Obituary July 17, 1941, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

From Gauss and his Children

SERVICES AT 3 P.M. FOR GEORGE S. JOHNS. Interment to Be at Oak Grove Cemetery at St. Charles, His Home Town.

The funeral of George Sibley Johns, editor emeritus of the Post-Dispatch, will be at 3 o'clock this afternoon at the Bopp undertaking chapel, 131 West Argonne drive, Kirkwood. The Christian Science service will be followed by private interment in Oak Grove Cemetery at St. Charles, Mr. Johns' home town.

Among many messages received by the family yesterday and today was one from former Senator Harry B. Hawes, in Washington. Applying a familiar nickname to the late editor, he wired:

"Old Fundamental passes on with his pals, Lehmann, Reedy and Colnon, leaving me alone. A great citizen, a great editor, a great friend. Few did more for his city; none more to advance the philosophies of contentment and companionship."

William Marion Reedy, editor of Reedy's Mirror, died in 1920; Redmond S. Colnon, contractor, in 1927, and Frederick W. Lehmann, eminent lawyer, in 1931.

Mr. Johns, 83 years old, died early yesterday at his home, Crag Darragh, on robyn road, St. Louis County, of infirmities of age, after having been incapacitated by illness two and one-half years. Surviving are four sons, George McD., Orrick G., F. Winston and John Jay Johns, and five grandchildren.

He was actively connected with the Post-Dispatch for 44 years, joining the staff in 1883, and continuing, except for a two-year interruption, to 1929. From 1898 until 1929, he was editor in charge of the editorial page. He became a national figure in journalism and had more than local note as a public speaker.

In the World's Fair period and the subsequent 20 years, he was one of a group of talented St. Louisans who were heard frequently at dinners and on public occasions, this circle including Lehmann, Reedy, Rabbi Leon Harrison and Archbishop John J. Glennon.

As an editorial writer and director of the editorial page, Mr. Johns stood for the principles of Jerfersonian democracy, individual liberty and journalistic independence, as outlined in the Post-Dispatch platform written by Joseph Pulitzer in 1907. He was a member for several years of the advisory council of the Pulitzer School of Journalism, Columbia University, New York.

Source

Clipping from the Elizabeth Burchsted collection. Transcribed to softcopy by Susan D. Chambless, 2008.