and colleagues, adored her family and was a fun-loving journo through and through.” – Former colleague Jill Gallone
John Rogers
Editor of the East Kent Gazette and Sheppey Gazette between 1981 and his early retirement in 1995. He died aged 77 after battling cancer for two decades.
“He never forgot his roots in Sittingbourne and was very proud of rising through the ranks to become editor of the local newspaper he had known all his life.” – Christine Rayner, John’s successor at the East Kent Gazette
Tommy Roycroft
Former editor of the Northern Constitution, in Coleraine. He was 95.
“He brought meticulous and consummate skills to the profession, graced by his presence and influence for the best part of half a century.” – Former colleague Maurice McAleese
Roger Siddall
Chief sub-editor who trained “scores” of young reporters while editorial training officer at the Burnley Express.
“Always fair, always helpful, always approachable, Roger was also known in the office for a remarkable sense of humour which was often played out on the very trainees he worked so hard to help.” – Former colleague Edward Lee
Andrew Slorance
Former Southern Reporter journalist who became a Scottish government PR boss. He died aged 49 after battling coronavirus.
“Andrew was a wonderful person and made a difference in all he did.” – Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
Joan Stephens
Leicester Mercury women’s editor who continued to write for the newspaper even into her retirement. She was 89.
“She was almost synonymous with the Leicester Mercury – if you told people you worked at the Mercury they would tell you they knew Joan Stephens.” – John Aldridge, the paper’s chairman and managing director from 1982 to 1997
Dick Taylor
Editor of the Wakefield Express and West Sussex County Times who also sat on the NCTJ’s examinations board until 2012.
“He was a wonderful character and embodied the high journalistic standards the NCTJ has always promoted.” – NCTJ chief executive Joanne Butcher
Catherine Waring
Former Shropshire Star and NWN Media journalist who died aged 48 after testing positive for coronavirus.
“She was a great character in the office and will be sorely missed by all of her former colleagues.” – Star editor Martin Wright
Robin Williams
Worked in Bury St Edmunds for the East Anglian Daily Times over the course of four decades. He was 88.
“Robin was the absolute epitome of a good district chief reporter. He loved the town and knew it like the back of his hand.” – Former EADT editor Terry Hunt
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