Hall of Fame Members

LINDA BEERMAN

Linda Beermann (1946-2022), a native of Nebraska City, was a journalism broadcasting graduate of the University of Nebraska and member of Phi Beta Kappa. She was a long-time reporter, photographer, news assignment editor and weather newscaster for KOLN/KGIN-TV in Lincoln. When the station named her its full-time evening weather newscaster in 1979, she became the first woman in that role nationwide.

MARY HEPBURN

Mary Hepburn (1950-2024) of North Platte was recognized for her work as a reporter/writer for numerous U.S. and Canadian newspapers, publications and government agencies, as well as her years as a journalism educator, writing her own curriculum. A graduate of the University of Nebraska, she returned to North Platte in 1995 and wrote for the Telegraph until her death.

NINA MEISINGER

Nina Meisinger (1902-1995) began her work life teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in Chillicothe, Mo., but moved to Springfield, Neb., in the early 1920s. In 1940, when the Springfield Monitor reporter walked off the job, she accepted a “temporary” job that became her life’s work and her mission for 46 years. Known as “Mrs. Monitor,” she was reporter, ad sales and publisher, making sure subscribers received their paper every week. To the kids, she was “the cookie lady.”

SHIRLEY SNEVE

Shirley Sneve, an enrolled member of the Sioux Tribe, was born in Rapid City, S.D. She majored in journalism at South Dakota State University and moved to Nebraska in 2004 to become executive director of Vision Maker Media in Lincoln, working to empower and engage Native people to share their stories. She has served as executive producer for more than 150 documentaries, online series, apps and e-books.

MARY KAY QUINLAN

Mary Kay Quinlan, a Lincoln native and UNL graduate, began her journalism career at Rochester, N.Y. She had a 10-year stint at the Omaha World-Herald’s Washington D.C. Bureau followed by four years with the Gannett News Service in D.C. She was elected president of the National Press Club in 1986 and was also elected to the Gridiron Club. She brought this experience to the UNL journalism faculty in 2007, becoming associate dean of the college

JILL CLAFLIN

Jill Claflin, an Ohio native, worked on the copy desks of the Cincinnati Post and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. She came to Nebraska as co-owner of the Callaway Courier, later working as general manager of the Lexington-Clipper Herald and executive editor of the North Platte Telegraph. Claflin moved to Georgia to became senior director of communications at Habitat for Humanity headquarters but returned to Nebraska to retire.

MARY BLYTHE PACKWOOD

Mary Blythe Packwood (1907-1982) grew up in Cook and left school at age 14 to work at the Weekly Courier. At age 19 she bought the newspaper from her father, becoming the youngest owner, publisher and editor in the U.S. She continued to publish the newspaper until 1944, when she and her husband moved to Sterling and changed the paper’s name to the Johnson County Courier.

LORI POTTER

Lori Potter was born on a farm near Wilcox and is one of Nebraska’s most well-respected, knowledgeable agriculture and natural resources journalists. Her career with the Kearney Hub spanned 35 years. In 2000, she was chosen as a Fellow in the Leadership Education/Action Development program at UNL and traveled internationally to learn more about agriculture. She continues to write on the subject as a freelancer.

RHETA CHILDE DORR

Rheta Childe Dorr (1866-1948) attended her first women’s suffrage event at age 12 in Omaha, studied at the University of Nebraska and became the first editor of The Suffragist, the official newspaper of the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage. As a newspaper society editor in New York City, she helped broker an alliance between society women and immigrant working women. Her journalistic career included covering the Russian Revolution and getting as close as possible to the front lines during World War I.

RUTH BROWN

Ruth Brown is an emeritus professor at the University of Nebraska. A West Point native, she worked in newspapers, public relations and radio before getting her Ph.D. and joining the University of Nebraska faculty in Kearney and later in Lincoln. She was among the first to teach communication classes asynchronously online at UNK and UNL. As president of NPW, she worked to establish this hall of fame, securing its location and sponsorship in perpetuity.

MAGGIE MOBLEY

Maggie Mobley (1846-1907) was editor and publisher of The Platte Valley Independent, first in North Platte and then in Grand Island, from 1870 to 1884. She is believed to be the first female newspaper publisher in Nebraska. Mobley was gifted in writing poetry, which she published, but she also wrote fiery editorials, exposing wrong wherever she found it. The fallout from one of those editorials resulted in moving the newspaper.

KATHLEEN RUTLEDGE

Kathleen Rutledge retired in 2007 as editor-in-chief of the Lincoln Journal Star, managing a staff of 90. She was the first female executive editor of a Nebraska metropolitan daily newspaper. Beginning as a death and weather clerk, she became a statehouse reporter when it was unusual for women to get hard news beats. Under her management, the newspaper reflected the diverse community that it served.

ROSE ANN SHANNON

Rose Ann Shannon was a well-known Omaha broadcast journalist for 45 years, retiring from KETV in 2018. She advanced from KMTV intern in 1973 to the first fulltime female news staff member. As news director for more than 24 years, she oversaw a staff of 55. Shannon served on committees to allow cameras in Nebraska courtrooms, and on First Amendment issues relating to open meetings and open records.

WILLA CATHER

Willa Cather (1873-1947), born in Virginia, moved to Red Cloud, Neb., in 1883 at age 9. The Pulitzer Prize winner’s career was forged as a Nebraska journalist. At the University of Nebraska (1890-1895), she edited the student newspaper and helped teach a journalism course. She also wrote more than 500 reviews and columns for the Lincoln Courier. Her works are catalogued at the Willa Cather Archive https://cather.unl.edu

EILEEN WIRTH

Eileen Wirth, armed with degrees in journalism and political science, broke down barriers to women as an Omaha World-Herald reporter, in Union Pacific Railroad public relations and in higher education. Wirth’s 25-year tenure at Creighton University (1991-2016) included chairing the Department of Journalism, Media and Computing. A native of Nebraska City, her books include the celebrated “From Society Page to Front Page: Nebraska Women in Journalism.”

SHARRON HOLLEN

Sharron Hollen was a North Platte Telegraph reporter from 1962 to 2010. An exemplary writer, Hollen championed causes such as firefighter salaries, a better jail, feeding the needy and promoting the arts. Early on a murder scene in 1975, she was a major figure involved in a gag order on coverage of the trial which led to the Supreme Court deciding against prior restraint in Nebraska Press Association v. Stuart lawsuit.

MARY ANN KOCH BLACKLEDGE

Mary Ann Koch Blackledge (1932-2022) found her true calling as regional editor during her 27 years at the North Platte Telegraph, 1968-95. She joined the paper as a typesetter, moved to news desk assistant and was soon in charge of recruiting and coordinating 14 regional correspondents, who she mentored. After retirement, she wrote excerpts for a book on her late husband, Keith Blackledge.

BEVERLY DEEPE KEEVER

Beverly Deepe Keever was the longest-serving Western correspondent during the Vietnam War, writing for Newsweek, the New York Herald Tribune and the London Daily. Her reporting for the Christian Science Monitor from the Khe Sanh Outpost, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Her book, “Death Zones and Darling Spies,” was a One Book One Nebraska selection. A Carleton-area native and UNL journalism grad, she is an emeritus professor at the University of Hawaii, Honolulu.

JOAN ROSSITER BURNEY

Joan Rossiter Burney (1928-2019) of Hartington discovered her talent at age 39 when she began writing for the Cedar County News. Burney became a self-syndicated columnist, feature writer, book author and motivational speaker whose humorous stories touched people throughout Nebraska and the U.S. She was named National Mother of the Year in 1991 and National Communicator of Achievement in 1993.

LETA POWELL DRAKE

Leta Powell Drake (1938-2021) was a television pioneer who forged a path for women to follow as a writer, producer, program director and on-air talent. During her 50-year broadcasting career, she hosted and produced more than 10,000 television shows. In Lincoln, she was best known as the West’s only lady sheriff, Kalamity Kate, on KOLN/KGIN-TV’s “Cartoon Corral,” and later for “Live & Learn,” a show for senior citizens.

GWEN LINDBERG

Gwen Lindberg epitomizes community journalism. A native of Imperial, she and her husband purchased the West Point Republican, combining it with the Cuming County Democrat to create the West Point News. She wrote a weekly column, drew editorial cartoons and was the first female president of the Northeast Nebraska Press Assn. She also helped produce two West Point history books and helped start an art club.

ELIA WILKINSON PEATTIE

Elia Wilkinson Peattie (1862-1935) was the first female reporter at the Chicago Tribune before moving to Omaha in 1888 and working on what became the Omaha World-Herald. She was chief editorial writer, penning more than 800 columns, editorials and stories, giving voice to Plains women. She helped found the Omaha Women’s Club and assisted with organizing local women’s clubs across the state before returning to Chicago.

MAXINE MOUL

Maxine Moul, from Oakland, began in journalism and moved to politics, becoming Nebraska’s first female lieutenant governor. The UNL grad and her husband founded Maverick Media which grew to five weekly newspapers, two magazines and eight free shopping guides. Politics entered with Moul’s election in 1990 after which she was appointed director of the state Department of Economic Development.

CLARA BEWICK COLBY

Clara Bewick Colby (1846–1916) was Nebraska’s most prominent suffragist. Born in England, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin, moved to Beatrice, Neb., with her husband in 1872 and started a public library. She helped organize the Women’s State Suffrage Assn. in Nebraska and was president. In 1883 she launched the Woman’s Tribune which was the official publication of the National Women’s Suffrage Assn. from 1886-1889.

MARY MCGRATH

Mary McGrath (1936-2022) graduated from Creighton University and covered club news for the Omaha World-Herald when city news was closed to women. In the late 1960s, she began covering city news and did it so well that more women were hired. McGrath covered health and medicine for most of her news career. She was a mentor and role model for women at the World-Herald and for women breaking into television news.

MILDRED BROWN

Mildred Brown (1915-1989) was born in Alabama and graduated from Miles Memorial Teachers College at age 16. After marriage, she and her husband moved to Omaha and started the Omaha Star in 1938. After their divorce, she continued publishing the paper, building it into one of the most successful weekly black newspapers in the country. Brown and the Star boldly confronted injustice. When patience waned and riots erupted, the Star called for level heads and the end of destruction.

HARRIET DAKIN MACMURPHY

Harriet Dakin MacMurphy (1849-1932) came to Omaha in 1863 at age 12 and was educated at Brownell Hall. She researched and wrote about early Nebraska history, documenting women’s contributions but is best known for her work as head of the domestic science section of the Omaha World-Herald. She fought for food safety laws and later became a food safety inspector for Nebraska, the first state with a woman in that role.

BESS FURMAN ARMSTRONG

Bess Furman Armstrong (1894-1969) began breaking ground at Nebraska State Teachers College, Kearney, as the student newspaper’s first woman editor. Writing for the Omaha Bee-News, her story on Al Smith’s visit caught the attention of the AP, and she was off to D.C. She covered first ladies Lou Hoover and Eleanor Roosevelt, as well as President Franklin Roosevelt’s campaigns. She later joined the The New York Times as one of its first women political reporters.

MARJ MARLETTE

Marj Marlette (1923-1999) was a reporter for the Lincoln Journal following World War II. She covered crime and corrections as no woman staff member had before, getting inside the prison walls, talking to the people who lived and worked there. She followed the Charles Starkweather mass murders, trial of Caril Fugate, and the aftermath for 17 years. In 1982, she began work on the state parole board and later became editor of Corrections Compendium, a national magazine for corrections professionals, retiring in 1993.
Wilma Crumley (1927-2009) worked in newspaper advertising while also working on her degrees. In 1965, she began teaching journalism at the University of Nebraska. In 1966 she earned a Ph.D. from the University of Missouri, only the fourth woman to do so. At UNL, she was the first woman to become a full professor in the journalism school, was chair of the Advertising Department, became associate dean of the College of Journalism and chair of the Journalism Graduate Program, which she established. She retired in 1991.

BEVERLY POLLOCK

Beverly Pollock (1936-2023) earned her journalism degree at NU where she was yearbook editor. She and her husband began their careers at the Sidney Telegraph. In 1960, they moved to Ogallala and the Keith County News, purchasing it in 1966. She wrote a weekly column, covered school board meetings and did general reporting, as well as writing editorials. The Pollocks sold the newspaper to three of their employees in 2000. Beverly was active on numerous local and state boards.

LYNNE GRASZ

Lynne Grasz started her career as Michigan newspaper editor for UPI in Detroit in 1966, then returned home to Lincoln for 10 years at KOLN/KGIN-TV followed by five years at KMOX-TV in St. Louis. In 1981 she became director of communications and executive director for the CBS Broadcast Group in New York City. After two more high profile jobs, she started her own company, Grasz Communication, in 1991 and continues to be president/CEO of the international public relations and marketing company.

DEANNA SANDS

Deanna Sands of Nebraska City began working for the Omaha World-Herald as a copy editor in 1974 and later as Sunday editor and night news editor before becoming managing editor, the first woman to do so. She held that position for 15 years, shepherding two redesigns of the paper before retiring in 2006. Sands managed the paper’s internship program for 20 years and served more than a decade on the national board of the Associated Press Managing Editors. She also was a mentor for the Freedom Forum’s program for Native American student journalists.