Founding member Dwight E. Sargent dies.

When about 100 editorial writers and editors gathered in Washington, D.C., in 1947 for the first NCEW meeting, Dwight E. Sargent was there. From that time on, Sargent's support of NCEW never wavered. He never missed a convention for the next 41 years.

Sargent was 85 when he died on April 4, following a short period of illness.

A widely respected journalist and editorialist, the founding NCEW member served as vice-chair in 1951-52 and as chair in 1952-53 (equivalent to vice president and president today). He lived in Pelham, N.Y., where his memorial service was held on May 18.

Sargent's interest in journalism and NCEW was alive until the end. "Dwight continued to stay in touch," calling the office to talk periodically, said Cora Everett, NCEW's executive secretary

He also stayed in touch with NCEW members, including Robert Estabrook, another founding member and former president.

"He was one of my oldest friends in journalism," said Estabrook, who first met Sargent when both were in Army Information School during World War II.

A competitive and high-quality editorialist, Sargent was a "jealous guardian of his language," said Estabrook, former editorial writer for The Washington Post.

"And he was always good for a wry shaggy-dog story -- some unprintable but always funny," continued Estabrook, who shared train rides with him to early convention sites.

Sargent's journalism career started in Maine as a reporter for newspapers in Bar Harbor and Biddeford. He also worked at the Standard-Times in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

After the Army, he returned to Maine to report for the Portland Press-Herald. He moved up to become an editorial writer and then editorial director of the Press-Herald.

In 1959, through recognition he had gained in NCEW, Sargent was asked to serve as editorial page editor of the New York Herald-Tribune.

Sargent was a "Republican internationalist," which fit the philosophy of the Herald-Tribune, says Estabrook. He was "a vigorous advocate for clash of opinion, making it relevant and interesting."

Later in his career, Sargent served as editorial page editor of the Boston Herald American and as national editorial writer for Hearst Newspapers.

A Nieman Fellow, class of 1951, Sargent was asked to serve as curator of the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University from 1964-72. He also was president of the Freedom of Information Foundation at the University of Missouri.

Besides his work in NCEW, Sargent served as president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors. And he was a member of the Overseas Press Club, Silurians, and Rotary Club.

A graduate of Colby College in Waterville, Maine, Sargent helped support the college's Elijah P. Lovejoy Award for journalists.

His son, Doug Sargent, says that his father was diagnosed with throat cancer in January of this year and died on the day after his 85th birthday. His wife, Elaine, died in 1993.

Donations in Dwight's memory may be sent to the Maine Sea Coast Mission, 127 West St., Bar Harbor ME 04609.