Bob Lynn: An unpretentious editor who inspired many reporters

The Kansas City journalism scene lost another great one this week — former city editor and weekend editor Bob Lynn.

Lynn, renowned and most admired, perhaps, for his refusal to bow and scrape to upper management, died of a massive heart attack Tuesday outside the Lowe’s store in Roeland Park.

Lynn, 71, is the fourth titan from The Star’s heyday to die in the last 15 months.

First it was reporter Rick Alm in February 2017. Then it was Laura Hockaday, former society editor, last October, and Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Mike McGraw just four months ago.

Because he spent his career as an editor, Bob Lynn was not as well known to the public.

He was every bit as legendary in The Star’s newsroom, though.

Reporters loved working with him because of his easygoing disposition, lack of ego and the fact that he treated everyone equally, disbursing advice clearly and concisely. Upper managers respected him because they knew he was extremely competent and pulled not punches.

The highest position he attained was city editor of The Kansas City Times, the morning Kansas City Star, until it merged with The Star in 1990. He then worked as an editor on the State Desk and later became the weekend editor.

At: https://jimmycsays.com/2018/05/04/bob-lynn-an-editor-who-brooked-no-nonsense-and-inspired-many-reporters/

Former Kansas City Star editor Bob Lynn and his mother. As city editor from 1990 to 2008, he helped lead the Kansas City Times through its heyday of uncovering corruption in police and government.