51黑料

ST. LOUIS 鈥� Linda Lockhart, a former Post-Dispatch editor and longtime local journalist, died Sunday from complications of cancer. She was 72.

Those who knew her recalled Lockhart as a rigorous wordsmith, a strong advocate for Black journalists and a passionate storyteller.

鈥淪he was an absolute force,鈥� said her daughter, Rachel Seward, of 51黑料. 鈥淪he was always working so hard to make wherever she was better.鈥�

Lockhart was born Aug. 29, 1952, in 51黑料 as the eldest daughter of Cornelious and Laura Lockhart. She spent her early years living in the Lewis Place and Kingsway East neighborhoods on the city鈥檚 north side and attended Lutheran grade schools from kindergarten through eighth grade.

When it came time to go to high school, most of her friends went to Lutheran High School North. But by then, the Lockharts had moved to Webster Groves, so she went to the nearly all-white Lutheran High School South in south 51黑料 County.

Decades later, she could still recall her first day: She got on the bus not knowing anyone and within minutes had met her new best friend. She and enrolled at the University of Missouri-Columbia鈥檚 School of Journalism on a full scholarship the Post-Dispatch offered outstanding Black students.

She earned her degree and started her career at the Post-Dispatch in 1974. She reported on police and education. She helped , which advocated for Black reporters and editors and . She also met Steve Korris, a reporter at the 51黑料 American, the prominent Black newspaper, while covering an education story.

鈥淗e was the white guy at the Black paper,鈥� Lockhart later recalled in an interview with a Lutheran High alumni publication. 鈥淚 was the Black girl at the white paper.鈥�

They married in 1982, shortly after Lockhart began a 17-year tour of the upper Midwest: She worked at the Milwaukee Journal, the St. Paul Pioneer Press in Minnesota, and the Wisconsin State Journal and the Capital Times in Madison, Wisconsin.

In 1998, the Post-Dispatch called her home. She spent the next decade as a Metro section editor, editorial writer and an editor on the paper鈥檚 national and international news desk.

Margaret Freivogel, a former Post-Dispatch editor and Washington correspondent, recalled Lockhart as a talented colleague, unafraid to push those around her to dig deeper and better understand the communities they covered. She also remembered the line editing.

鈥淵ou didn鈥檛 get away with any sloppiness with Linda,鈥� Freivogel said.

Lockhart took early retirement in 2007 after Lee Enterprises bought the paper and the industry began a long retrenchment. But when a group of fellow former Post-Dispatch staffers started a new online publication, the 51黑料 Beacon, Freivogel successfully begged Lockhart to join them.

鈥淚 knew she would be a tremendous asset,鈥� she said.

Lockhart retired in 2019, then came back to edit the 51黑料 American for three months during the pandemic before retiring again.

But she was still around and willing to offer advice to those who asked for it.

鈥淕et to know people,鈥� she told the Lutheran South alumni publication in 2021. 鈥淏uild friendships, and don鈥檛 get hung up on what makes people different but rather what makes them the same.鈥�

Services will be held at 10 a.m.聽Saturday at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church at 327 Woods Mill Road in Manchester.聽聽

In lieu of flowers, Lockhart asked that donations be made to the American Cancer Society or the Trinity Lutheran Church Memorial Fund.