Joe Mehr

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Joe Mehr with friends and colleagues
Lany McDonald, Carol Lindsay, and
Barbara Newcombe at the News
Division's 75th anniversary in 1999
Minneapolis, Minnesota.

He was the husband of Jonell (Meredith) Mehr, a retired editorial assistant for the newspaper.

He was born in Jeffersonville, Ind., a son of the late Joseph O. Mehr Sr. and Frances A. (Gering) Mehr.

Mr. Mehr spent 21 years at the Courier Journal in Louisville, Ky., where he rose to the post of assistant librarian before moving to Rhode Island in August 1968 to take over The Providence Journal's news library, which in the newspaper parlance of the times was known as "the morgue."

When he arrived at The Journal, it was in the days when paste pots, scissors and manila envelopes were the working tools of newspaper archives across the country.

Mr. Mehr was at the forefront of this publicly invisible aspect of newspapering, presiding over The Journal's library operation at the birth of the computer revolution.

At The Journal, he oversaw the implementation of an online storage and retrieval system that eliminated the need for manual clipping and filing of the newspaper stories. The library that served The Journal and its sister publication was among the first in the country to fully automate its clipping operations.

Mr. Mehr was honored twice by the Rhode Island Chapter of the Special Libraries Association, whose news division presented him with the Agnes Henebry Roll of Honor Award in 1986, and with the division's highest honor, the Kwapil Award, in 1990.

Professional colleagues at other publications offered praise yesterday when they heard of Mr. Mehr's death.

Charles Campo, head librarian of the Bangor Daily News and longtime friend and colleague, called Mr. Mehr "the, I think reluctant, father of our profession."

Leslie Parsley, formerly of the Denver Post, said, "I learned a lot from Joe and always respected his perspective on matters at hand. He had a wry sense of humor and an active brain."

Linda Henderson, current Journal chief librarian, said that when she arrived in Providence for a job interview with Mr. Mehr in 1986, she found herself being introduced to a man who was featured in the issue of the professional newsletter that she had brought along as reading material for the flight.

"Joe was considered a pioneer in news libraries," Henderson said. "He fought for the transformation of the 'morgue' into a professional news library. He embraced new technology and was delighted to give us access to the latest research tools as they came online."

"Joe was my mentor," Henderson went on. "He prepared me to succeed him by giving me challenges and opportunities to learn and grow. There are still times, 10 years after he retired, that I think about what he would say or do in a particular situation. He made me the news librarian that I am today."

Mr. Mehr was a charter member and past president of the Rhode Island Chapter of the Special Libraries Association, and past chairman of the association's news division.

He attended Purdue University in Lafayette, Ind., and the University of Louisville.

During World War II, he served with the Army's 106th Infantry Division in Company I of the 424th Infantry Regiment. His division fought its way through northern France and collided head-on with German forces in the Ardennes region during the Battle of the Bulge from December 1944 to February 1945. The unit forged forward through Central Europe and into Germany's Rhineland at the end of the war.

During the Korean War, Mr. Mehr served as an intelligence specialist in the Air Force's 514th Fighter-Bomber Squadron. He also served in the Kentucky National Guard.

He was a member of the 106th Division Association, and of the Battle of the Bulge Association, and was a former member of its Rhode Island chapter.

Mr. Mehr enjoyed golf, bowling, hiking and traveling, and ran frequently in the annual Old Stone Road Race and similar events until infirmity limited his abilities in later years.

Besides his wife, he leaves four sons, Kevin L. Mehr of Providence, Brian A. Mehr of Portsmouth, N.H., and Lawrence F. Mehr and Charles J. Mehr, both of Louisville; a daughter, Jo Ann Hickerson of Louisville; a brother, retired Air Force Col. Richard L. Mehr of Rockford, Ill.; a sister, Charlotte Ann Kaelin of Louisville; and nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was the father of the late David M. Mehr, and brother of the late Helene M. Fohner.

The funeral will be held tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. from Russell J. Boyle & Son Funeral Home, 142 Centerville Rd. (Route 117), Warwick, with a service at 10:30 in Frenchtown Baptist Church, 1359 Frenchtown Rd., East Greenwich. Burial with military honors will be in Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery, Exeter.

people remember joe mehr

From lhenders@projo.com Fri Apr 26 10:17:12 2002
Date: Thu, 08 Nov 2001 09:04:40 -0500
From: Linda Henderson <lhenders@projo.com>

Reply-To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
Subject: [newslib] Joe Mehr

Hi All,

It's my sad duty to tell you that Joe Mehr died yesterday of complications from
a recent stroke. I'll send along more details later.

Linda
-- 
Linda Henderson
Library Director
Providence Journal Co.
401-277-7887
lhenders@projo.com

From lparsley@ix.netcom.com Fri Apr 26 10:17:25 2002
Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2001 11:21:32 -0600
From: Leslie <lparsley@ix.netcom.com>
Reply-To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
Subject: [newslib] Re: Joe Mehr

Joe was one of my best pals when I was librarian at the Denver Post. We
had a great group of friends who always met each other with eagerness and
expectations of high times to come at the conferences. He was, I think,
the one who introduced having a bar in our hospitality suite. But the fun
never replaced the business at hand. I learned a lot from Joe and always
respected his perspective on matters at hand. He had a wry sense of humor
and an active brain. I know his last years haven't been very pleasant, so
I hope he's in a happier and more peaceful place. I will miss him.

Leslie Parsley
 

From cjhardnett@hotmail.com Fri Apr 26 10:18:01 2002
Date: Thu, 08 Nov 2001 19:12:18 +0000
From: Carolyn Hardnett <cjhardnett@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
Subject: [newslib] Re: Joe Mehr

Joe was one of my favorite conference pals. I got to know him well while
serving him Bourbon&branch in the hosiptality suite in Washington, DC way
back when. I am sure he has found Clem and David and Agnes and others and
they are having a great time at the Newspaper Librarian Hospitality
Suite. Joe is the one telling all the jokes. We will miss him.

Carolyn

Carolyn J. Hardnett 

Newseum - Research and News History
The Freedom Forum World Center 
cjhardnett@hotmail.com
chardnett@freedomforum.org
chard47@aol.com
phone 703-284-3728

From jcronin@bostonherald.com Fri Apr 26 10:18:10 2002
Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2001 14:31:33 -0500
From: John Cronin <jcronin@bostonherald.com>
Reply-To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
Subject: [newslib] Re: Joe Mehr

Caroline and Leslie are so right. When I first became a News Libn. in the
latter half of the last century - it makes 1976 sound so long ago,
doesn't it! - Joe and George Collins at the Globe were tremendously
supportive; they introduced me to the Divsion and I still stayed! Joe
ably served as a mentor and friend, excelling at both, over the years. I
did get to see him a couple of times after he retired, was glad that I
did and am happy that he is at peace; he deserves that. 

John Cronin

From lchapman@ledger.com Fri Apr 26 10:18:27 2002
Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2001 14:35:30 -0500 
From: Linda Chapman <lchapman@ledger.com>
Reply-To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
Subject: [newslib] RE: Joe Mehr

Joe was the mentor for my predecessor, Dorothy Newell, and me as we worked
to develop the library here. He was always ready to answer all of our
questions with insight and wit, and got us started with SLA all those years
ago, for which I am eternally grateful. 

His passing is a sad loss for the news library world.

Linda

Linda S. Chapman
Manager of Electronic Library
  Information Systems
lchapman@ledger.com
The Patriot Ledger
Quincy, MA
617-786-7085 

From Sandykhall@aol.com Fri Apr 26 10:18:39 2002
Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2001 14:42:49 EST
From: Sandykhall@aol.com
Reply-To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
Subject: [newslib] Re: Joe Mehr

My reminiscences of Joe:

Joe never lost sight of the "Big Picture" of what the Division could be,
and what a News Librarian could be.  He was a true visionary. He
preferred to work behind the scenes, and that often meant in the
Conference Hospitality Suite, as Carolyn and Leslie have already
reminisced. 

I remember how he would get up early most mornings and take a jog around
the city streets. Coming from Arizona at the time, I thought that was
very brave and daring!

He did not hesitate to speak his mind. What a great role model he was for
us, when I think we often felt like "bridesmaids" to the "all-important
newsrooms." Often I would think, "How would Joe handle this?" and that
would give me an extra dose of courage and adrenaline to talk to
newspaper management.

I can remember once (at the conference in 1979, in Hawaii actually, when
he brought his wife and littlest son with him) he thought I was out of
line as chair of the Division, and he bluntly told me so. I remember that
I was perplexed and angry at the time, but guess what? he was right. 

Joe, thanks for the lessons.

Sandy Hall
Honolulu Hawaii

From Library@Pantagraph.com Fri Apr 26 10:19:07 2002
Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2001 16:08:12 -0500
From: Library <Library@Pantagraph.com>
Reply-To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
Subject: [newslib] Joe Mehr

Yes, Joe was one of the best and I remember his kindness to me long ago
at my first conference in Chicago. What a wonderful picture of he and
Agnes and all our my other  dear friends having a great time together
once again.  And they are sure to remember when we were the Newspaper
Division and they were not sure that should change.  But how proudly they
welcomed all those who followed when we became the News Division.  Thanks
Joe.

Diane Logsdon
The Pantagraph.

From saabjerg@shaw.ca Fri Apr 26 10:19:24 2002
Date: Thu, 08 Nov 2001 17:09:28 -0800
From: Bent & Shirley <saabjerg@shaw.ca>
Reply-To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
Subject: [newslib] Re: Joe Mehr

The tributes to Joe Mehr on this listserv  do justice to a wonderful guy
and a wonderful news librarian who we were all so proud to call not only
mentor but also friend.  His passing evokes all kinds of wonderful
memories - including his habit of always ordering a well done hamburger
at our annual forays to elegant French restaurants. I have been advised,
via Homer Martin, that Joe is to be buried with full military honors on
Saturday, I presume in his home town of North Kingston, RI. 

I was also saddened to hear only this week of Nan Stoddard's passing. 
This may have happened when I was away this summer as I didn't see it on
the list -  I have no details.  Nancy too was a great, fun loving member
of the "old guard."

It was a special pleasure to have Joe and Nan with us at our marvellous
reunion in Minneapolis.

Shirley Mooney Aabjerg.

From lparsley@ix.netcom.com Fri Apr 26 10:19:44 2002
Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2001 07:29:39 -0600
From: Leslie <lparsley@ix.netcom.com>

Reply-To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
Subject: [newslib] Re: Joe Mehr

Oh my, I didn't know about Nan. A double whammy and cause for sadness.
Does anyone know when she passed away? I'd like to send her husband a
note. I knew she had been fighting cancer, darn it all, but I guess I
felt she was invincible - like all news librarians. Nan always had a
smile and enough pep to go around for the rest of us. I prefer to call us
the "ole guard" as opposed to the " 'old" guard.' : )

Leslie

From ccampo@bangordailynews.net Fri Apr 26 10:24:52 2002
Date: Fri, 09 Nov 2001 10:57:06 -0500
From: Charlie Campo <ccampo@bangordailynews.net>
Reply-To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
To: The NewsLib mailing list <newslib@listserv.unc.edu>
Subject: [newslib] Re: Joe's obit

Linda:

I guess the quote from Charlie Campo is one of those creative liberties journalists
take. Don't recall saying it, but I guess "Uncle Joe" would understand.

Charlie
********************************
Charlie Campo  Chief Librarian
Bangor Daily NEWS Library
P.O. Box 1329
Bangor, ME  04402-1329
Phone: (207) 990-8160; FAX: (207) 990-8081
ccampo@bangordailynews.net
********************************