For most of her 25-year career at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and before that The Journal, readers knew Lois Blinkhorn as a smart reporter who wrote intelligently about a wide variety of subjects. Blinkhorn died Sept. 13 at age 89 from complications from Alzheimer’s Disease, according to a Sept. 18, 2025 story in the Journal Sentinel.
Blinkhorn’s daughter compared her to Mary Richards, played by Mary Tyler Moore in the TV program of the same name. She was Richards if Richards had been divorced and had three kids at home, according to her daughter.
Born Lois Werner on October. 30, 1935 in Jordan, Minn., her family moved around before settling in Waterloo, Iowa. After graduating high school there, Werner studied journalism at Marquette University. The day after she graduated in 1957, she married classmate Tom Blinkhorn, but they divorced in 1972.
After the divorce, she worked at The Shorewood Herald newspaper before joining the Milwaukee Journal reporting staff in 1974. During the next decade, she wrote articles about many subjects, but often those with strong appeal to women. She even traveled to Japan in 1983 to write a series of articles about Japanese culture fashion and sexuality. In 1984, she won the Richard S. Davis Award for outstanding achievement by a Journal staff member, and the annual Headliner Award from the Southeast Wisconsin Chapter of Women in Communications.
Also in 1984, Blinkhorn was promoted to assistant managing editor of administration. Her responsibilities included recruiting, screening job applicants, directing the intern program and working with news and features operations. She was one of five editors listed on the newspaper’s masthead.
After the Journal and Sentinel merged in 1995, Blinkhorn was named the new Journal Sentinel’s book editor. She retired in 1999 — the same year she was inducted into the Milwaukee Press Club Hall of Fame.
In retirement, she volunteered for and became involved with the Milwaukee Public Library, serving as the president of the library’ Friends group. She also led a book group for seniors in Shorewood. She also enjoyed playing with her seven grandchildren.
She is survived by two daughters, Susan Gallun and Ann Blinkhorn, and son John. The family plans a celebration of life at a future date.
The family suggested memorial contributions to the Milwaukee Public Library Foundation or Lake Park Friends.
