Religion columnist dead at 82

One of the most important tasks the editor of a daily newspaper has is to select the local and national columnists whose work will be featured on the opinion pages.
You have to find just right mix, the kind of writers who consistently provide thoughtful, sometimes provocative prose. I like the depth and insight of AP political columnist Walter Mears, the outrageousness of Charlie Reese, the astute observations of Mort Kondracke and the First Amendment writings of Nat Hentoff. One of my favorite columns was "Saints and Sinners" written by George Plagenz, which appeared regularly in The Press while I was editor.
Plagenz wrote a weekly religion column, one which sought to educate and stimulate thought rather than to preach. He explored religious issues in a fair and evenhanded way. He wrote the column right up until his death Sunday at age 82 in Columbus, Ohio.
Religion is a vital part of most Americans' lives, yet it is vastly undercovered in our newspapers unless there is some sort of scandal. George Plagenz' columns were a breath of fresh air and they will be missed.
His obituary ran in today's Cleveland Plain Dealer.