KEARNEY, Neb. - Gil Savery, the former managing editor of the Lincoln Journal, was presented Friday with the highest honor given by the Nebraska Press Association: the Master Editor-Publisher Award.
Savery, who worked at the Journal from 1944 to 1985, was honored for his dedication to journalism, for mentoring generations of young journalists and for his dedication as an editor and as a retiree to community service.
“(He) represents the best in the tradition of newspaper editors who do it for love love of craft, love of community, love of public service,” said Kathleen Rutledge, former editor of the Lincoln Journal-Star.
Savery, a native of Shelby, Neb., met deadlines during World War II, was at the Journal when it won the Pulitzer Prize for public service in 1949, and put the paper to bed when Charlie Starkweather went on his murderous spree and Americans first walked on the moon.
After he retired, he remained active in Lincoln community affairs as a volunteer board member for several local organizations.
He is the 39th person to receive the Master Editor-Publisher Award.
Also on Friday, the Imperial Republican received the NPA’s Leadership Nebraska Award.
The recipients of the Omaha World-Herald’s Community Service Awards were the Kearney Hub, the Wauneta Breeze, the Oakland Independent, the Lexington Clipper-Herald and the Aurora News-Register.
The Hub and News-Register, as well as the West Point News, received Service to Agriculture Awards from The World-Herald.
At the annual NPA meeting, Darran Fowler of the Hastings Tribune was elected president of the association.
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