Mary O'Hara Lauffer / Society editor, columnist for Pittsburgh Press
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Mary O'Hara Lauffer, former society editor and political columnist for The Pittsburgh Press and the first woman on the paper's editorial board, died Wednesday at her home in Lady's Island, S.C. She was 93.
Born in Pittsburgh in 1914, she was the quintessential newspaperwoman, intelligent and opinionated with a trailblazing style.
She spent more than 40 years at The Press, starting out in the advertising department in 1941. She held a bachelor's degree in English from what is now Carlow University and a master's degree in English from Duquesne University.
Later, she became the paper's society editor.
"I was in awe of her when I arrived at The Pittsburgh Press in 1957," said columnist Barbara Cloud. "She had already been there at least 15 years I think, but I learned from her as she was somewhat a mentor in her ability to seek information and follow the movers and shakers of Pittsburgh at the time."
One of those movers and shakers was Helen Clay Frick, whom Mrs. Lauffer interviewed for a series of articles.
Those stories were turned into the book "My Father, Henry Clay Frick (As Told To Mary O'Hara)," published in 1951. Both women received author credit.
Mrs. Lauffer interviewed Eleanor Roosevelt as they rode in a car together into Downtown Pittsburgh.
"She liked Eleanor Roosevelt. She respected her," said James O'Hara Schlicht, Mrs. Lauffer's nephew.
Her nephew remembers stories she told him of her reporting days when she and a photographer were sent on assignment. "One visit they got chased back into their car by a Doberman," he said. During another stop they encountered a pet ocelot and at another time, an overly amorous poodle named Napoleon, Mr. Schlicht said.
In 1970, Mrs. Lauffer was named to the paper's editorial board and began writing a political analysis column two times a week.
In one infamous column, the conservative Mrs. Lauffer, who wrote under her maiden name O'Hara, castigated Frank Sinatra for consorting with Las Vegas thugs, recalled John Troan, editor of The Press at the time and the person who named her to the editorial board.
"[Sinatra] wrote a fiery letter back to her," Mr. Troan said. "He threatened to sue her for libel and then put a copyright on the letter so she couldn't print it."
Mrs. Lauffer did not wed until later in life, and her colleagues happily watched the blossoming romance between her and J. Willard Lauffer, now deceased, Ms. Cloud recalled.
The two met at the former Stouffer's Restaurant, Downtown, a favorite of newspaper people, and after a few encounters she still didn't know his name, but he asked her for a date.
"I used to say she didn't know his name but she acquired it," Mr. Troan said. "They were inseparable. They had a great marriage."
After she retired in 1984, she kept a hand in the business by writing book reviews. She also remained abreast of what was going on politically.
A Mass will be celebrated at 3 p.m. today in St. Peter Church in Lady's Island, S.C. A memorial service is being planned for Pittsburgh at The Oratory on the University of Pittsburgh campus. No date has been set.
Mrs. Lauffer will be buried beside her husband in Allegheny Cemetery.
First Published September 1, 2007 12:00 am
