Longtime newsman dies at 77 in Odessa

Mar. 9—A longtime newsman has died leaving behind a legacy of volunteerism that included establishing the Empty Stocking Fund, which has raised more than $2 million for the Salvation Army in Odessa during the last 26 years.

Bill Salter died Monday at age 77 in Odessa following a long battle with Alzheimer's.

"Bill Salter was a dedicated newspaperman who cared about the communities he served, and he strove to keep them informed," OA Publisher Patrick Canty said Tuesday. "But first and foremost he was a defender of liberty, and individual rights and responsibility.

"And he felt passionately about the role newspapers played in helping to promote and defend those rights."

A staunch Libertarian, Salter was publisher at the OA from November 1994 to May of 2003.

He then became publisher emeritus and continued to work on community projects, including the Empty Stocking Fund, which he founded in both Panama City, Fla., and in Odessa to benefit the Salvation Army. The Odessa fund continues to this day and has raised more than $2 million.

Salvation Army Capt. Juan Gomez via email praised the founding of the fund that helps provide Christmas gifts and food to Odessa's neediest citizens.

"For the last 26 years, the Odessa American's, Empty Stocking Campaign has been vital to The Salvation Army in Odessa. We are saddened to hear the passing of the original creator of the Empty Stocking, but honor his vision to lend a helping hand during the holidays," Gomez said. "We have continued serving through this means, thanks to generosity of the Odessa American and the people who contribute to this campaign. The Empty Stocking continues to give us an opportunity to help those in need."

Salter was known during his long career for his Libertarian views, as well as his column, "William Tells."

Salter's time at the OA was when the paper was owned by Freedom Communications. He joined Freedom in 1976 at the Brownsville Herald, serving as its managing editor, until becoming editor of the Panama City (Fla.) News Herald in 1980. In 1990, he became publisher of the Clovis (N.M.) News Journal, and then took the same position in Odessa four years later.

In 1997, Salter became the first recipient of the R.C. Hoiles Award, named after the founder of Freedom. Two years before Salter won the award he started a similar OA award, given annually to Odessans who exemplify the same spirit of libertarianism, community and volunteerism as Hoiles, who was a newsman who founded Freedom Communications.

Salter was a native of Brady and his column, William Tells, was published from 1962 to 2008, and has appeared in 12 different newspapers. He is survived by his wife Sherry, who appeared as "Miss Kitty" in his columns and son Jeff, who appeared in some columns as "Yellowbeard Jr."