During a 17-year career working in the Tribune’s features department, Phil Marty spent much of his tenure as the paper’s assistant travel editor.
In that role, Marty oversaw the Tribune’s cadre of freelance travel writers and also enjoyed writing travel stories himself — a role he embraced after retiring from the Tribune in 2008. He wrote hundreds of contributed articles for the Tribune over the next 12 years.
“Phil’s special skill was with freelancers” and other occasional contributors, said retired Tribune travel editor Randy Curwen. “Travel writing is kind of a world of its own, and he had a special rapport that helped him blend the writer’s talent with the needs of a good story and the practicalities of going places. And though he was primarily an editor, he was also a good travel writer and superb photographer.”
Marty, 80, died of natural causes on May 7 at his home in Ivins, Utah, said his son, Kirk. A former Lincoln Square resident who had first moved to Boynton Beach, Florida, during retirement and then to Ivins in 2015, Marty had been battling neurological issues, his son said.
Born in Springfield, Ohio, in 1945, Marty grew up in Springfield and Wyoming before moving with his family to Charles City, Iowa, where he graduated from Charles City High School. He attended Iowa State University for a time, then moved back to Charles City, where he worked in circulation at the Charles City Press newspaper.
From there, he was a sportswriter for the Charles City Press before taking a job with the Davenport Times-Democrat in Davenport, Iowa — now the Quad-City Times.
In 1973, Marty was hired as the managing editor of the Cherokee Daily Times newspaper in Cherokee, Iowa. In 1982, noted syndicated advice columnist Ann Landers admitted that she sometimes reprinted letters in her columns without indicating that they were repeats. Several days later, Marty and the Cherokee Daily Times broke the news that they had discovered that Landers’ equally successful twin sister, Abigail Van Buren, also had recycled three “Dear Abby” letters, all related to Mother’s Day, with only the signatures changed. In response, the sisters both issued statements pledging to identify reprinted letters.
In 1983, Marty joined a sister paper, the Cedar Rapids Gazette, as a feature reporter. Stops at the Quad-City Times and the Gary Post-Tribune followed before the Tribune hired Marty in 1991.
In April 1998, Marty became an assistant editor in the Tribune’s Travel section.
“Phil had a rare combination of talents as a journalist,” said Carolyn McGuire, a retired Tribune associate travel editor. “Not only was he a good editor and writer, but photos that were published with his travel stories showed how good a photographer he was, too. In fact, I think he may have secretly wanted to be a photographer first and foremost — photography was his passion.”
Curwen also recalled Marty bringing special flair to the Travel section’s area, placing the infamous “leg lamp” from the film “A Christmas Story” at his desk.
“He literally lit up the Travel cubicles with (the lamp) … a bit of time travel of its own,” Curwen said.
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Outside of work, Marty enjoyed photography and spending time with his dogs, his son said.
Two marriages ended in divorce. In addition to his son, Marty is survived by his partner, Patti Sherman; a daughter, Angie Balius; another son, Eric; a stepdaughter, Heather Ziron; nine grandchildren and step-grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a brother, Doug.
Services are being planned.
Bob Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.