Bruce Larrick dies on 59th birthday

Former Beacon Journal reporter Bruce Larrick died of a heart attack Saturday night on his 59th birthday.

Bruce joined the Beacon Journal in 1970, fresh out of Bowling Green State University. His first assignment was for the irascible but lovable Pat Englehart, covering Stow.

This was the era of the Vietnam draft, and Bruce was an unrepentant conscientious objector. His Beacon Journal career was quickly interrupted by Uncle Sam, who required him to work for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in Columbus to fulfill his CO obligation. But he returned after a year and eventually became the Beacon Journal’s reporting voice on pollution and the environment.

Bruce left the paper in 1980 to study for his master’s degree at the University of Akron. In 1982, he began teaching journalism at Kent State University, where he lectured to such ornery young souls as Mark J. Price and Regina Brett. In 1986, he landed a job at the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he had worked ever since.

He suffered his first heart attack in 1987, and his journalism career was punctuated by several more. His dream, rooted in the Cold War, was to become Moscow bureau chief. He became a feisty international wire editor at the Inquirer instead.

He was born a Canton Bulldog, and his first marriage to a closet Massillon Tiger was doomed. But we have an outstanding son, Bryan, a Web designer by day and a starving New York artist by night.
In addition to his son, Bruce leaves his wife of 20-plus years, Lynne, an elementary teacher in Philadelphia schools.

Arrangements are pending, but the music undoubtedly will be Zappa.