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The Herald Examiner alumni on Facebook have posted the news that former city editor Larry Burrough died on Monday in Yakima, Washington. He lived in Ellensburg. Burroughs is being remembered as a big presence in the Her-Ex newsroom. He went to the Orange County Register and led at least one Puilitzer Prize-winning project (on UC Irvine) and later was managing editor of the Denver Post.
His sister posted on Facebook: "All 3 of his children where able to come see him before he died. He hadn't been talking much and mostly sleeping until his kids arrived. That day he rallied, was awake most of the time. He talked to the kids almost all day. It was a great day. That was Thursday. Friday was not as good but he was still very aware of his children. The 2 younger children left on Saturday. Dru, his oldest daughter, arrived on Friday and Larry was so happy to see her. Dru left on Sunday. After that, Larry pretty much shut down." There is an open Herald Examiner group on Facebook, possibly maintained by Tony Castro.
Burrough's self description on Facebook:
35 years in journalism. Last job as managing editor of The Denver Post. Won Pulitzer in 96 for work with others on investigation at the Orange County Register. Previously long-time city editor at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner until it went belly up in 89. Worked as reporter and/or editor at dailies in Seattle, Denver, Riverside, CA, Bellevue, WA and Yakima, WA going back to 67. Taught high school for two years, 69-71, in Glendive, Montana. Previously encyclopedia salesman, apprentice butcher, gas pump jockey, bookkeeper and slave for Boeing in Seattle, among other jobs.
* 9:45 p.m. update: LA Times obituary by David Colker is now up. Snippet:
Burrough had surgery in December to remove a cancerous brain tumor and never fully recovered, said his sister, Nancy Yuckert.
"He was a huge personality, born for the news business," said Ed Stover, who worked with Burrough at three newspapers in the Pacific Northwest. "He was charged up all the time, hard-working and hard-living, an old-style newspaper guy."Burrough was senior editor on a 1995 Register series on UC Irvine's Center for Reproductive Health that brought to light fraudulent and unethical practices, including egg theft from unsuspecting patients and insurance fraud.
As a result of the articles, which won a 1996 Pulitzer, the clinic was closed. Two prominent doctors connected with the clinic fled the country and were later indicted on federal mail fraud and tax evasion charges.
"Larry was a great newspaperman, fiercely competitive and, in the case of UCI, fearless about taking on a powerful institution," said Kim Christensen, a lead reporter on the story who is now with the Los Angeles Times. "Rather than back away from a tough story, his attitude was always, 'Hey, pal, there's more where that came from.'"
Obits also in the OC Register and Yakima Herald Republic.
