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Robert McCabe Obituary
Witty and erudite, inventor and forgiver of many a bad pun, Bob was a veteran foreign correspondent who began his overseas career as Newsweek's Hong Kong bureau chief in the early 1960s, covering the Vietnam war, China and Southeast Asia. He forged lifelong friendships in Asia, Stonington and later in New York, where he worked for Time magazine, and in Paris, his home of more than four decades, where he rose to deputy editor of the International Herald Tribune.
A proud Dartmouth graduate ('51), he and Susan spent their retirement years in Paris and Normandy.
A memorial service will be held on April 15 at the American Cathedral of Paris.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Robert McCabe
4 Entries
Vita Paladino
March 23, 2016
A most intelligent, smart man who was full of life and reflections of the world around him.
Deepest sympathy to his wife and children on the loss of such a wonderful man. One of a kind, like they don't make any more.
Vita Paladino - Boston University
March 21, 2016
Barney Kirchhoff, Paris
It was a sad day for me when Bob McCabe, a longtime colleague and friend, passed away. Our frienship dates back to the late '50s and early '60s when we both were working at The Star and Stripes at Darmstadt in Germany. I concentrated on the copy desk side, but he was more inclined to writing. He did his three-year stint at Stripes, then returned to the U.S. where he studied Chinese in California. When he got reasonably proficiient, he moved to Hong Kong, where he covered China and Vietnam for Newsweek and other publications. He returned to the U.S., worked for Time in New York, then moved to Paris where he joined the International Herald Tribune and rose to be assistant manging editor.
In 1978 when I became eligible for an early pension from Stripes, he called me to Paris for a three-day desk tryout. That went well and they offered me a copy desk job. Renate, my wife, and I had been planning to move from our residence in Dieburg because the owners had died and their heirs were planning to tear it down and build condominiums. I figured a move is a move whether it's across town or to the U.S. or Paris. I had the right to a Stripes-paid return to the U.S. and I invoked that to pay for our packup and move to Paris. Our son Tilman had just starting working after finishing his education so he elected to stay in Germany. We helped Till find a room in the Darmstadt area and in Paris we found instant housing by taking over the apartment of an IHT staffer who quit and was moving to Italy to concentrate on a writing career (not very successful).
In my wildest dreams in Chicago, I had never imagined winding up working in Paris and then retiring here. I put in 20 years on the IHT, then retired in 1998. Bob retired shortly after me. He concentrated on working for the church while I became active in American politics here but we always kept in contact.
Rest in peace Bob and my condolences to Susan.
March 21, 2016
Barney Kirchhoff, Paris
It was a sad day for me when Bob McCabe, a longtime colleague and friend, passed away. Our frienship dates back to the late '50s and early '60s when we both were working at The Star and Stripes at Darmstadt in Germany. I concentrated on the copy desk side, but he was more inclined to writing. He did his three-year stint at Stripes, then returned to the U.S. where he studied Chinese in California. When he got reasonably proficiient, he moved to Hong Kong, where he covered China and Vietnam for Newsweek and other publications. He returned to the U.S., worked for Time in New York, then moved to Paris where he joined the International Herald Tribune and rose to be assistant manging editor.
In 1978 when I became eligible for an early pension from Stripes, he called me to Paris for a three-day desk tryout. That went well and they offered me a copy desk job. Renate, my wife, and I had been planning to move from our residence in Dieburg because the owners had died and their heirs were planning to tear it down and build condominiums. I figured a move is a move whether it's across town or to the U.S. or Paris. I had the right to a Stripes-paid return to the U.S. and I invoked that to pay for our packup and move to Paris. Our son Tilman had just starting working after finishing his education so he elected to stay in Germany. We helped Till find a room in the Darmstadt area and in Paris we found instant housing by taking over the apartment of an IHT staffer who quit and was moving to Italy to concentrate on a writing career (not very successful).
In my wildest dreams in Chicago, I had never imagined winding up working in Paris and then retiring here. I put in 20 years on the IHT, then retired in 1998. Bob retired shortly after me. He concentrated on working for the church while I became active in American politics here but we always kept in contact.
Rest in peace Bob and my condolences to Susan.
Cathy Kellstrom
March 14, 2016
Dear Susan and extended family,
We are so very sorry for your loss! You and Bob were so good together and shared so many great times with all of your kids and grandchildren. Bob will be missed by many.
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