Bob Matson, a longtime journalist and former executive editor of the Daily Messenger, died Tuesday morning at his home. He was 53.
Matson served as director of community affairs at Finger Lakes Community College at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife, Tammy; their three children, Carter, Mitchell and Meredith; and grandsons, Chase and Elijah.
“Bob was the most genuine person I have ever known,” said longtime colleague Lenore Friend. “He always wanted to do what was best, what was right in any situation. He acted behind the scenes in so many ways, on behalf of friends or causes, at the Daily Messenger and at FLCC. I don’t think we will ever know the extent of his quiet reach throughout the community.”
He began his career in journalism as a reporter at Suburban Press in the Buffalo suburb of Orchard Park in June 1981. Three years later he joined the Daily Messenger as a reporter covering everything from county government to breaking news. In 1986 he was promoted to associate editor and then in 1987 he became managing editor of the Daily Messenger.
Matson was promoted to executive editor in 1993. His title expanded to include the weekly Post newspapers in 2000. During his tenure as executive editor, the Messenger earned more than 100 awards for editorial excellence from The Associated Press and more than two dozen first-place awards from the New York Newspaper Publishers Association.
During his journalism career he was an adjunct instructor in journalism at Monroe Community College from 2001 to 2005 and the Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communications in 2006.
When Messenger Post Media was acquired by GateHouse Media in 2006, Matson was asked to serve as a regional editor for the company’s newspapers in New York. He was charged with building teamwork among the editors in the state and took on the additional role as publisher and editor of the Golden Times, a publication for the 50-plus population in the Rochester, N.Y. area.
Click here for the complete story by Messenger Post reporters Jessica Youngman and Julie Sherwood.
Bob Matson, a longtime journalist and former executive editor of the Daily Messenger, died Tuesday morning at his home. He was 53.
Matson served as director of community affairs at Finger Lakes Community College at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife, Tammy; their three children, Carter, Mitchell and Meredith; and grandsons, Chase and Elijah.
“Bob was the most genuine person I have ever known,” said longtime colleague Lenore Friend. “He always wanted to do what was best, what was right in any situation. He acted behind the scenes in so many ways, on behalf of friends or causes, at the Daily Messenger and at FLCC. I don’t think we will ever know the extent of his quiet reach throughout the community.”
He began his career in journalism as a reporter at Suburban Press in the Buffalo suburb of Orchard Park in June 1981. Three years later he joined the Daily Messenger as a reporter covering everything from county government to breaking news. In 1986 he was promoted to associate editor and then in 1987 he became managing editor of the Daily Messenger.
Matson was promoted to executive editor in 1993. His title expanded to include the weekly Post newspapers in 2000. During his tenure as executive editor, the Messenger earned more than 100 awards for editorial excellence from The Associated Press and more than two dozen first-place awards from the New York Newspaper Publishers Association.
During his journalism career he was an adjunct instructor in journalism at Monroe Community College from 2001 to 2005 and the Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communications in 2006.
When Messenger Post Media was acquired by GateHouse Media in 2006, Matson was asked to serve as a regional editor for the company’s newspapers in New York. He was charged with building teamwork among the editors in the state and took on the additional role as publisher and editor of the Golden Times, a publication for the 50-plus population in the Rochester, N.Y. area.
Click here for the complete story by Messenger Post reporters Jessica Youngman and Julie Sherwood.
