Obit

Robertson, 72

CANADIAN JOURNALIST Heather Robertson died of cancer last March 19. She was 72.

Robertson started her journalistic career as reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press in the 1960s. She later worked for the Winnipeg Tribune. (TWUC co-founder Heather Robertson dies at 72, Quill and Quire)

She once wrote a profile of Winnipeg bank robber Ken Leishman, “The Flying Bandit.” (Journalist, author Heather Robertson dies at 72, Global News)

Her feature stories appeared in Toronto Life, Maclean’s, Equinox, Chatelaine, Elm Street, Canada’s History, Canadian Forum, and Saturday Night. (Heather Robertson – March 19, 1942 – March 19, 2014, Magazine Awards)

In 2003, Robertson was given the Lawrence Jackson Award for Achievement by the Professional Writers Association in Canada. The National Magazine Awards Foundation also honored her with an Outstanding Achievement Award in 2011.

Robertson wrote books including “Reservations are for Indians” (1970), “Magical, Mysterious Lake of the Woods” (2003), and “Walking into Wilderness: The Toronto Carrying Place and Nine Mile Portage” (2010). (Obituary: Renowned King City author Heather Robertson a trailblazer for writers, York Region)

She was also a founding member of the Writers’ Union of Canada and Professional Writers Association of Canada.

She is survived by her husband and two children.

Thomas, 92

AMERICAN REPORTER Robert Joseph “Bob” Thomas died last March 14. He was 92.

Thomas’ career started in 1943 as California correspondent for the Associated Press. The following year, he became AP’s entertainment reporter.

One of his biggest stories was on the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy on the night he won the California primary. (Bob Thomas, dean of Hollywood reporters, dies, The Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Thomas was listed twice in the Guinness World Records for the longest career as an entertainment reporter and for most Academy Awards shows covered by an entertainment reporter. (Bob Thomas, 92, longtime Hollywood reporter, Philly.com)

He was also the first writer-reporter to be awarded a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in 1988.

He authored books including biographies of Walt Disney, Brando, Joan Crawford, and Harry Cohn. (Longtime Hollywood reporter Bob Thomas dead at 92, Yahoo! Movies)

Kathleen Carol, AP’s executive director, said of Thomas: “Bob was an was an old-fashioned Hollywood reporter and he knew absolutely everyone. He had a double-helping of impish charm with the stars, but back at the office, he was the quiet guy who slipped into a desk at the back and poked at the keyboard for a while, then handed in a crisp and knowing story soon delivered to movie fans around the world.” (Bob Thomas, dean of Hollywood reporters, dies, Philippine Daily Inquirer)