Bruce Lee Smith, a good newsman and a great photographer
THE REAL DEAL
By JERRY DEAL
I did not make the gathering Saturday night by friends of former Valley Morning Star entertainment editor Bruce Lee Smith.
Just too many of those I know and care about are leaving this world for me to handle. But, I certainly thought of him and have been thinking about him a lot since his untimely death on Aug. 15.
I was really glad to see that the Valley Morning Star gave Bruce’s “sendoff” front page coverage in the Sunday edition. He certainly deserved that.
Guess I knew Bruce somewhere around 20 years and through two periods of his working at the VMS.
Bruce was well known in the entertainment and the nightlife worlds. He seemed to enjoy going to clubs where there was entertainment. Yet he did not drink alcoholic beverages.
His photography excelled. He was better than many realized, in fact he was really great.
As a person, first as an associate at the VMS and later his boss, he was very amicable. I do not remember either of us having harsh words toward each other.
A person should not die at the age of 54. He should have had many more years to enjoy life.
But he is gone, but he will not be forgotten.
Speaking of the good job the VMS did in his coverge, the newspaper failed in the death of another former employee.
Johnny Meave worked in the VMS advertising department for many years.
He retired but later went to work at the San Benito News and even later that newspaper’s sister paper the Port Isabel Press.
Where did the VMS fail? It only ran the paid obit, but no story. Shame on the Valley Morning Star for that one.
Maybe, those now in charge did not catch that a longtime former employee had died.
You are right, Bruce Lee was a darned good newsman and a better photographer. May he rest in peace.
Bruce took some photos for me and I could not believe how great they were. We miss you Bruce, have a good photo shoot in heaven.