Roger Vincent Wetherington Jr.

Roger Vincent Wetherington, Jr. passed away suddenly in New York City, N.Y. on July 26, 2009. He was born March 12, 1942, to Roger V. Wetherington and Ruby Jones Wetherington in Jacksonville, Fla. He graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville and received a full academic scholarship to Columbia University. His graduating class had four National Merit Scholars and most of his friends went to the "Ivy League" schools as well. He became a true New Yorker, a home he was destined for, though his heritage had deep southern roots. He graduated with a degree in journalism and began his journalistic career with The New York Daily News, first as a a copy boy, then as a medical reporter and then as the Manhattan, Bronx and Staten Island editor. As a reporter he had innumerable articles published with his by line. He continued his education at the University of Southern California and received his PHD in mass communication/journalism. He began teaching journalism at Long Beach State University while earning his doctorate. Dr. Wetherington spent a year as a Fulbright Scholar teaching in Kazakhstan. He was a professor of journalism at St. Johns University and continued to work for both The Daily News and The New York Times until his death. He had an 'encyclopedic mind," loved horses and Wagnerian Opera. He was cleaver, funny and endearingly kind. He was preceded in death by his parents, his dear aunt, Frances W. Smith and his brother Dennis Wetherington. He leaves his wife Andra Miller; his son Brady M. Wetherington (Nicola); his sister, Janice W. Evans (Lindy); two special cousins, Kathy Smith and Eleanor Chandler (Kim); two dear friends, Claude Ashby and Mieczyslaw Pawlowski; and several nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held in New York at 2 p.m. on Aug. 16, 2009 at The New York Society for Ethical Culture. Memorial gifts may be sent to the New York Metropolitan Opera in his name.