Long-time A-J newsroom leader Burle Pettit dies
Burle Pettit, whose eloquent writing and effective leadership entertained Avalanche-Journal readers and influenced its journalists for more than four decades, died early Sunday. He was 87.
Pettit joined the newspaper as a sports writer in 1960 and steadily climbed the newsroom’s organizational ladder, culminating in his being appointed editor Jan. 1, 1995. He retired from that position five years later. Following retirement, he was named the paper’s editor emeritus with his name appearing on the A-J opinion page masthead. He also continued to write a highly popular column, occasionally turning the writing duties over to his pet dog, Schnopper.
In 2019, a collection of Pettit’s Avalanche-Journal columns was published in the book: “A Boyhood Dream Realized: Half a Century of Texas Culture, One Newspaper Column at a Time.” That same year, he was recognized by the Lubbock chapter of the Association for Women in Communications with the Mary Ann Edwards Outstanding Professional Communicator award.
“Burle was a great journalist and a legendary newspaperman,” said Randy Sanders, who was named A-J editor following Pettit’s retirement. “He hired me in 1969 and brought me to Lubbock. For the next 31 years he was my editor. But more than that, he was my mentor and a dear and wonderful friend.
“I am really sad to learn this awful news, but I’m comforted that he is no longer suffering and is with his sweetheart, Frances.”
Pettit was preceded in death by Frances, his wife of 60 years, in 2017.
In many ways, Pettit was a significant link to the A-J’s rich community history, coming to work at a time when Editor Chas. A. Guy and President Parker Prouty were deeply involved in Lubbock and the newspaper played an important role in Lubbock’s affairs and direction.
“I was fortunate to spend the early years of my career working under the tutelage of such people as Parker Prouty and Chas. A. Guy,” he told the A-J in the retirement story. “They, among other things, taught me the importance of doing everything with accuracy, fairness and objectivity first in mind.”
Pettit is a native of Moran, Texas, and a North Texas graduate who went on to serve on that school’s board of regents. He was named A-J executive sports editor in 1966 and was promoted to managing editor in 1973.
Column writing was his strongest journalistic gift. He penned the paper’s lead sports column from 1962-73 and then wrote a general interest column on Sundays from 1978-86.
“Burle was a great citizen and was always for this area, but most of all, he was a great newspaperman,” former Texas Tech Chancellor Kent Hance said. “He was not as concerned about being first as he was about being accurate. He didn’t want mistakes in any story. He always tried to be fair and objective.”
In 1989, he was named A-J executive editor before becoming editor. At the time of that appointment, he became only the second person, joining Guy, in the newspaper’s history to oversee both A-J news and editorial operations.
"Burle Pettit was one of Texas' preeminent writers, journalists and newspapermen of his era," said Norval Pollard, former longtime A-J journalist who was hired by Pettit. "His mentorship and leadership were invaluable to my career."
Throughout his tenure, Pettit stressed accuracy in stories, fairness to sources and thoroughness in reporting.
“Burle without question was a community-minded editor, always concerned about making sure our readers were accurately and objectively informed,” said former A-J Publisher P. Scott McKibben. “As a new publisher arriving in Lubbock in 1992, it didn’t take but a few short weeks to know that our newsroom was well-managed.”
Pettit, who at one time said he arrived in Lubbock thinking it might only be for a short stay, found it to be a great place to live and raise a family while writing about Texas Tech athletics during the early years of his career.
“This community and this newspaper both have been good to me,” he said in the story announcing his retirement. “I’ve grown up in this building. If there’s anything I would wish on my sons and grandsons, it would be what happened to me at a time in life when you’re not always making lots of good decisions. I made two great ones: I chose the right wife and I chose the right profession. There is no better insurance for happiness that I can think of.”
Pettit was a U.S. Army veteran. At the time of his retirement, he was the only journalist in the state to have served as president of both the Texas Sports Writers Association and the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors Association. He is also a former president of the Football Writers Association of America.
His columns were marked by colorful recollections, memorable characters and word precision that animated his writing, earning him numerous awards from The Associated Press, Headliners Foundation and United Press International through the years.
“Burle had a lot of friends and he did what he could to help Texas Tech,” Hance recalled, “but he wanted accuracy above everything else. He was one of the last and one of the best of the real newspapermen.”
Pettit was involved in a number of community organizations through the years, including Monterey Optimist Club, the South Plains Food Bank, the March of Dimes and the Salvation Army. He also served in leadership roles at First Christian Church of Lubbock.
“When you think of what an editor should be, you think of Burle Pettit,” former A-J Publisher Mark Nusbaum said at the time of his retirement. “His sense of fairness, his dedication to providing the reader thorough and balanced coverage each day, and his overall passion for his profession have served him well in his distinguished career. Also, because of Burle’s love for Lubbock and the Avalanche-Journal, he has made life richer for all whose lives he has touched.”
Pettit's funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday at First Christian Church in Lubbock. Visitation with the family will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Sanders Funeral Home. A graveside service is set for 2:30 p.m. Friday at Newman Cemetery in Sylvester, Texas.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Long-time Avalanche-Journal newsroom leader Burle Pettit dies
