Walter Cronkite--St Joseph native--Remembered--St Joseph MO
As the nation mourns the passing of anchorman Walter Cronkite, local residents remember the St Joseph native.
Walter Cronkite was born in 1916, in St Joseph. His father Walter Cronkite Sr., and grandfather Frederick Cronkite were both dentists in St Joseph. When Mr. Cronkite was about 6 months old his dentist father joined the military and the family temporarily relocated to Oklahoma. At the time when Dr. Cronkite was sent overseas, young Walter and his mother moved to Kansas City where her parents lived.
Bob Slater, former managing editor of the News-Press and a retired vice president with St Joseph Light and Power, says he may have been the last St Joseph person to have an extended interview with the late Walter Cronkite about 6 years ago. During the interview Mr. Cronkite fondly recalled visits to his grandparents home in St Joseph, the long driveway leading up to the house and the apple trees adding to the scene.
Mr. Cronkite enjoyed getting back to St Joseph occasionally to renew his connections to the city and his family. Mr. Cronkite remembered family trips to St Joseph and taking a trolley from Downtown toward the family home on Frederick Avenue that he loved.
In 1973, he used the Robidoux Hotel to film a television article. When Twin Spires supporters need help in raising money in 1997 to save the church spires, Laurine McNeely called Mr. Cronkite. The distinguished journalist donated 100 copies of his biography, "A Reporter's Life," and agreed to do a book-signing-at the former Catholic church.
Thank you to Marshall White, News-Press reporter for contributing to "St Joseph-Remembering Walter Cronkite."
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Hi Dona -- I remember seeing Mr. Cronkite as a child and remember him being very authorative but yet calm, a real force to be reckoned with. I doubt many journalists of today can measure up to his capabilities. Seems everyone today is more interested in entertainment, eliciting comments via Twitter, etc., than doing real investigative reporting.
Dona... great tribute to Walter Cronkite. I recall his days on TV.. great man
Hi Chris! Thanks for remembering Walter Cronkite! He was a great anchorman, gentleman who displayed honesty and professionalism. I can also remember my mother taking us kids to see Mr Cronkite when he was in St Joseph.
Hi Roland: Thank you for your nice comments about the post. Walter Cronkite was the best and will be remembered not only through out the world but deeply missed in St Joseph.
Dona, Walter Cronkite, the most trusted man in America, will be sorely missed. If he was from St. Joseph, he was from a good place. No wonder he turned out so well.
Hi Dona! I did not realize that he was from your area. What a legend--believe it or not, I remember his broadcast during Kennedy's assassination--he had a very memorable voice and was an extremely likable and well-respected man. He'll be sorely missed by St. Joseph and the nation, I'm sure.
Oh that Voice will ring in our ears for years to come, a true online gentleman.
Cheers
Dona...
This is a wonderful tribute to a major influence in American broadcasting! Well done.
Thanks Dona, neat insight into the man. I especially loved his New Year's Eve broadcasts from Vienna on PBS.
Linda Metallo, Re/max Impact, Lockport, Illinois
Walter Cronkite. Hero or villain. Depends upon your point of view. It seems Walter Cronkite was willing to sit at the right hand of the devil in order to usher in Global Government.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXZw1GrT5lk
Terrific tribute to Walter Cronkite Dona! It is amazing the impact he had on our country, isn't it! There should be more people in the media like him.
I hope you have a wonderful Sunday and a great week.
I thought Walter Cronkite was terrific and synonymous with TV for all these years.
Patricia AUlson/portsmouth nh real estate
Hi Everyone: Thanks for all the wonderful comments over night about "Remembering Walter Conkrite." On one occasion Walter Cronkite arrived in St Joseph for a speech at the height of his worldwide visibility, his speech was very impressive. But what he did before the speech, spoke about his character, says his cousin Kay Barnes. When he walked into the building, the famous newsman went to the kitchen to shake hands with the workers. He had values with which we would all agree and would express them. Walter Cronkite was definitely the "Icon" of broadcasting.
Dona,
Thanks for doing a "hometown" tribute to W.C.! I never personally met him, but through the Media,felt like he was an authority figure. If Walter said it... so it was!
Kathy Opatka
Hi Kathy:) Walter Cronkite was indeed a "Icon of Broadcasting." I remember the day that Walter Cronkite, breaking the news to the nation that John F. Kennedy had been assassinated. Walter Cronkite could talk to kings, presidents, etc., but never lost the common touch of his Northwest Missouri roots.
Hi Dona. As a little girl in Hawai'i I grew up watching him so am saddened by his recent death. I'm glad that he went home regularly though... back to his roots once in awhile.
I did a post about growing up in the 50's on with Walter Cronkite and the news of my youth. He was like a second father with his air of authority which was transmitted in such a kind manner.
While I didnt share the same political opionions of Cronkite, I admired him greatly for his professionalism.
Dona, I had no idea that this famous newscaster was from Michigan. Thank you for this tribue to Walter Cronkite, a true Michigan original.
Lana: Walter Cronkite was a inspiration to many of us, that is for sure...It was always so nice when he was able to come back to Northwest Missouri, but I don't think his heart every left his grass roots of Missouri.
Hi Joe! I am going to your post about your youth and Walter Cronkite in just a few minutes. Thank you for taking your time to share your remembrance of him as the world mourns his loss.
San Diego! I think Walter Cronkite's professionalism, always a gentleman inteed made him one of America's Icon broadcaster. He was truly a respected man.
Lola: I am honored that you stopped in on my post. Thank You, as you are one of my favorite bloggers! Walter was a grass roots true Missouri boy. He will be missed.
I barely remember him. I do not think we will have news giants like him ever again in this country. I do not know if that is good or bad.
Hi Gene! You don't remember Walter Cronkite, as you are way to young! (LOL) Most likely you are right their will never be another broadcaster like him. Thank you for visiting my blog and commenting on "St Joseph Remembers Walter Cronkite."
I would like to add that Uncle Cronkite worked for WKY here in OKC some years ago so Oklahoma likes to take a little credit for this wonderful human being.
He was a neat guy and he will be missed.
He was easily the best. My son asked me a few ago who was the best newsman on tv and I said Walter Cronkite and he said Who? Now he knows a lot more.
Hi Russell! I am sure Walter Cronkite did a fantastic job for WKY in Oklahoma. He was a really great man, indeed!
Mr. Cronkite always remembered St Joseph through out his life with very special memories. St Joseph has very special memories of him as well and he will always be remembered as a Northwest Missouri native.
Thanks for joining in on our rememberance.
Hi Mike! Kearney Nebraska, know the town well, been a few years since we were there and I am sure it has changed a great deal. Glad your son knows a little more about such a great man and the "Icon" of broadcasting. Thank You for commenting.
It's a sad thing, a great man that was a part of history on so many fronts. He'll be buried in your town by his wife I understand.
Hi Lyn, Walter Cronkite will always be remembered as the best in broadcasting. Thanks for commenting on St Joseph Remembering Walter Cronkite.
As a Vietnam vet, I do not think as highly of Cronkite. He was a professional in his own right and for that I hope he is remembered.
Learning the rest of the story--is a good way to be remembered.
Hi Ed:) Thanks for commenting. Walter Cronkite will always be remembered in St Joseph through friendships and family that always had St Joseph in his heart.
Al, Walter Cronkite and his family has shared so much good with St Joseph, we will remember him always. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.
Cronkite retired before I really got interested in the news, so I didn't know his journalism very well. His time was my comedic time -- if there was comedy on television, I was watching it to the exclusion of everything else.
Hey Russel! Good to see you....I know I have been gone for a couple of weeks but I am back (LOL) I can also remember watching all those comedic times with my kids, Guess that makes me older than you! I also remember the day that Walter Cronkite's voice came on TV that John F Kennedy had been assassinated. He was one of the best in presenting the news!