John T. Cathers Sr.

"> John T. Cathers Sr.
John T. Cathers Sr., 92, of Emmaus, died Saturday, April 19, 2008, in the Inpatient Hospice Unit at Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown. He was the husband of Doris L. (Bergey) Cathers. They celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary on February 14. Born on March 28, 1916 in North Wales, Montgomery County, he was a son of the late Walter E. and Mabelle E. (Tomlin) Cathers. John was a graduate of North Wales High School and attended Lansdale School of Business. Mr. Cathers started his journalistic career as a sports reporter for the North Penn Reporter newspaper in 1935. From 1942 to 1945, he was a reporter at the Call-Chronicle newspaper, and then worked for the North Penn Reporter from 1945 to 1948. In 1948, John returned to the Call-Chronicle as a journalist/columnist. He was a globe circling columnist and editor at The Morning Call for over 30 years before retiring on May 31, 1979. He traveled around the world while employed at The Morning Call. He wrote his Evening Chronicle article for more than 25 years, originally called Little Chronicles and later change to Once Over Lightly. He was named Distinguished Citizen of Allentown on retiring in 1979. John was a special foreign correspondent for the Associated Press and had assignments in Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe and North and South America, and traveled to 40 countries. During his years as a journalist, he interviewed Pope John XXIII, U.S. presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford, as well as Chinas president Chiang Kai-shek and Koreas president Syngman Rhee. Mr. Cathers was awarded humanitarian citations from the republics of China and Korea. He was nominated by Columbia University School of Journalism for a Pulitzer Prize in foreign affairs. He was a baseball umpire in the Montgomery County Legion League from 1935 to 1942. John was the official announcer at the old Nazareth Speedway for 15 years in the 1950s and 60s. He promoted trade shows at the Allentown Fairgrounds for more than 35 years. Mr. Cathers was Director Emeritus of the Lehigh County Agricultural Society. He was a member of Asbury United Methodist Church and a former member of Boulevard E.C. Church, both of Allenton. John was a 32nd degree Mason with Barger Lodge, Allentown. He received an award from the Liberty Bell Shrine in 1984. Survivors: Wife; son, John T. Cathers,Jr. and his wife Flora A. (Gardner) of Emmaus and their children, Jennifer and Julie; daughter, Lynn A. (Cathers) and her husband Shane M. Gunning of Coopersburg and their children, Brent and Megan; daughter, Lori J. (Cathers) and her husband Robert R. Rhoades of Allentown and their children, Chrissy, Chuck, Cindy and Eric; sister, Ethel A. (Cathers) Toohey of Fayetteville, N.C.; great-grandchildren, Brooke, Blake, Brady. He was predeceased by brothers, Rev. Edgar Cathers and Richard T. Cathers, and by sisters, Beryl, Mabelle and Ruth. Services: 10 a.m. Thursday, Stephens Funeral Home Inc., 1335-37 Linden St., Allentown. Call 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesday and 9:30-10 a.m. Thursday in the funeral home. Interment, Greenwood Cemetery, Allentown. www.stephensfuneral.com. Contributions: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 5100 Tilghman St., Suite 40, Allentown, PA 18104.