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William Blair, Reporter and Executive for Times, Dies at 87 William Blair, Reporter and Executive for Times, Dies at 87
(about 1 hour later)
William G. Blair, a former reporter and foreign bureau chief for The New York Times and public relations director for its parent company, died on Monday in Manhattan. He was 87.William G. Blair, a former reporter and foreign bureau chief for The New York Times and public relations director for its parent company, died on Monday in Manhattan. He was 87.
The cause was cancer, his daughter, Laura Blair, said.The cause was cancer, his daughter, Laura Blair, said.
Mr. Blair joined The Times in 1953 after spending two years as a reporter for The Kansas City Star, where he was a member of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 1952 for its reporting on the flooding of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers that had devastated the region the year before.Mr. Blair joined The Times in 1953 after spending two years as a reporter for The Kansas City Star, where he was a member of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 1952 for its reporting on the flooding of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers that had devastated the region the year before.
In his early years at The Times, Mr. Blair reported on both local and national news, including President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s heart attack and hospitalization in Denver in 1955. He also worked in the United Nations bureau before becoming a foreign correspondent in 1956.In his early years at The Times, Mr. Blair reported on both local and national news, including President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s heart attack and hospitalization in Denver in 1955. He also worked in the United Nations bureau before becoming a foreign correspondent in 1956.
Mr. Blair reported from France, England, North Africa and the Middle East, where he was the bureau chief in Israel from 1962 to 1965. He covered Charles de Gaulle’s return to power as president of France in 1958, David Ben Gurion’s last years as prime minister of Israel, Pope Paul VI’s visit to the Holy Land in 1964 and the communal warfare between Greek and Turkish Cypriots that led to the partition of Cyprus. To distinguish himself from another William Blair on the Times news staff, his byline in those years was W. Granger Blair. Mr. Blair reported from France, England, North Africa and the Middle East, where he was the bureau chief in Israel from 1962 to 1965. He covered Charles de Gaulle’s return to power as president of France in 1958, David Ben-Gurion’s last years as prime minister of Israel, Pope Paul VI’s visit to the Holy Land in 1964 and the communal warfare between Greek and Turkish Cypriots that led to the partition of Cyprus. To distinguish himself from another William Blair on the Times news staff, his byline in those years was W. Granger Blair.
Mr. Blair became a Times corporate executive in 1967, first as manager of employee communications and later as manager of the newly formed public relations department. He was promoted to public relations director in 1971.Mr. Blair became a Times corporate executive in 1967, first as manager of employee communications and later as manager of the newly formed public relations department. He was promoted to public relations director in 1971.
But by 1973 he had returned to reporting — of a different kind. He was named broadcast correspondent for The Times and assigned to create two nightly news reports for WQXR-FM, the classical music station then owned by the company. (It was sold to WNYC and Univision in 2009.)But by 1973 he had returned to reporting — of a different kind. He was named broadcast correspondent for The Times and assigned to create two nightly news reports for WQXR-FM, the classical music station then owned by the company. (It was sold to WNYC and Univision in 2009.)
Mr. Blair wrote and broadcast “Front Page of The New York Times” and “The Metropolitan Report” until 1980, then rejoined the newspaper staff as a general assignment reporter, using the byline William G. Blair, the other William Blair having retired by then. Mr. Blair retired in 1991 after 38 years with The Times.Mr. Blair wrote and broadcast “Front Page of The New York Times” and “The Metropolitan Report” until 1980, then rejoined the newspaper staff as a general assignment reporter, using the byline William G. Blair, the other William Blair having retired by then. Mr. Blair retired in 1991 after 38 years with The Times.
William Granger Blair was born in Chicago on Nov. 17, 1925, one of two sons of William Mitchell and Martha Granger Blair. His great-great-granduncle was William Tecumseh Sherman, the Civil War general. Mr. Blair’s parents divorced in 1932, and his mother later married Arthur Krock, a Pulitzer Prize-winning correspondent and Washington bureau chief for The Times.William Granger Blair was born in Chicago on Nov. 17, 1925, one of two sons of William Mitchell and Martha Granger Blair. His great-great-granduncle was William Tecumseh Sherman, the Civil War general. Mr. Blair’s parents divorced in 1932, and his mother later married Arthur Krock, a Pulitzer Prize-winning correspondent and Washington bureau chief for The Times.
After serving in the Marines in the Pacific during World War II, Mr. Blair completed his undergraduate studies at Princeton in 1950 with a degree in English.After serving in the Marines in the Pacific during World War II, Mr. Blair completed his undergraduate studies at Princeton in 1950 with a degree in English.
His first marriage, to the former Sue Cunningham, ended in divorce. His second wife, Ellen Lopin Blair, died last month. Besides his daughter, Mr. Blair is survived by a son, Robert.His first marriage, to the former Sue Cunningham, ended in divorce. His second wife, Ellen Lopin Blair, died last month. Besides his daughter, Mr. Blair is survived by a son, Robert.