Category: Legacies

Charles Gallup ‘Chuck’ Williams passed away Friday June 3, 2022 after experiencing a catastrophic brain hemorrhage. With his wife and daughters by his side, Chuck left for the great squash court in the sky while being serenaded by Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and the Grateful Dead.

Chuck was born in Bridgeport, Conn., as the first son of Arthur Collins Williams and Mary Helen Mitchell Williams. He followed his older sister, Kit, and had two younger brothers, Bill and Doug. Their childhood was full of little league, bikes, golf, tennis, and skiing in Vermont. Chuck attended elementary and middle school in the small town of Fairfield, Conn., and then left to attend high school at Andover in Massachusetts. Chuck went on to earn a bachelor’s of arts degree in history in 1973 at the University of Rochester, where he also played squash and soccer and developed a taste for Genesee Cream Ale and the Garbage Plate from Nick Tahoe’s. Chuck earned a master’s degree at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University in 1974.

He began his career as a freelance writer in Rochester, N.Y., where he wrote for several publications including the Brighton Pittsford Post. Chuck was then employed by the Cancer Center of Strong Memorial Hospital, starting a long career in public relations and communications for health care systems. While working in Rochester, Chuck met Jackie Wygant and in his usual unhurried fashion waited a year to ask her out. Two months before their wedding in 1979, Chuck competed in the U.S. Squash National Championships at the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland, Ore., and while there was invited to apply for a job at O.H.S.U. Jackie said no. 10 months later, they made an epic cross country trip in a U-haul and arrived in the Pacific Northwest, the place that would become their forever home. The PNW, in turn, welcomed them with a layer of ash from the eruption of Mt. St. Helens shortly after they arrived. The couple immersed themselves in a multitude of outdoor activities, including mountain climbing, cross-country skiing, camping, hiking, and soaking up the sun at the Oregon Coast. Kidding, they learned it is almost never sunny at the Oregon Coast!

In 1982, the couple’s first daughter, Laurel, came into the world. Chuck continued working at O.H.S.U. and Jackie fondly remembers passing the infant through the window into his office so he could watch her while she played squash. Chuck started working at Good Samaritan Hospital in 1985, and soon after the couple’s second daughter, Kendra, joined the family. Luckily for her, she entered and exited the hospital through the regular doors.

Chuck continued his career in public relations at Shriners Hospital from 1992 to 1999. He then worked as the regional director of Kids in a Drugfree Society (K.I.D.S.) for a year before going on to work at Providence Health System. He worked at Providence from 2001 to 2012 in Public Affairs and Internal Communications and was the editor of the Spirit Newsletter. Chuck finished his career at CareOregon where he worked until he retired in 2017.

Chuck loved to hike and camp and shared his love of the outdoors with his daughters including taking each for their first summit at Saddle Mountain around 8 years of age. Chuck also passed on his competitive spirit, coaching his daughters in soccer and softball, and cheering them on in countless other sports.

While helping to raise his two daughters and working his full-time job, Chuck continued to be a competitive squash player, achieving number 6 in the nation in 40+ softball singles. He also taught squash and organized tournaments.

Chuck founded a local accreditation program for the Portland Metro Chapter of Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and served on its board, including as President in 1997. In 2000, he was honored with their William W. Marsh Lifetime Achievement Award. He also served on the boards of many other non-profit organizations. While working and volunteering, Chuck forged close ties with many members of the local print, radio, and television media. In addition, Chuck was an enthusiastic mentor and encouraged many aspiring public relations professionals. At last count, there were over 200 people who were mentored by Chuck while seeking their APR accreditation. Chuck loved his career and made lifelong friends at every job and every organization he was a part of.

Chuck is survived by his wife, Jackie Wygant; his daughters, Laurel Williams (Carl Kloos) and Kendra Williams (Christian Richardson); three grandchildren, Adelyn, William, and Margaret; his three siblings, Kit Krents, Arthur ‘Bill’ Williams, and Doug Williams (Deidre Williams); his two sisters-in-law, Catherine Wygant (Dan Monroe) and Holly Wygant; three nephews and two nieces and their families; and many east coast cousins.

A celebration of life will be held later this summer in Portland, Ore., and Chuck’s final resting place will be in his beloved Landgrove, Vt. In lieu of flowers please send donations to PRSAOregon.org for the APR Accreditation Education Fund, Street Roots, Nursingale, the Oregon Stroke Center at OHSU, Friends of the Historic Columbia River Highway, or the Oregon Natural Desert Association.

Please sign the online guest book at www.oregonlive.com/obits

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Dee Richard Woolley Jr., beloved husband, father, brother, grandfather, and friend, age 66, passed away July 15, 2022 in his home unexpectedly.

Born June 21, 1956, Salt Lake City, Utah, to Dee and Marjorie Carol Springman Woolley. Married Anne Meilstrup Woolley August 1, 1978, in the Salt Lake City LDS Temple. He graduated from Highland High (class of 74), University of Utah (BA) and Northwestern University (Masters in Advertising). He served in many capacities in his church, including an LDS Mission to Germany and later as a beloved Bishop in Kenosha, Wisconsin. His great loves in life were his testimony of Heavenly Father and Jesus, his family, his dear friends, music, food, and the Book of Mormon. He is survived by his wife Anne; his children Doug (Amy), Katherine Gardner (Joel), Elizabeth, and Christina Pearson (Patrick); 8 grandchildren; and brother Michael (Debra). He was preceded in death by his parents, Dee and Carol Woolley.

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Owen Yost, 77, passed away at his home in Denton, Texas on July 17th.

Born January 1945 he spent his childhood near Chicago, in Kenilworth Illinois. He attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois and attended college at University of Missouri (Bachelor of Journalism ’67), Northwestern University (Master of Journalism ’68), and University of Texas Arlington (Master of Landscape Architecture ’82) and served in the U.S. Army.

The son of Llyod Morgan Yost and Winogene Springer, and brother to Elyn Mulder, Karyl Thorsen, Chari Binstadt. Owen leaves behind his beloved partner Nancy Collins, his son Creighton Yost, and grandchildren Carson Yost, Asher Yost, Collin Whisenhunt, Lauren Whisenhunt, and their families.

A lifelong athlete, he played baseball and football as a child and was well known for his swimming, setting records in high school and winning medals at the Texas Senior Games. He was a regular at the Texas Woman’s University pool and gym and deeply enjoyed the kindness and comradery of his TWU swimming friends and the University staff.  

He enjoyed nature in its natural wild state throughout his life. A favorite memory was his canoe trips with friends in college to boundary lakes in Canada for fishing and exploring. Always interested in geography and vocabulary he was quick to share what he learned about scientific names of trees and birds and worked throughout his life to conserve natural spaces to ensure their future.

An accomplished writer, writing advertising copy in Chicago in his early years, and later an accomplished landscape architect, guest lecturing at University of North Texas, writing a landscaping column for the Denton Record-Chronical newspaper, and working for Denton as a city planner. He designed the landscape for many Denton street plantings, and the Benny Simpson Garden on the TWU campus, leaving his lasting mark on his community.

To plant Memorial Trees in memory of George Owen Yost, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.

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Robert “Russ” Bensley finished his final broadcast on August 9, 2022. The oldest (by minutes) child of Robert Daniel Bensley and Sylvia Gates Holton Bensley, Russ is survived by his children Skip Bensley, Robin Arena, and Vicki (Ryan) Stevenson; his grandchildren CJ, Sabrina, Jordan, Sarah, Andrew, and Ryan, as well as his twin brother Edward (Laura) Bensley. He is predeceased by his wife, Patrica Bannon Bensley. Also survived and predeceased by a sea of those who admired and respected him throughout his long career at CBS, as a horse farmer, and as an overall great guy.

Russ grew up on and around the University of Chicago campus, where his grandfather was the head of and his mother professor of Anatomy (and the first female graduate of the University of Chicago Medical School), and his father and aunt were integral to the vast scientific advances made there, particularly in the realm of diabetes research, for which the senior Robert Russell Bensley won a Banting Medal. He graduated from Hyde Park High School and went on to earn both an undergraduate and master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University. During his years there, he commuted daily from Hyde Park, as he was also caring for his grandfather.

Russ’ career began in radio, eventually landing him at the WBBM-TV station, where he wrote and anchored the late-night news broadcast. Amusingly, this broadcast was watched by one Pat Bannon while sitting at Wally’s Tap in Homewood; she would meet him in person and then marry him almost 20 years later. Russ made his national news television debut doing “man on the street” interviews following the death of JFK.

The CBS network then brought him to New York, quickly making him a producer (eventually executive) of the Evening News with Walter Cronkite. In 1968 he took a crew to cover the Vietnam war, got shot, and then evacuated to a hospital that was then bombed.

“Not a great day” as he put it.

In 1971, he won the first of four Emmy awards for his work on the groundbreaking documentary, “The World of Charlie Company,” for CBS.

After his time on the evening news, he headed the Special Events Unity, covering events like space shuttle launches, royal weddings, and presidential conventions and elections. He recently told his family he loved special events because he wanted to be where the action was. He was the executive producer of On the Road with Charles Kuralt, which he enjoyed for the interesting and uplifting stories. He also taught journalism courses as a guest teacher in a variety of settings, including Columbia University, New York.

After his retirement from CBS in 1985, he, Pat and daughter Vicki moved to Niles, MI, where they raised Morgan Horses until 2003. When asked about what seemed like a major life change, Russ was frequently known to quip, “It’s just a different kind of manure.” He continued remote work for CBS for almost 3 years, putting together a videocassette series, The Vietnam War with Walter Cronkite.

After horse-farming, he took up his favorite title full-time-Grandpa. Russ and Pat moved to Homewood, IL (where Pat had grown up) in 2003, and he remained there until 2014, when he moved into the home his daughter, Vicki, and husband Ryan built for them. He enjoyed the rest of his years in the “west wing” with Vicki, Ryan, his grandsons Andrew and Ryan, and a variety of cats and dogs whom he adored. His grandsons clearly benefited from his constant presence; both have gone into journalism.

Russ celebrated his 84th birthday by jumping out of a “perfectly good” airplane, handling it like a pro, and at 86 had to have an amputation of his lower leg (unrelated to the jumping out of an airplane) proceeding to put everyone in rehab – including 30-year-olds – to shame. (Upon waking from surgery being asked how he was, he replied, “Footloose and fancy-free.”) He walked at home without so much as a cane, and used a walker only at the annoying insistence of his daughter. Until the stroke that disabled him seven weeks prior to his death, he took daily walks, got his own paper and did the crosswords, all while shaking his head at the changes in TV news.

Russ’ colleagues say he was among the best in the business, and to this day speak with great admiration and affection for him and his work. Giants in the industry have described him as “one of the all-time great television news producers and editors” and “the best newsman television ever had….[and] that for a few years a lot of Americans got their information about what was going on in the world from the honest and direct way [he] chose to tell them.”

Russ’ kind heart was even bigger for animals. If you are inclined to honor him in some way, please make a donation in his name to the South Suburban Humane Society, where many of his beloved pets came from. If you want to honor him another way, sneak some Oreo cookies and perhaps a good, dark beer.

And above all, the family encourages you use the phrase he was famous for as often as you can – “Everything is Going to be All Right.”

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Visit the tribute site created by her friends and colleagues.

LA Times Obit

Kari Howard (MSJ85) a longtime Los Angeles Times editor who championed ambitious narrative journalism and helped edit the 2015 Pulitzer Prize-winning series on California’s drought, died January 10, 2022, of cancer. She was 59.

Howard, a lover of music and writing who frequently quoted favorite songs and story sentences, worked as assistant foreign editor before becoming editor of Column One, the newspaper’s front-page narrative showcase. She sent out weekly emails in which she riffed on the musical associations of recent stories. A 2015 story about the effect of drought on giant sequoias, for example, reminded her of Jake Bugg’s “Pine Trees.”

“She exuded a love of language and had an incredible ability to help writers tell the stories they wanted to tell,” Times managing editor Scott Kraft said. “Writers loved working with her because she made them so much better. She loved stories and she had an innate sense of how to turn a draft of a story into something that was truly special.”

Howard was one of the editors for Diana Marcum’s series on the human consequences of California’s protracted drought, which won the Pulitzer for feature writing the following year.

“We were like one brain with that series,” Marcum said. “We would finish each other’s sentences. She never saw those stories as being about the drought. She saw those stories as being about people showing hope and resilience and character during a hard time.”

For Christmas that year, she bought Marcum a first edition of John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath,” one of many books she gave her.

“She did everything with this sense of passion and integrity and whimsy,” Marcum said. “She had such a mix of steely resolve and whimsy.”

At The Times, Howard met her future husband, journalist Geoffrey Kelly, who died unexpectedly of a heart attack in Hong Kong in 2007.

Reporters sought out Howard to help them elevate their work and coach them through complicated stories. When she was honored with a Times editorial award in 2015, the judges noted “she sprinkled her pixie dust on more than 100 Column Ones, displaying talents that had writers throughout the building knocking on her door with ideas or simply seeking her advice about storytelling.”

When she left The Times in 2015, Howard wrote a farewell note to the staff, saying: “For those of you who don’t know why I’m leaving, I bought a farmhouse in a town called Liberty six years ago, and it’s time I finally started a new life, and new adventure, in Maine.”

She chopped her own firewood, took pleasure in renovating the farmhouse, and posted frequent rhapsodies to the area on Instagram, with images of wild lilies, lighthouses and the Oldest Shoe Store in America.

In one post, she ran a photo of her home office with vibrant foliage visible through the windows: “Globe. Books. Typewriter. Cat. Foliage. What else do you need?”

Howard went on to edit Storyboard, the narrative website of the Nieman Foundation, and in early 2018 became the London-based storytelling editor at the Reuters news service. She described her journalism mantra as “Examine closely. Connect with people. Don’t rush.”

Her new home inspired characteristic enthusiasm. “I’m about to bore everyone on Instagram with my new obsession: the signage, shutters and shiny doors of Spitalfields,” she wrote. “I live in this little pocket of early 18th century Georgian homes, and it’s like a movie set. (Apparently it literally is, because period movies like anything Austen are filmed here.)”

Howard was born in Manchester, N.H., and her father’s work as a telecommunications engineer took her from Arkansas to Scotland as a girl. She studied engineering herself briefly at Clemson University in South Carolina.

“She realized after a semester that wasn’t her calling,” said her sister, Alison Howard, a Seattle attorney.

Howard studied literature at the University of North Carolina, Asheville, and journalism at Medill. She worked as a copy editor at the Houston Chronicle and the Abilene Reporter-News before joining The Times in 1992.

Howard was diagnosed with cancer in 2018, with the disease already in an advanced stage. She returned to Maine from London late last year and continued working for Reuters until recent weeks.

“As you can tell from my Instagram, I’m not focused on the illness,” she wrote recently to a friend. “I’m trying to find joy in the smallest things. And it’s everywhere, isn’t it? I’m amazed by the world, and I’m so lucky and grateful for it all.”

Along with her sister, Howard is survived by her mother, Diane, of Phoenix.

https://www.latimes.com/obituaries/story/2022-01-10/kari-howard-times-editor-who-championed-narrative-writing-dead-at-59

Roy Wiley worked in advertising and public relations for more than four decades after starting out in journalism and for many years was the chief spokesman for Navistar, the truck and engine manufacturer.

“He was a very positive, energizing kind of person, and he would hang around often times people half his age, but he had more energy than they did,” said Dan Ustian, a retired chairman and CEO of Navistar. “He knew everybody.”

Wiley, 87, died April 4 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital while recovering from hip surgery, said his wife of 33 years, Bobbie Huskey. He had been a Loop resident.

Born in Chicago and raised on the Northwest Side, Wiley was the son of Charles L. Wiley, who ran unsuccessfully in the 1932 GOP primary for a Northwest Side congressional district.

Wiley attended Onarga Military Academy in downstate Onarga for high school, then attended Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism for two years.

In 1952, while at Northwestern, Wiley was hired as an apprentice copy clerk at the Chicago Sun-Times. He was promoted to full-time general assignment reporter two years later, and later was the paper’s auto editor, a marketing and stock market columnist and finally, the paper’s assistant financial editor, overseeing a staff of 10.

“As a metro reporter in Chicago, back in the day, he’d witnessed some harsh things, but he nonetheless loved the city deeply despite its flaws,” said former Tribune reporter James P. Miller, a longtime friend. “Roy also loved newspapering — the action and the deadlines.”

In the early 1960s, Wiley also was editor of Glenview-based Automotive Fleet magazine, a publication devoted exclusively to passenger car fleets owned or leased by industry and government.

In 1968, Wiley left the Sun-Times to take a job in public relations as a vice president at the Financial Relations Board, a financial communications agency. Wiley remained there until 1972, when he and a colleague cofounded OSLA Communications, a public relations firm that was an offshoot of Olympic Savings & Loan Association.

Wiley later was director of communications at advertising agency Weber, Cohn and Riley before signing on with the Ogilvy & Mather public relations firm in 1982.

In the early 1990s, Wiley managed media relations for clients involved in hostile merger-and-acquisition activity. Miller, then a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, recalled Wiley’s forthrightness and graciousness amid at-times contentious dealings between companies.

“M&A … isn’t rocket science, but it is precision work because a lot of money is riding on the outcome, and tiny signals can swing the price of the target company’s shares, and both sides can be tempted to sling mud at the other,” Miller said. “Not Roy Wiley, though, ever, in my experience, over decades of interactions with the guy. In a hardball business, he was old-school — somebody whose word was always, always good.”

In 1996, Wiley joined public relations firm Hill & Knowlton.

“You could always count on Roy to have that skeptical journalist’s eye on things,” said Hud Englehart, who worked with Wiley at Hill & Knowlton. “He always knew what questions to ask or what the most insightful questions were that got us to a core insight into the community and as well into clients.”

In 1998, Navistar hired Wiley as director of communications. At Navistar, he was known for insisting on only using the stairs in the company’s Warrenville headquarters, as a way to stay fit.

“We had five floors there, and one meeting might be on the first floor and the next meeting would be on the fifth floor, and some of the people would be going to both meetings, and Roy would say, ‘Let’s walk,’ ” Ustian said. “So Roy would walk up five flights of stairs, and the young guys (with him) would be the ones that were tired.”

Wiley retired from Navistar in 2011, at age 76.

Wiley and his wife renovated a vintage home in Lakeview before moving to a Loop high-rise, where their neighbors included former TV reporter and Better Government Association Executive Director Andy Shaw.

“My first thought was that this is one fashionable octogenarian,” Shaw recalled. “He was still as stylish, sophisticated and urbane as he had been throughout his distinguished career — a true boulevardier.”

Two marriages ended in divorce. In addition to his wife, Wiley is survived by a son, Roy; a daughter, Cindy Wiley Hindel; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Another son, Todd, died in 2018.

Source: Chicago Tribune