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It's been a sad weekend for Chicago journalism. First, Norman Ross passed away at the end of the week, and now Ray Coffey has departed for the Great Beyond at the age of 79 from complications due to Alzheimer's. A native of Racine, Wisconsin and a graduate of Marquette, his career spanned 46 years, 38 of those spent here in Chicago with the Chicago Daily News, Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times.
From 1961 to 1978, he worked for the Daily News where he did just about everything short of actually delivering the paper: reporter, national correspondent, assistant managing editor, Washington bureau chief, and foreign correspondent. In 1978, the Daily News shut down and Coffey joined the Trib, where he eventually wound up as the Washington Bureau Chief. In 1986, he returned to Chicago and went to work for the Sun-Times in 1987, where he served on the editorial board there until 1999 when he retired. Coffey is especially remembered for his coverage of the Civil Rights movement which earned him a National Headliners Club award in 1963. His essay "Waiting in the Rain at the Birmingham Jail" can be read in the LOA's Civil Rights Anthology. He was also well-remembered for his coverage of the Vietnam War and his love of the Chicago Cubs.
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Any of you who were reading the Sun-Times in the 1990's undoubtedly read Coffey's articles. I wasn't even aware of his early work at that time. In fact, I am just learning about it today.
In 1999, I called the Sun-Times, asking to speak to Coffey. I was trying to get some coverage of a real estate development that was demolishing some very nice historic buildings. As I recall, Coffey was doing some city-oriented columns along with state and national columns. I was nervous when he picked up the phone.
"No, I can't do it," I remember him (approximately) saying. "I am retiring." He was a real gentleman and was very nice to me.