Former NAB SVP/Communications Walt Wurfel Dead At 81

Walt Wurfel

NAB EVP/Communications DENNIS WHARTON shares sad news that, "WALT WURFEL, SVP/Communications at NAB from 1986-1997, died on THURSDAY at The Kensington, a FALLS CHURCH, VA assisted living facility, where he had been living for the last year and a half. He was 81. WALT was a good soul and a gentle man, and was a great mentor to those who worked for and with him."  

WURFEL's career included>

• NAB SVP/Communications, 1986-1997
• CARTER White House deputy press secretary under JODY POWELL
• VP/Corporate Communications at GANNETT CO.
• STRAUS BROADCASTING GROUP Operations Director in MIDDLETOWN and UTICA, NY
• Assistant News Director WTSJ-TV/SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO 
• WASHINGTON EVENING STAR reporter
• ST. PETERSBURG (FLORIDA) TIMES foreign editor, and then political editor
• Press Secretary to HUBERT HUMPHREY, Presidential primary campaign, 1972
• Part-owner of WXGM/GLOUCESTER, VA
• Served on Board of Directors and was Treasurer of the NATIONAL PRESS FOUNDATION for many years
• After leaving NAB, built a golf course in PALMYRA, VA
• Avid ham radio operator known as "W4ZPQ". Fluent in Spanish, WALT monitored ham radio reports from PUERTO RICO and the VIRGIN ISLANDS during Hurricane Hugo and contributed to coverage of the storm by THE WASHINGTON POST, where his wife SARA worked at the time 
• Graduate of STANFORD UNIVERSITY and the Columbia University School of Journalism

WURFEL was married for 43 years to journalist and author SARA FITZGERALD (formerly with THE NATIONAL JOURNAL, THE WASHINGTON POST, THE MIAMI HERALD, THE AKRON BEACON JOURNAL and the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, where she met WALT).

There will be a memorial service on DEC. 22nd at 1p at WALT & SARA's church, Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ in ARLINGTON (5010 Little Falls Rd. 22207). If you want to send a note to SARA, her email is sarafitz@aol.com.

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