Oct 7, 2014 2 min read

Lou Florian’s journalism career started at the dawn of the Eisenhower years and concluded just a few months into the Obama age. In that time, spanning more than half a century, he was a witness to extraordinary changes in the United States and the world, in Washington and Greene counties, within the news business and, indeed, within the Observer-Reporter itself.

His was a tenure deserving of respect, and it was with tremendous sadness we became aware of his death early Monday morning in a Pittsburgh hospital following a car crash the day before near his home in North Franklin Township. He was 77.

During his years at the newspaper, Florian patiently mentored journalists who now hold editing or management roles within the company or continued to work in the profession elsewhere. One of them, Jon Stevens, the bureau chief for our Greene County office, remembered, “I can’t recall him ever raising his voice. He was a newspaperman in the truest sense.”

It was a reflection of Florian’s versatility that he started working at the newspaper in the sports department, and continued working on the city desk and, eventually, was the editor of this page, offering thoughtful, well-reasoned opinions that won statewide and regional honors. He also nurtured an interest in music, serving as the organist for the Immaculate Conception and St. Hilary parishes in Washington.

This newspaper, and the community as a whole, were made better because of Florian’s efforts.