William K. Smith, co-publisher and editor emeritus of The Messenger of Juneau County in Elroy, died Feb. 22, 2014, at age 84.
The Michigan native was also owner and editor of the Democrat Tribune in Mineral Point from 1963 to 1977, as well as the Poynette Press and Rio Press from 1977 to 1988.
Smith then became editor of the (Elroy) Tribune-Keystone. When the owners closed the newspaper in 1999, Smith turned down a position with its sister paper. Instead, he started the Trail Communities Messenger in Elroy. In 2002, he partnered with a Messenger reporter and a former colleague to expand the newspaper’s coverage area countywide, changing its name to The Messenger of Juneau County.
In his spare time, Smith enjoyed reading, camping, watching CNN, and spending time with his grandchildren. The baseball fan loved politics and history, especially that of his town Elroy. Coworkers remembered Smith as talented in taking on a controversial topic and reporting it to the best of his ability in an engaging article. A good friend and coworker, Smith loved taking pictures, especially of local parades.
