The late Roger Di Paolo was respected editor, leader, student of local history

Roger J. Di Paolo, former editor of the Record-Courier, who died of cancer on Friday at the age of 66, was an elegant stylist and grammarian of precision, an avid reader and a student of local history.

Di Paolo recorded the Portage County news for 40 years, starting with the Record-Courier as a reporter in 1977 when he covered protests over the construction of a building on land that invaded the site where Nov. May four students were killed. 1970.

As a student at Roosevelt High School in 1970, the shootings had a formative effect on Di Paolo’s worldview. He had an affinity for the outsider passed on from his father, the late Judge Roger F. Di Paolo, who presided over the Portage County’s Democratic Party for several years. Being part of a family well respected in the local political scene opened doors and helped the younger Di Paolo network effectively and widely in the local news scene. He added Republicans to his network and is proud to have many Republican officials among his friends.

His abilities were recognized early on. In 1978, while studying at Kent State, Di Paolo received the James M. Sutherland Award, recognized by the Sigma Delta Chi / Society of Professional Journalist as Most Promising Young Professional. In 1977 he graduated from Kent State with a Bachelor of Arts summa cum laude.

In 1997 he was honored as one of 60 at the school’s 60th anniversary by the Kent State University School of Journalism and Mass Communications. He received four Ohio Associated Press Awards, including Best Editorial Writer in 2014 and 2003. Was a United Press International Subscriber, The News Service gave Di Paolo 10 awards including first place for editorial writing in 1983 and 1986 and first place for feature writing in 1979. Awards also received from the Portage County Historical Society, Portage County Chapter of NAACP, Kent City Schools Hall of Fame, Kent Area Chamber of Commerce, and Ohio School Board Association.

The Dix family, who owned the Record-Courier during Di Paolo’s career, emphasized the community’s commitment. Di Paolo served tenure with the Kent and Ravenna Chambers of Commerce, was director of the Stow-Munroe Falls Library, was trustee of the Seneca Trail Council of Camp Fire Boys and Girls, and set a record by being the keynote speaker for Bowman’s Breakfast in City Dress Kent State University on three separate occasions. He worked with the late Helen Gregory of the Portage Parks Foundation to publish a monthly column highlighting the profile of the Portage County’s parking system.

Devoted to local history, Di Paolo has compiled a popular weekly history feature called “Yesteryears”. From 2002 to 2017 he wrote Portage Pathways, a weekly history column launched by his predecessor, the late Loris C. Troyer. Di Paolo’s “Portage Pathways” have been compiled in two books. The first, “Rooted in Kent,” was published in association with the Kent Historical Society, the benefit of which goes to the Society. The second, The Ravenna Record, was published in collaboration with a civic organization that raised funds to renovate the historic Ravenna Flagpole on Main Street in front of the Portage County Courthouse. He drafted a local story dedicated to outstanding women in Portage County, reflecting his belief that too many women are underrated for their talent and work.

Together with Henry and Sandra Halem from the Kent Historical Society, Di Paolo provided much of the text for “Greetings from Kent: a Postcard Portrait of the Tree City” in 2017. Last year he was a historian in residence with the Kent Historical Society, again collaborating with the Halems and publishing an easy-to-understand guide to Standing Rock Cemetery, a unitary cemetery that spans the city of Kent, Franklin Township, and St. Patrick’s Cemetery.

Di Paolo’s appreciation of poetry led Kent State University’s Wick Poetry Center to include “Heedless of History” in a publication called “River of Words”. “Seating Arrangement” and “Silent Music” were included in the publication “Jawbone Open Book”.

“I’ll miss Roger,” said David Dix, Record-Courier publisher during Di Paolo’s career. “He was a wonderful conversationalist and my almost daily discussions with him about the news of the day after he became editor were never boring. I was looking forward to her and learned a lot. Roger had strong views. Sometimes we disagreed, but he made me reconsider my own opinion and Roger almost always made me laugh. He had a great ability to empathize with those who are struggling in life and had no patience for those who felt entitled.

“I’ve read several great books that I wouldn’t have read if Roger hadn’t recommended them. The man was a born teacher and had wonderful vocabulary. He had a rich sense of satire and irony. His comments for visitors to the Record Courier or during tours of Portage County (of which he was a member in 1998) were extremely interesting. ”

As an editor, Di Paolo oversaw a staff of approximately 20 full-time and part-time employees and a budget of over $ 1 million annually. He enjoyed teaching newcomers and especially interns at Record-Courier and was proud that some of the reporters he worked with had careers in national media. Rob Tomsho became a reporter for the Wall Street Journal. Elizabeth “Liz” Sidoti became the National Political Reporter for The Associated Press. Photographers Ernie Mastroianni, Gus Chan and Jim Fetters worked for national media services. The work of longtime Record Courier photographers Richard Sweet and Bob Seton, he would say, created a documentary on the history of Portage County that remains indispensable.

He had a special place in his heart for KSU professors and teachers at Kent Schools who contributed to his scholarship. He read constantly and quickly, consuming one book a week often, most of it history or historical novels. He was a connoisseur of the film. He enjoyed drawing and sometimes creating art to illustrate news and features. Knowing about his Italian-American heritage, he shared interesting anecdotes and explanations about it that kept the audience in tense attention.

Born on June 3, 1955 and resident in Kent until 1985, he then lived in Stow. He is survived by his husband Timothy Krasselt; his son Brian Di Paolo; and his sisters Linda Di Paolo Prezioso and Betsy Soule.

Funeral provision is still pending.

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