SEE AMAZON.COM DEALS FOR TODAY
death – Obituary News : Alan Moyer, a highly accomplished journalist who began his career as the sports editor of his college newspaper in Iowa and went on to become the managing editor of the Phoenix Gazette and the Arizona Republic, passed away on August 10 in Tucson at the age of 94.
Moyer joined the Phoenix Gazette in 1973 as the managing editor and took on the same role at the Arizona Republic in 1982, where he served until his retirement in 1988.
Bill Shover, the longtime community affairs director at Phoenix Newspapers, worked closely with Moyer at both the Gazette and the Republic. Shover describes Moyer as an “old-style, 1950s-era reporter” who remained level-headed, focused on facts rather than hearsay, and rarely displayed anger.
One of the most challenging times during Moyer’s career was when Republic investigative reporter Don Bolles was severely injured and later died in 1976 from injuries sustained in a car bombing. Shover remembers Moyer calming down the staff and urging them to allow the police to do their work, discouraging them from seeking tips in bars and other places that might yield inaccurate information.
In addition to his journalistic accomplishments, Moyer was a lifelong baseball fan. He even led a group of investors that brought minor league baseball to Wichita, Kansas for 15 years with the Triple-A Aeros.
Moyer’s daughter, Virginia, recalls how he spent hours hitting baseballs and pitching batting practice with his sons, Stanley and Glenn. Even in retirement, he remained connected to the sport through an informal group of former professional and recreational ballplayers.
Moyer was a devoted fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and made sure to include a clause in his editor contracts that allowed him to take time off when the Cardinals made it to the World Series.
Family vacations for the Moyer family always involved a stop in St. Louis, regardless of their actual destination. However, in later years, Moyer’s health declined due to Alzheimer’s disease, and he passed away after a year of declining health.
Born on September 4, 1928, on his family’s farm near Galva, Iowa, Moyer grew up in New Jersey. He began his college education in Kansas in 1946 before transferring to the University of Iowa, where he served as the sports editor of The Daily Iowan. He graduated in 1950 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and married Patricia “Pat” Krecker in July of that year.
Following his graduation, Moyer held various positions as a reporter, photographer, and editor for newspapers such as the Wisconsin State Journal, the Examiner-Enterprise in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and the Reporter-News in Abilene, Texas. He worked as the makeup editor for the Cleveland Plain Dealer from 1955 to 1963 and then joined the Wichita Eagle and Wichita Beacon, where he eventually became the executive editor.
During his time in Wichita, Moyer was heavily involved with the minor-league baseball organization, often attending games with his family. He also dedicated himself to several organizations, including the Wichita Chamber of Commerce, the Wichita Community Theatre, Wichita Baseball Inc., and the Fiesta Bowl committee.
Moyer was a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Associated Press Managing Editors association, where he served on the APME board of directors. He also had the honor of being a Pulitzer Prize juror.
Aside from his professional achievements, Moyer had a keen interest in big-rig trucks. Upon retiring from the Republic, he received a toy semi-truck and a lesson on how to drive one.
Moyer is survived by his wife of 73 years, Patricia, along with their children Virginia, Stanley, and Glenn, his brother Richard, six grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and various other relatives. In their retirement years, Moyer and Pat enjoyed taking long walks together, logging nearly 31,000 miles by 2019.
Daughter Virginia fondly remembers her father’s warm sense of humor, unfailing courtesy, and genuine interest in everyone he met, particularly his fellow University of Iowa alumni. She believes that his legacy will live on in all those who knew and loved him.
For more information, contact Russ Wiles at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com..
