Journalist Thomas F. Pendergast Dies

WINNSBORO (AP) — Thomas F. Pendergast, who ran a small town East Texas newspaper following a nearly 30-year career with The Associated Press, has died. He was 81. His daughter, Meredith Ann Pendergast Simpson, says he died August 14 at Tyler’s Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Texas, following a diagnosis of lymphoma. She says that after retiring from AP in 1985, he bought The Winnsboro News in the town located about 100 miles east of Dallas. The newspaper is published weekly.

Pendergast started his career with the AP as a news person in Chicago in December 1955. He held various posts at the company over the years and was working at headquarters in New York City as vice president and director of personnel and labor relations when he retired. His funeral was held Saturday.