MORSE CODE AND COMPUTERS

I’m sorry to report the passing of a legendary foreign correspondent, Wilbur G. Landrey, chief correspondent and world editor at UP and UPI in its heyday and later a remarkable correspondent for The St. Petersburg Times in its glory years under Gene Patterson. 

Bill’s career spanned a remarkable period. He first filed in Morse Code and later used teletype, faxes, and computers. (This obit is really good and has many more details.) 

To me, Bill epitomized a classic period of foreign reporting, when the U.S. sent scores of curious and intelligent people abroad to report on the world. This is why it was an honor for me to help organize the donation of his amazing trove of papers, equipment and memorabilia to the Newseum in Washington. 

I got to know Bill in Berlin in 1989 when I fixed for him during the fall of the Wall. When he was away, I also strung for the St. Pete Times. I really learned a lot: he was balanced, fair, aware of his biases, and a stickler for details.

I last saw him and his lovely wife of 50 years, Beverly, earlier this year during a visit to Tampa. I’ll miss seeing him during my next trip there in two weeks.