William H. Wylie

William H. Wylie, who worked at the Pittsburgh Press for nearly thirty years and was business editor in the 1970s and early 1980s, died at his home in Mt. Lebanon, PA on October 6. In his reporting for the Press, Mr. Wylie interviewed national and local business leaders and covered Pittsburgh's transition from a major steel producer to a center for healthcare and high tech industries. At the time, the Press was one of Scripps-Howard's major afternoon dailies and had the second largest circulation in Pennsylvania behind only the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Mr. Wylie joined the Press, in 1955 as a copy editor and subsequently became telegraph editor, Sunday news editor and real estate editor before assuming responsibility for the paper's business coverage. Although he interviewed national figures such as David Rockefeller and all of Pittsburgh's leading business executives, he was always eager to promote and write about local entrepreneurs and the small business scene. During his career at the Press he won two Golden Quill Awards for his business writing.

He was also a member of the fast-shrinking Greatest Generation. Wylie was a World War II veteran who flew 23 missions as flight engineer and top turret gunner on a B17 crew. His plane was shot down over Düsseldorf, Germany and he spent the last six months of the war as a POW until he being liberated from Stalag VIIA in Moosburg Germany. At the time he was liberated, the camp held 70,000 Allied soldiers, and Mr. Wylie was fond of telling how he almost literally run into General George Patton who was inspecting the camp. "I gave him the best salute I ever gave," Wylie said. He was awarded an Air Medal with three bronze clusters, three bronze stars and a Purple Heart for his service.

Early years and education:

Born in Pittsburgh, PA and lived in Avalon, PA, Boston, MA, and Mt. Lebanon, PA
Graduated from Mt. Lebanon High School, 1943
B.A. in History from Allegheny College, Meadville PA 1949
MA from Northwestern University, Medill School of Journalism 1950

Army service:

Entered army basic training summer of 1943 and completed flight training school for the Army Air Corps.
Joined the 8th Air Force, 390th Bomb Group stationed in Framingham, England.
Flew 23 missions as flight engineer and top-turret gunner on a B-17.
Shot down on January 10, 1945 over Düsseldorf, Germany and was taken prisoner. Prisoner of war until he was liberated from Stalag VIIA in Moosburg Germany with 70,000 other Allied soldiers at the war's end.
Awarded an Air Medal with three bronze clusters, three bronze stars and a Purple Heart

Newspaper career:

Copy editor for the Binghamton Press in 1951
Worked for the Pittsburgh Press from 1954 to 1984 where he was:
Copy editor , Telegraph editor, Sunday News Editor, Real Estate Editor (wrote a weekly Sunday column), Business Editor (responsible for all business coverage and business section)

His biggest story was covering Pittsburgh's transition from the country's major steel producer to a center for the High Tech industry. He interviewed national business figures such as David Rockefeller as well as Pittsburgh's leading business executives but was also always eager to write about and promote small local business. During his career at the Press he won two Golden Quill Awards for business writing.

While working at the Press he also served as a stringer for Reuters Wire Service covering financial stories as well as writing and editing several local news weeklies including the Mt. Washington News, TriState Food News and the newsletter for Wallace Memorial Presbyterian Church where he was a member. He also taught journalism at Point Park College as well as authored The Pitt Band: The First Seventy-Five Years 1911-1986.
One of his inspirations for pursuing journalism was his Uncle, Newton Newkirk, who was a nationally known humor columnist and wrote one of the countries first syndicated cartoons at the Boston Post.

Later career:

After leaving the Press he worked at Hill and Knowlton as Vice President of Editorial Services and Pittsburgh National Bank as Vice President of Corporate Affairs, where he retired in 1989.

Sports enthusiast:

He played sandlot and college baseball, ice hockey into his 40's, a member of bowling leagues and was an avid golfer well into his 80s. He also was an ardent fan of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins.

As a boy his next door neighbor was retired Pirate pitcher Wilbur Cooper, who would take him as a helper around Pittsburgh to conduct baseball clinics. He often told how they would drive to Carnegie and pick up Hall-of-Famer Honus Wagner. Wylie happily rode sat in the back seat listening to the two baseball legends discuss they're playing days with the Pirates.



He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Joan Z. Wylie, and his daughter Carol Wylie of Mt. Lebanon, his son Stephen Wylie and daughter-in-law Patricia Casteel of New York City.

Funeral services were private.