Veteran editor had fire for news
Hundreds pay respect to local journalist
Staff reporter
To the Marion community, editor and publisher Bill Meyer was a local businessman with opinions. To the world outside of Marion County, Meyer was considered a newspaper icon and a fearless journalist who never lost the fire in his belly for his work.
Meyer died Nov. 14 at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita, following a fall in his home. He was 81.
Although he had retired from performing day-to-day functions of the business, he remained a strong influence and served as president of the corporation. Keeping actively involved with the newspaper and community was important to him as was writing editorials, and coming into the office several days a week.
Meyer also remained active by serving as a director on numerous boards including Central National Bank, Kansas State Historical Society, and Kansas Newspaper Foundation.
When the news of Meyer's death became public, telephone calls from dignitaries throughout the state began to pour in.
Among those were from Meyer's friend, U.S. Congressman Jerry Moran.
Moran called Meyer a legend in Kansas journalism who did not stop reporting the news.
"His active role in civil issues, including the construction of Marion Reservoir and the local football stadium, helped create good news for the city of Marion," Moran said. "His contributions to his family, profession, community, and country are deserving of respect, admiration, and gratitude. Bill will be missed through Kansas."
Meyer also served on Moran's executive committee.
At his funeral Friday, several hundred editors, former newspaper people, bank officials, and others crowded Valley United Methodist Church to pay their respects.
Pastor Phil Smith said in describing Meyer, one might say he had a "fire in his belly," the last of a breed, he was passionate, hated to see wrong things not righted, had a tremendous sense of loyalty to his employees, and to people he had mentored."
He continued that Meyer had a favorite quote, slightly altered, about being a community newspaper editor and inherently having people upset with him.
The quote was "Show me a man who is beloved, and I'll show you a lousy newspaper man."
"That helped me to understand the position of a newspaper editor and the 'razor's edge' they walk," Smith said.
Meyer did not have hobbies, Smith continued, the newspaper was his work and play.
Smith said if Meyer was standing here right now, he probably would offer some advice.
" He would refer to a list, and tell those in attendance to work hard to make your community better. He also might say, 'I am kind of surprised there are this many here'," Smith said.
So, what will people miss about Meyer? Everything, Smith responded.
"More than one person carried the 'If all else fails, call Bill Meyer card'," he said.
Following the burial, at a reception held at Marion Country Club, local residents and guests shared stories and memories about Meyer.
Local attorney Keith Collett has a respect for newspaper editors.
"In a small town, newspaper editors who stick their necks out get in trouble for what they say or don't say," Collett said. He and Meyer sparred many rounds, particularly regarding the possible development of a landfill.
"Bill lost customers and I lost clients over the issue," Collett said, "but he understood you can have your arguments and then put them away and remain good neighbors."
Meyer recently was featured in a publication by the American Journalism Historians Association. In that publication, he noted the times disgruntled readers, unhappy with stories, took out their aggressions on the Record by slashing tires and shooting out office windows. Through it all, Meyer stood his ground, rarely backing down to a subscriber or an advertiser.
Doug Anstaett, who had known Meyer for 30 years, is the executive director of Kansas Press Association and former publisher of the Newton Kansan. He admired Meyer's editorial writing and said he was one of a dying breed.
"He was a tremendously gifted editorial writer and newspaper editor who approached his job fearlessly," Anstaett said. "Through the years, he exhibited a cantankerous nature that sometimes got him into hot water, but he truly believed that open government was the key ingredient necessary for good government. The Kansas newspaper industry has lost a true giant."
Former Marion County Commissioner and retired businessman Earl Mueller will remember their numerous talks.
"We had a lot of talks and many disagreements but never got so mad at each other that we couldn't talk the next day," Mueller said. "Bill had the ability to make people think and develop two sides to a position, which a lot of people did not understand."
Retired vice president of Stauffer Communications' newspaper division Ken Bronson said he got to know Meyer through the press association.
The Topeka resident said he had just talked to Meyer the day before his death regarding the Kansas Newspaper Foundation.
"Bill always had something to say," Bronson said.
Dave Ranney, former editor of Hillsboro Star-Journal, said during his two-year tenure with the Hillsboro newspaper, he grew to admire Meyer.
"People criticized our relationship," Ranney said, adding that they should be arch rivals instead of croneys. "I said then, 'When he's gone, you're gonna miss him'."
Ranney said he considered the Record a Marion institution because of Meyer. And Meyer considered his position as editor and publisher was to produce a community newspaper.
"He gave Marion so much more than Marion ever gave him," Ranney said. "They don't make them like Bill Meyer anymore."
Ranney served Harris News Service as a reporter at the state house and often would drive through Marion to see Meyer.
He also credits Meyer for getting Kansas Weekly, a public television program, off the ground.
"Four journalists from around the state were asked to participate every Friday for six months to tape shows as practice that would lead up to an aired show," Ranney said.
Eventually shows were aired and Meyer appeared on several.
"Bill was on the ground floor for that."
Richard Clasen, former editor of Florence Bulletin and Burns News and current editor/publisher of The Eureka Herald, met Meyer when he came to Marion in 1948.
The Florence native took over the family Florence newspaper in 1964.
"When Marjean Savage of Florence was Miss Kansas, we shared plates of her picture which were used in all county newspapers," Clasen recalled.
Clasen appreciated Meyer's willingness to help a fellow editor in a pinch.
"The first year I owned the newspaper, it was my turn to print election ballots and I didn't have a press," Clasen said. "I set the print and took it to the Record where it was printed."
Meyer was a proud veteran, having served in World War II in the 99th Infantry Division. He served in England, France, Belgium, and Germany, was in the Battle of the Bulge, and helped to liberate concentration camps in Bavaria.
He became active with the 99th Infantry Division Association where he and other veterans from that division remained friends and met once a year for conventions.
The current president of the 99th Infantry Division Association, John Vasa, of Holyoke, Colo., said he and Meyer had their disagreements but was grateful to Meyer for his contributions to the organization.
"Bill did wonderful things for the 99th when he took over the 99th newspaper," Vasa said.
Even though Phil McLaughlin is no longer a fellow publisher, he wouldn't have missed the opportunity to attend Meyer's funeral.
"I've been in the business for 30 years and Bill is one of two people I've known who were quintessential small town editors," the former Miami County Republican publisher said. "He had the courage to take a stand that he knew was going to cost him and I have always respected him for that."
Community journalism was important to Meyer, who considered the newspapers he owned to be community newspapers.
Paul Stevens, Associated Press Central vice president, said Meyer was the heart and soul of Marion.
"I enjoyed working with Bill. He was a great representative of all that is good about Kansas journalism," Stevens said. "He cared about the community but wasn't afraid to challenge things that he thought were wrong."
Meyer and his wife, Joan, also had personal lives that included friends like Harlow and Edith Warneke of Marion. The two men would participate in "German song fests," Warneke said.
"It was fun. All of a sudden we would bust out in song," Warneke said with a laugh.
Meyer's family also had fond memories of the child who would become a leading journalist in the state.
According to Meyer's late mother, Ruth, after Meyer made his mark in Marion, "The sun rises in Hillsboro and sets in Strong City for Bill Meyer."
Retta Lou Harnar, Meyer's cousin, recalled a time when the family was attending an outdoor anniversary party.
"Bill got quiet. He had looked up and saw a World War II airplane and said he thought it was Pearl Harbor," Harnar said.
Meyer also spearheaded the annual Jones family reunions, she said. She wasn't sure who was going to take that duty.
Another cousin, George Myron Jones of Cedaridge, Colo., recalled a time when the two were boys.
"I had just bitten his little sister (Ruthie) so he bit me. He told me, 'If you bite anyone again, I'll bite you harder'. I never bit anyone again," Jones said.
Jones considered Meyer the older brother he never had.
Former Marion Mayor Eloise Mueller said Meyer wasn't always appreciated.
"Bill was my friend for many years," she said. "I found him to be knowledgeable, honest, trustworthy, and had a sense of humor."
She often called on him for his opinion and advice.
"He was very community-oriented
