John Dotson dies

John L. Dotson Jr., former president and publisher of the Akron Beacon Journal and co-founder of the Robert C. Maynard Institute, died Friday.

He was 76.

John Dotson

He and his wife, Peggy, lived in Boulder, Colo. They had a winter home on Marco Island in Florida. They have five children.

Mr. Dotson was one of only two African-American publishers in the then-Knight Ridder newspaper chain of 29 daily papers in the late 1980s and early 1990s and one of only a handful in the country.


Prior to coming to the Beacon, he was president and publisher of the Boulder Daily Camera for five years in Colorado. He was one of few publishers with a strong news background — most come from the business side of newspapers. He was knowledgeable in both areas.

To read the Marilyn Miller and Stephanie Warsmith eulogy to John Dotson, click on http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/former-beacon-journal-publisher-john-dotson-dies-1.407696