May 17, 2009 — Never be another one like
Claremore’s Dave Story
Dear Editor,
As a wet-behind-the-ears journalism graduate from Oklahoma State University I set out to take my first job as a sports reporter for the Amarillo newspaper.
My little foreign car broke down outside of Frederick, Okla. where I had some friends who put me up until my car could be repaired. While waiting I accepted an invitation from my friend’s wife to visit the newspaper where she worked in the composing department.
An hour after showing up at the newspaper I was no longer going to Amarillo.
.Dave Story was the general manager (now known as publisher) of the Frederick Daily Leader and in his famous Story-manner he convinced me that working in Frederick was so much better than going to a dangerous place like Amarillo.
That was in 1969 and I have had the great and rare pleasure to count Dave Story as a friend, mentor and inspiration for 40 years. I went on to become an editor and later publisher at a number of Donrey Media Group newspaper across the country and Dave’s sage advice and undaunted sense of humor were invaluable to me wherever I went.
Some who have met Dave will tell you he is a character. Well, that is probably true, but what is important is that he has character. He is the most honest, forthright and principled newspaperman I have ever met. He deservedly was voted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame a few years ago.
Progress Publisher Bailey Dabney’s observation that he is indeed filling some mighty big shoes is most accurate.
There will never be another Dave Story in Oklahoma journalism, but Dave Story will continue to be part of Oklahoma journalism as long as papers in communities like Claremore exist and care about their readers.
Dave cares. He cared about his newspapers, he cared about the communities in which he took on the mantle of community leader, he cared about the future and he respected and honored the past/ He continues to care about the future of Claremore.
Yes, we should all join in calling on all we can to keep the Story’s (Dave and Claudia and their extended family) going strong. That is the only way Dave knows how to go.
Regards,
John L. Fenrich
Owasso
