Journalist's gift for narrative being recognized
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- Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2007 20:59:23 -0400
Nevada Appeal, NV, USA
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Journalist's gift for narrative being recognized
By Chic DiFrancia
October 7, 2007, 4:01 AM
Jean Sybil McElrath transcends words like "adversity."
"Guts" more accurately describes this most remarkable lady who distinguished
herself as a Nevada journalist and author in a career spanning three decades.
Her column Tumbleweeds, published in the Wells Progress for more than 20 years,
was written while Jean lay in bed crippled from severe arthritis that had her
bedridden since her teens.
When her strength began to wane and her fingers could no longer press the keys
on her manual typewriter, it was replaced with an electric one. Later when she
went blind, Braille letters were taped to the keys so she could continue to
work.
When a hot story broke, Jean's sister Anita would load her gurney into a
station wagon and go bounding down some dirt road in Elko County to get the
story, often scooping the competition in the process.
At the time of her death on Oct. 7, 1967, an editorial appeared in the "Elko
Daily Free Press" it read: "Her words danced up and down on the pages she
wrote. The most ordinary story came alive because of her ability to write."
Even Nevada's premier storyteller Robert Laxalt was moved by the quality of her
work. In his foreword to Jean's book "Aged In Sage" published in 1964, Laxalt
wrote: "... Not only has she breathed life into fine old stories that would
otherwise have been left to die, but she has done so with a true storyteller's
gift of narrative. ... It is a testament to the extraordinary courage of a
woman who has managed to write a book despite the obstacles of blindness and
paralysis. ..."
Today marks the 40th year since Jean's passing and her time for recognition is
long overdue. Much more could be said about this dedicated woman who left us a
rich legacy in Nevada journalism.
Jean was inducted into the Nevada Newspaper Hall of Fame on Sept. 29.
About Jean Sybil McElrath
Born: Chloride, Ariz., June 8, 1917
Died: Elko, Oct. 7, 1967
Major Fields of Work: Journalist, author, poet, columnist, feature writer and
historian.
Awards
1965 - Distinguished Nevadan Award
1966 - Certificate of Merit from Nevada Press Association
2007 - Inducted into the Nevada Newspaper Hall of Fame
http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20071007/NEWS/110070096
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