George A. Killenberg

George A. Killenberg (March 30, 1917 – May 20, 2008) was a notable American newspaper editor.

Killenberg was executive editor of the now defunct St. Louis Globe-Democrat, or the Globe as it was commonly called, from 1979 until retiring from the position in March 1984. His 43-year career at the newspaper began in 1941 when he was hired as a reporter. He later served as city editor (1956–1966) and managing editor (1966–1979).

Early life, education Killenberg was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, on March 30, 1917. His father, George Washington Killenberg (1892-1939), was the only son of German immigrants in East St. Louis. His mother, Lavina Ruhl (1890-1954) was youngest of four children born to second-generation German immigrants in New Athens, Illinois. Killenberg was the eldest of two children. His younger sister Miriam (Mimi) Killenberg was born in 1918.

Killenberg attended the now-defunct McBride High School, a Catholic high school for boys. Thereafter, he attended Saint Louis University, the oldest university west of the Mississippi River and the second-oldest Jesuit university in the United States. Killenberg suspended university studies to serve in the Army Medical Corps during World War II, ultimately earning a Bachelor of Science and a master's degree in American history upon his return. With his insistence on the localization of national news and humanization of victims beyond mere statistics, he literally brought stories home to the reader. When his story ideas were met with little enthusiasm at meetings with his news editors, Killenberg was known to say, "Nobody's going to like this story but the readers!" Killenberg shared his passion for local news with Globe-Democrat publisher Richard H. Amberg. Both men were highly involved in civic organizations. "How can you tell what's going on in a community unless you're part of it?" Amberg said.

Killenberg and Amberg used this approach toward local news to set the newspaper apart from its competitor, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which had an international and national focus. Its publisher Joseph Pulitzer Jr. said he was "careful to disassociate from boards and committees that could distort (his) news judgment". The June 9, 1967, issue of Time magazine contained a story on the legendary rivalry between the two newspapers. "It has become livelier since Killenberg, who has a keen sense of the city, took over last year as managing editor", Time said of the Globe-Democrat, and that it was "more brightly written than its rival and better to look at". Killenberg was a Catholic and Democrat working at a newspaper known for its conservative, Republican editorial page, but this did not affect his integrity as a journalist. "He never let his religion or political views influence his decisions, and he demanded that the news pages give fair and equal coverage to all local, state and national election candidates, regardless of which ones the editorial page was endorsing", Wood recalls.

Personal life In June 1943 he married Therese Murphy. The couple had five children and enjoyed a long and happy 64-year marriage until her death in November 2007. On May 20, 2008, Killenberg died in his home in Bel-Nor, Missouri. He was survived by three daughters, two sons, a sister, thirteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.