Edward W. Estlow

Edward W. Estlow, a former executive with the Rocky Mountain News and the E. W. Scripps Co., has died at the age of 95. Estlow graduated in 1942 from the University of Denver, where he played football and set the single-game rushing record, 172 yards, in a 1941 contest against the University of Wyoming. After a long, storied career in the newspaper industry, which brought him to New York City and Cincinnati, among other places, Estlow returned to Denver in 1985 and renewed a relationship with DU, serving on its board of trustees. ""It's a substantial loss,"" said William Dean Singleton, former owner of The Denver Post and a friend of Estlow's for 40 years. ""He was a giant in the industry."" Estlow was a reporter with the Rocky Mountain News and eventually became the tabloid's vice president and general manager. In 1965, he became vice president of business with E.W. Scripps, at the time headquartered in New York City. In 1976, he was named chief executive of Scripps. By the time the Colorado native retired from Scripps, Estlow had helped to take the company public, pushing annual revenues under his leadership from $500 million to $1.1 billion, according to a University of Denver magazine article in 2012. ""Ed Estlow's leadership skills were only surpassed by his kindness. His courageous decisions at the helm of Scripps set the stage for many years of success, and his generous mentoring had a profound impact on many of the company's employees,"" said Rich Boehne, chief executive and president of Scripps since 2008. ""Ed was fond of many places in this world, but his true love was Denver."" Bob Burdick, a former Rocky editor and president, met Estlow about 20 years ago. ""He was a very good friend and a mentor,"" Burdick said. ""A man of impeccable character, a superb businessman as well. I and others who knew him will miss him a great deal."" In 1944, Estlow married Charlotte Ann Schroeder. The couple met at DU and remained wed until her death in 2013. They had four daughters: Susan Lyday, Nancy Gwin, Sally Baier and Mary Erculiani. The Edward W. and Charlotte A. Estlow International Center for Journalism and New Media at the University of Denver is named in their honor. Private services were held. Please share your memories of Ed and condolences with his family by signing the guestbook below.