35-YEAR BJ SPORTSWRITER/REPORTER ED MEYER PASSES AWAY

 

                                              ED MEYER

       ED MEYER ON LEFT WITH BONNIE RAYMOND ALEXANDER 

35-year BJ reporter Ed Meyer passes away

 

Ed Meyer, BJ reporter for 35 years (1981-2015), passed away in Akron. Spent earlier days in Chicago.

 

Ed wrote that, when his U-Haul pulled into Akron, “I like this place” because the rubber shops reminded him of Chicago’s steel mills.

 

Stuart Warner, who hired Bradley University grad Ed to cover the Browns, posted:

 

“Makes me so sad. Hired Ed to cover the Browns in 1981. RIP, my friend.

Ed’s father was Edward James Meyer, “my hero” who served in General Patton’s Third Army and landed on Omaha Beach six weeks after D-Day to help build floating bridges that helped supplies and armored vehicles to move in and destroy Hitler’s Nazi Germany.

Ed and I once exchanged information about our dealings with management unhappy with us, me at the Dayton Daily News for union activities and Ed demoted to suburban police beat in Portage, Stark, Medina and Wayne counties when the projects-investigation team that Ed was on was disbanded.

 

His stories led to wrongful convictions freedom for Randy Resh and Bob Gondor, after they spent 17 years in prison, which Ed told me “was the proudest moment of my 35-year newspaper career at the Beacon Journal.”

Keith McKnight told me:

“Ed Meyer was an outstanding example of what investigative reporters are supposed to be. Unfortunately, the few years we had to work together were all too brief. But it was through his tireless digging that many of the narrative series we wrote together were possible. His abiding effort at going it alone to expose the wrongful conviction of Randy Resh and Bob Gondor speaks for itself. He was a friend that I admired and will always miss.”

Ed’s obituary:

Edward V. Meyer

July 25, 1951 - April 11, 2024

Edward V. Meyer passed away unexpectedly on April 11, 2024. He was born on July 25, 1951, to Edward and Stephanie Meyer in Hegewisch, IL. He graduated from Bradley University with a degree in journalism. Ed began his prominent career in Tampa as a sports writer. His journey as a pro football beat writer started with the Cleveland Browns in 1981 at the Akron Beacon Journal which brought him to Ohio where he met his beloved Rose.

Ed’s commitment and passion for journalism was unmatched. He covered 18 Super Bowls and received countless prestigious awards. Some of his proudest moments were interviews with Arnold Palmer and Mohammed Ali. Later in his career, he took on criminal court and law enforcement reporting where his dedication to helping others led to one of his greatest accomplishments. Ed’s efforts to uncover the truth freed Randy Resh and Bob Gondor from prison, who were wrongfully convicted for a crime they did not commit. His colleagues describe his honesty, loyalty, and integrity as beyond reproach. 

He enjoyed spending time with his inherited loud Italian family and his cats Toby and Zeke. The Beatles, the Chicago White Sox, The Three Stooges, playing golf, snow skiing, and cooking were some of Ed’s favorite things. Being an American history buff, he collected various JFK memorabilia over the years. We will always remember his witty and funny nicknames and sayings that made us all laugh. 

Ed is survived by his loving wife of 43 years Rosary Vinciguerra, daughters Carolynn (Tom) Amato, Lisa Thomas; grandchildren Christopher (Abby), Benjamin (Natalie), and Logan Patrick; Alex, Carson, and Rosy Thomas; sister Karen (Stanley) Janeczek; nephew Matthew Janeczek; many cousins and his “little budgers”. He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Stephanie, and his favorite Aunt Wanda.

We love you “Eddie Van Meter Meyer”; we know you are editing this in heaven.

The family will receive visitors on April 20, 2024, at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, 164 W. Market Street, Akron, OH 44303 at 10:00 am, funeral mass will follow at 11:00 am. A celebration of life gathering will be held at The Hilton Fairlawn, 3180 West Market Street, Akron, OH 44333 from 12:30 - 3:30 pm. All are welcome.  

In place of flowers, donations can be made to the James V. Vinciguerra Scholarship Fund in the care of St.VM High School or One of A Kind Pet Rescue.