Dick Kelsey, a retired Associated Press broadcast editor who was revered as much for his humor as his hardworking nature, has died after a seven-year battle with cancer
The longtime editor never sought attention in the newsroom of AP's West Regional Desk in Phoenix unless it was to share a funny story or sly observation. From the glint in his eye, it was clear when he was about to toss out a joke or his own funny spin on the day's news.
Kelsey worked primarily in broadcast during his time in Arizona, editing state news summaries sent to radio and TV stations across the Western U.S. Even when the West Regional Desk — which includes a team of Phoenix reporters — was a hectic hub over a major story, he remained calm. “That's all he ever wanted to be,” she said. “How many other people are that lucky to get to do exactly what they wanted to do with their life?”
Kelsey then made the leap into print journalism and spent a few years at the United Press International in Dallas. By the 1990s, he moved to its Denver office and was covering some of the biggest news stories. Among them were 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey's killing and the Oklahoma City bombing trials. Jim Clarke, AP's managing director of local markets, was the news editor who hired Kelsey. Clarke recalls getting a call from Kelsey his first day in town. His new hire had gotten into an accident, and his car — with all his belongings — was totaled. But what stuck out was Kelsey’s resilience.
“He helped other people shine,” Sharon Kelsey said. “He was brilliant in his own way. But it was an unassuming way. ... And I think that’s a real quality.”
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