Robert August

Robert "Bob"August, 89, of Wooster died Friday September 9, 2011 at Wooster Community Hospital. A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church of Wooster, 621 College Ave. on Sunday October 2, at 3:00pm.

Bob was born on October 6, 1921 in Ashtabula, Ohio and grew up in Cleveland. He graduated in 1939 from Collinwood High School and in 1943 from the College of Wooster. He went from college to the U.S. Naval Midshipmen's School at Notre Dame, where he was commissioned an ensign on September 22, 1943. The next day he married Marilynn Eccles of Pittsburgh. He served with the Special Close Gunfire Support Group for the Normandy Invasion and later in the Pacific, ending up in China.

He went to work as a copy boy for the Cleveland Press in 1946, holding several jobs before moving to the sports department in 1951.

He covered the Browns from 1953-1957, became executive sports editor in 1957 and sports editor in 1958. He began writing a sports column in 1974. In 1978, he left sports to write a general column and assume administrative duties. He was associate editor when the Press ceased publication in June 1982.

That summer he became sports editor of the Lake County (Ohio) News-Herald, his column also appearing in other newspapers of the Horvitz chain. In addition, he began in 1982 writing "The Wiser Side of 60," a column distributed nationally by Universal Press Syndicate.

At the end of 1988, he retired as sports editor of the News-Herald and quit writing "The Wiser Side of 60," moving with his wife to Wooster. He continued writing the sports column for the News-Herald.

Bob received the Sigma Delta Chi Distinguished Service Award, was a member of the Cleveland Press Club Journalism Hall of Fame and won numerous writing awards. His book "Fun and Games," mostly a collection of sports columns, was published in 2001.

Bob loved his family and friends. He was great company, and much loved by all who knew him.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Marilynn, his daughter Alison McCulloch, granddaughters Esther McCulloch and Sarah Parker, great-grandson Elijah Parker, and sister Jane Knox.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Lillian August.