Mary Ethridge Williamson, reporter at the BJ from 1988-2006, has been floating on the C of Celebrities her entire life.

Most important, to me anyway, Mary’s mother, Peg Ethridge, was from my native state of West Virginia and, like me, graduated from West Virginia University.

Thus, less impressive, to me, were such luminaries as:

Mary’s father, Mark Ethridge, BJ editor from 1973 to 1976.

Mary’s grandfather, Mark Ethridge, Sr., was Louisville Courier Journal editor for many years.

Mary’s brother, Mark Ethridge III, was Charlotte Observer managing editor in the 1970s and 1980s.

Certainly NOT least of all, Mary is married to Mark Williamson, who as WAKR-Channel 23 anchor and news director covered the 1979 plane crash that killed New York Yankees legend and Akronite Thurman Munson, who was practicing landings with his Cessna at Akron/Canton Airport; is Director Marketing Communications for Akron Public Schools; and for 15 years was spokesman for 15 years for the volative Mayor Don Plusquellic, not a task without its turbellent waters.

 

Mary and Mark have a daughter, Grace, who gifted them with a granddaughter, Rylee.

 

This is the mail that Mary sent to me, at my request:

 

Hi John,

 

My father, Mark Ethridge, Jr., was editor of the BJ from 1973 until 1976. He came from the Detroit Free Press where he was editor.  After he left the BJ, he taught journalism at the University of South Carolina.

 

I grew up in Grosse Pointe. It is a pretty ritzy place with all those auto executive mansions, but we had a modest house in a family-oriented neighborhood. My mom, Peg Ethridge, was from West Virginia! Her parents were graduates of that wonderful university.

 

My grandfather, Mark Ethridge, Sr., was publisher of the Louisville Courier Journal for many years. His wife, Willie Snow Ethridge, wrote 15 non-fiction books.

 

My brother, Mark Ethridge III, was managing editor of the Charlotte Observer in the 1970s and early 80s. He went on to write three novels. 

 

I worked at the Beacon from the summer of 1988 until the fall of 2006. Before that, I was director of editorial projects at The University of Akron. I went back to work at the university in 2013 but was laid off in 2014 when its financial situation worsened. I returned to doing some freelance projects for Live Publishing mainly. 

 

When I started at the BJ, Ohio was going through an epic drought so we put together a team to write a series about climate change. We were 30 years ahead of our time. That was just one highlight of a career I loved. I miss my newsroom colleagues every day.

 

My husband, Mark Williamson, works for the Akron Public Schools after a career in broadcasting and city government.

 

I have one daughter, Grace, who is the mother of my two-year-old granddaughter, Rylee. She's an absolute joy and mischief-maker. I love being her "Mimi". She calls Mark, Jiddo, arabic for grandfather -- a nod to his Lebanese heritage.

 

Grace is a clinical mental health counselor in the Akron area. She received her master's degree from UA in 2019.

 

I'll send you some photos in a separate email.

 

Thanks for thinking of me. Stay well.

 

Best,

Mary

 

--

Mary Ethridge

Editor and Writer

330-687-2445

maryethridge@gmail.com

 

I know that, during my 26 years at the BJ, I ran to work because I loved the atmosphere so much! And in the 25 years of my retirement I see time after time how I’m not alone in my feelings. BJ retiree after retiree just gushes with the glory of working for John S. Knight, in my opinion the best newspaper owner in history (and I worked for St. Petersburg Times publisher Nelson Poynter, son of Paul Poynter who bought the paper in 1912; Nelson ushed new hires into his throne room every month or so; JSK just walked around the newsroom and chatted with the staff, including Fran Murphey in her bib overalls). 44 E. Exchange Street will be my favorite topic when I meet St. Peter at the Golden Gate.

 

Ben Maidenburg, as most know, salvaged by career by hiring me after the Dayton Daily News and famed editor/columnist Jim Fain had me fired for union activities at the Dayton Daily News, owned by the union-hating Cox Newspapers out of Atlanta.

 

And State Desk editor Pat Englehart, with his deNobil cigar and frenzied behavior that irritated management but inspired his underlings, taught me more about being an editor than I had learned for coming to the BJ at the age of 38 with 15 years of journalism experience.

 

Mary isn’t the only one who spent a life surrounded by celebrities.