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."
More information on St Joseph
Comments(34)