avatarJanice Harayda

Summary

Jim Sheeler's work on obituaries for the Rocky Mountain News transformed a traditionally overlooked beat into a Pulitzer-winning narrative that honored the fallen and resonated for generations.

Abstract

The web content discusses the significance of writing obituaries, a role often viewed as a journalistic dead end. It highlights the career of Jim Sheeler, whose obituaries for the Rocky Mountain News transcended their placement in the newspaper to become lasting tributes. Sheeler's approach to obituaries led to stories that not only won him a Pulitzer Prize but also resulted in an acclaimed book. His perspective on the value of obituaries contrasts with the transient nature of front-page news, emphasizing the personal and enduring impact of his work. The content also references an article by Harrison Smith in the Washington Post, which further details Sheeler's contributions to journalism and his dedication to honoring fallen troops. Additionally, the webpage includes links to related stories on Medium, discussing the roles of 'Casualty Notification Officers' and the challenges faced by Alabama in carrying out executions.

Opinions

  • Reporters often view the obituary desk as a form of professional exile within the newsroom.
  • Jim Sheeler demonstrated that the obituary beat can be much more than a career dead end; it can be a platform for meaningful and award-winning journalism.
  • Sheeler believed that obituaries held a timeless value, unlike the ephemeral nature of front-page news, and would be cherished by families for generations.
  • The work of obituary writers, as exemplified by Sheeler, is seen as a way to honor the deceased and provide comfort and recognition to their loved ones.

Quote of the Day

On the Rewards of Writing Obits

Why the dead beat doesn’t have to be a dead end

Jim Sheeler / Credit: Annie O’Neill, Case Western Reserve University

Reporters tend to see the obit desk as the penal colony of the newsroom, a place you get banished to by unforgiving editors. But the dead beat doesn’t have to be a dead end. A reporter who proved it was Jim Sheeler, whose obituaries for the Rocky Mountain News became a springboard for stories that won a Pulitzer and led to an acclaimed book. He told an interviewer:

“I never complained about having my stories in the back of the newspaper because I knew that most of the front-page stories would be fish wrap in a few days, while the obits would be cut and pasted on refrigerators and scrapbooks and read for generations.”

Jim Sheeler as quoted in Harrison Smith’s “Jim Sheeler, Pulitzer-winning Journalist Who Honored Fallen Troops, Dies at 53” in the Washington Post.

Journalism
Writing
Reading
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