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Journalist James Patrick dies
Noted for versatility, he filled many roles on the Evening Independent, at ease with all of them.
By JON WILSON
Published May 17, 2006
ST. PETERSBURG - James W. Patrick, an old-school journalist who spent a quarter-century at St. Petersburg's afternoon newspaper, died Monday after battling cancer. He was 83. With his trademark pipe and wide grin, Mr. Patrick was a solid newsroom presence who didn't rattle under the tight deadlines of an afternoon newspaper and who was always happy to help younger staff members. "He was fun to work with, a good man,'' said former colleague Rick Rutan. Mr. Patrick went to work for the Evening Independent in 1960. He covered morning City Council meetings and, in order to meet noon deadlines, would dictate stories over the telephone off the top of his head. One of his favorite stories from those days involved the presidential campaign of 1960, said Mr. Patrick's wife of 60 years, Alice. Mr. Patrick related how John F. Kennedy emerged from a hotel room for a photo opportunity, and was clad in coat, shirt and tie - but no trousers over his underwear. "It was for a waist-up shot,'' Mr. Patrick was always quick to note. Mr. Patrick was a strong Republican who nonetheless won the affection of many colleagues whose political views often leaned toward the other major party. "He went with the flow but he let you know what his opinion was,'' Rutan said. Mr. Patrick joined the Evening Independent when it was owned by Toronto-based Thomson Newspapers Inc. The Times Publishing Co. bought the newspaper in 1962, soon after the Patricks had built a new home. One of the employees the company wanted to keep was Mr. Patrick. "He came home with a big smile on his face and said, 'I'm going to get to stay,' " Mrs. Patrick said. An in-house publication in 1982 used the word "versatile'' to describe the World War II Marine Corps veteran. "Jim's at ease with wire copy, assigning reporters, writing headlines for stories, business news, general news or photography," the article said. The Kentucky native worked 14 years for the Ashland, Ky. Daily Independent. He served as a reporter, city editor and bureau chief. He had taken a job at a bank when the Ashland offer came along, Mrs. Patrick said. "I said maybe you better stay with the bank,'' Mrs. Patrick said. "He said, 'No, I want to write.' "That was what he always said he was meant to do.''
[Last modified May 17, 2006, 07:00:36]
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