William J. Zima

1922 - 2012

William J. Zima, longtime Iowa journalist and journalism educator, died Jan. 20, 2012, at the Weiss Residential Care Facility in Thousand Oaks where he had been living the last few years. He was 89. Bill, as he was known to colleagues and thousands of journalism students, worked 19 years at the Des Moines Register and Tribune and later 25 years as a faculty member at the University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Zima was born Dec. 16, 1922, in Chicago. He broke into journalism right out of high school as an apprentice reporter at the famed Chicago City News Bureau, where he worked from 1941-43. In 1947 he graduated from Carthage College and in 1948 he received an MA degree from the University of Iowa. During WWII he served in the United States Navy as the communications officer aboard the USS Gunason (DE795) in both the Atlantic and Pacific.

From 1948-56 he was variously a copy editor, reporter, assistant city editor and state editor at the Des Moines Register and afternoon Tribune. For 10 years, 1957-1967, he was a member of the award-winning editorial page staff of the Des Moines Register. In 1967 he joined the journalism faculty at the University of Iowa. In addition to teaching, he served three years as publisher of the University newspaper the Daily Iowan. He retired in 1992.

He is survived by his wife, Jaynane; daughter, Elizabeth; grandson, Nathan J. Zima; a brother, George; and brother- and sister-in-law, Tom and Martha Lamar. Preceding him in death was a son, Andrew W. Zima; his parents, John Zima and Elizabeth Sefcik; and brothers, Richard and John .

A memorial service will be held at St. Columba's Episcopal Church, 1251 Las Posas Road, Camarillo, at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25. The family is grateful for the loving, devoted care of Delliah Weiss and her staff at the residential care facility.