J. Richard Early, 91, of Fairhaven died Friday, Sept. 9, 2005, at St. Luke's Hospital. He was the widower of Marie (Bewley) Early, who died Oct. 29, 2003.
Born in Reading, Pa., on Jan. 2, 1914, he was the son of the late John H. and S. Emma (Eisenhower) Early. He married Marie M. Bewley in 1940 in Reading, but lived most of his life in Fairhaven.
He was educated in Reading public schools and graduated from the University of Michigan.
He began his newspaper career as a sports writer with the Reading Eagle in early 1937 and was named managing editor of the Portsmoth Star in Virginia in 1944. In 1945, he joined The Standard-Times as city editor, and became managing editor in 1953 and editor in 1966. He retired in January 1976.
During his working years, Mr. Early was a member of Sigma Delta Chi, the journalism fraternity; the American Society of Newspaper Editors, the New England Society of Newspaper Editors and the New England Associated Press News Executives Association, where he was the contest chairman for a number of years.
Mr. Early edited the booklet prepared for Fairhaven's Sesquicentennial in 1962, and wrote several booklets on the Seamen's Bethel and Port Society's chaplains. He was a life member of the society and served a number of years on its board of governors and as a vice president.
After his retirement from The Standard-Times, Mr. Early wrote several booklets on the history of the New Bedford Institution for Savings, its early officers and old buildings. He was a trustee at NBIS for more than 20 years, and was a member of its board of investment and executive committee upon his retirement from the bank in 1989.
Mr. Early remained active with a number of organizations long after his retirement. He was on the board of the Inter-Church Council of Greater New Bedford, where he had been president and chairman of the council's half-million dollar fund drive in the 1970s. He was a vice president of the Visiting Nurses of Fairhaven and a trustee of the Millicent Library in Fairhaven.
During most of his life in Fairhaven, he was associated with Trinity Lutheran Church, where he had been treasurer and president of its council.
Survivors include a daughter, Dr. Ann M. Early of Arkansas; and a son, Greg A. Early and his wife, Andrea, of Falmouth.
His memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, 2005. in Trinity Lutheran Church, 16 Temple Place, Fairhaven, Ma.