Dr. Joseph P. McKerns, distinguished journalism historian and professor at Ohio State, died at his home in Upper Arlington on Saturday evening after a long battle with lung cancer. He was 54.
On the Thursday before his death he was honored with the 2004 Sidney Kobre Award for his lifetime contribution to mass communication history. McKerns was nominated for the prestigious award by fellow faculty members in the School of Communication at OSU.
The award, which is given by the American Journalism Historians Association – of which McKerns is the former president – is not conferred every year and is given only for outstanding lifetime accomplisments in the field of media history. The University of Notre Dame and University of Minnesota alum is only the seventh person bestowed with the honor in the 21 year history of the AJHA.
In the letter submitted to the AJHA nominating McKerns for the honor, fellow faculty detailed his outstanding character and a long career of significant contributions.
“This is a nomination of not just another terrific journalism historian but also a person whose energy, dedication and intelligence are devoted to the unselfish pursuit of truth and knowledge,” the letter said. “We can attest that he is a first-rate scholar, teacher and public servant who understands that his duty to the profession does not end at 5 p.m. or at the border of campus.”
The letter cited McKerns most significant work – his editing of the Biographical Dictionary of American Journalism – which has been a standard reference work in the field since its publication in 1989.
McKerns taught many journalism courses at OSU but was a frequent instructor of newswriting and reporting as well as communication history. He has not taught at OSU since last winter, after he was diagnosed with lung cancer in the spring.
The news media and mass communication instructor was honored with seven different awards for teaching and research excellence throughout his 17 years at OSU. He was also instrumental in the development and re-design of many communications courses including the honors versions of JCom 101, 200, and 605.
In his long career, McKerns wrote 27 papers and 22 articles on topics ranging from communism to docudramas. The OSU alum at one time also held teaching positions at seven universities including the University of Maryland and the University of Tennessee.
In his university biography, McKerns wrote that he enjoyed playing guitar (badly) and was an avid fan of rock music, particularly The Beatles, the Byrds, and the Sex Pistols who, he wrote, changed his life.
McKerns was born in Shenandoah, Pa., but was reared in Mahanoy City, Pa. He is survived by Annamae, his wife of 33 years, his mother Jean of Mahanoy City, Pa., and his three sons Michael of Pasedena Calif., Evan of Austin, Texas and Douglas, who lives in Columbus. He was preceded in death by his father Jospeh V. McKerns.
There will be a viewing on Wednesday evening at the Rutherford Funeral Home at 2383 North High St. There will also be a mass service on Thursday morning at St. Andrews Catholic Church and a reception will follow. Times for the memorial services have yet to be announced.
