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[Pages S432-S433]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REMEMBERING RONALD ``RON'' McCREA
Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor a distinguished
citizen of Wisconsin, Ronald Alan McCrea, who passed away in Madison on
Dec. 14, 2019. McCrea's career included praiseworthy journalism,
architectural scholarship on Frank Lloyd Wright, and gay activism.
Ron McCrea came from a family of journalists. His grandfather, Archie
McCrea, was editor of the Muskegon Chronicle in Michigan, and his
father was an editor for the Saginaw News and Toledo Blade. Ron began
his journalism career editing his high school paper, the Arthur Hill
News. He would also edit the Albion College Pleiad. He worked at the
Boston Globe, the Washington Post, the Washington Star, the Long Island
Newsday, and the San Jose Mercury News. Ron was one of the outstanding
journalists in Madison, where he served as an editor and reporter at
the Capital Times from 1970 to 1977 and again from 1998 to 2008. While
in Madison, he was also an editor of the Press Connection from 1977 to
1980, the paper that emerged from a newspaper strike that he helped
lead.
Ron graduated from Albion College in 1965 with a B.A. in political
science. He was awarded an M.A. from the Fletcher School of Law and
Diplomacy at Tufts University and did further graduate work at the
Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
His gay activism began in the early 1970s when he joined the
Wisconsin's first gay rights organization, the Madison Alliance for
Homosexual Equality, MAHE, which was founded in the fall of 1969 after
the Stonewall Riots. Ron participated in panels that the early Gay
Center sent out to classes on the University of Wisconsin-Madison
campus. In line with his labor activism, he successfully lobbied for
the Newspaper Guild to include nondiscrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation in its model contract used throughout the Nation.
When elected in 1982, Governor Anthony Earl asked Ron to serve as his
press secretary. Because of his advocacy, one of the State's major
papers headlined the appointment of an ``Avowed Homosexual.'' Earl
refused McCrea's offer to withdraw the appointment as too
controversial.
[[Page S433]]
During his journalism career, Ron McCrea became the chronicler of
some unique LGBT history in the Madison area. One of his earliest
efforts included stories on the hidden 1962 Gay Purge at the UW-
Madison. He also contributed many unique items to the LGBT Collection
of the UW-Madison Archives.
Ron loved a good story and entertained many of his friends with his
delightful skill in presenting a tale. He had a deep love of music and
was known for singing with Madison choral groups and tripping the
ivories at the piano bar at Going My Way.
Ron is survived by his wife of 26 years, Elaine DeSmidt, and his
stepson, Benjamin DeSmidt. Elaine, described as his partner, passion
and love, was also involved in public life as an elected member of the
Dane County Board of Supervisors.
Ron McCrea was an accomplished storyteller, a humorous character, and
a courageous pioneer. He leaves behind a legacy of humble but bold
encouragement of the gay community. I am proud to honor his unflinching
advocacy, personal kindness, and steadfast leadership.
____________________
