Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Beacon newsman Craig Wilson dead at 79


Craig Wilson made the front page.

In his heyday, Wilson would have dutifully clipped the item and placed it a white envelope bearing his name carefully alphabetozed with others in a file drawer in the “morgue.” As all blog readers know, that’s the name that was given to the old reference library. Wilson, a precise, methodical man, probably would have attached a couple of notes to record information such as the home address or other facts left out by the obit writer. Craig knew the facts might be important later.

Wilson, who had 40 years at the Beacon Journal, died of cancer at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday at the hospice on Ridgewood.

He was probably best known as editor of the old Action Line, but his true craft was referencing.

When this blog first opened someone sent in an old group photo from a Beacon Journal picinic. Readers went wild trying to identify everyone in the picture. But it soon was learned that Craig had traced the outlines of those in the photo, numbered them and typed a list properly identifying everyone. He knew way back then soomeone would want this information.

You will find his obit by clicking on the headline. It was written by Connie Bloom, but Craig had all the information ready to make her task easy placed carefully in a white envelope..

Click on the photos to enlarge for a better view.

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