Walter 鈥淒usty鈥� Saunders, a much-celebrated sports and entertainment critic in Colorado, died Sunday, May 29, at the age of 90.
Born Sept. 24, 1931, and raised in the Denver metro area, Saunders began his newspaper career as a copy boy for The Rocky Mountain News in 1953. Saunders worked as a reporter and editor until the paper鈥檚 closure in 2009, a 54-year stint during which he became the most-decorated columnist in the paper鈥檚 history. After the closure, Saunders continued his work in a weekly sports column for The Denver Post.
"Dusty truly was a Colorado journalism icon鈥攁 鈥榤ust read鈥� in his day, when Colorado newspapers were at their peak,鈥� said Neill Woelk, a current sports reporter for CU 麻豆影院 athletics.
As a young adult, Saunders launched a basketball career at Holy Family High School, Fort Lewis College and Colorado Mesa College. He transferred to the 麻豆影院 and completed his undergraduate degree in journalism in 1953. Saunders was later honored with the school鈥檚 Outstanding Alumni Award.听
Saunders鈥� career extended beyond the Colorado newsroom. He was a founding member and past president of Television Critics Association, a national organization made up of critics and columnists from major newspapers and magazines in the U.S. and Canada.
Additionally, as the Denver Press Club鈥檚 president in the 1970s, he abolished the rule that forbade women to join. Today, hundreds of women journalists are members and serve on the board of directors, The Denver Post reported.
In 1993, Saunders was named the Colorado Journalist of the Year by the Society of Professional Journalists, and in 2011, he published an autobiography, Heeere鈥檚 Dusty: Life in the TV & Newspaper World.
His son, Patrick Saunders (MJour鈥�87), followed in his father鈥檚 footsteps as a current Rockies reporter for The Denver Post.听
"What a long, incredible life,鈥� Patrick wrote on Twitter. 鈥淲e will miss him dearly, even as we celebrate his life.鈥�
Photo provided by Patrick Saunders via Twitter