(to do:) Table of staff: editor, assistant/managing editor, artist...
1. Editors:
Cliff Ketchum was editor from 19XX to 19XX.
Russell McKee (born 1925 died 2010) was
associate editor from 1954 and editor from 19XX until
19XX.
John Gray, "the sage of Sagola", editor 196x-197x. In
2007 and after I specifically went through Sagola (as well as
Ralph, another town made famous to me in MNR) to see Gray's
town that was mentioned so often in his stories. It's still a
major lumbering and log processing center, but nobody I talked
to (albeit that was few) knew who John Gray was.
Russell McKee, editor of MNR 1973-1984, and with MDNR
since 1952. Died in December 1985. (article on him and
retirement in Nov-Dec 1984, "Sage of Sagola" article and last
"Meander Line" essay in Jan-Feb 1986, letter from reader who
knew John in Mar-Apr 86)
Norris McDowell was acting editor from the first issue
1985 and later named editor in a short article the
September-October issue of that year) Barbara Nichols
came on the roster near the end of the Blanchard regime, first
listed in 3rd place as "environmental editor" in the last issue
of 1986, but not credited for any specific content until
May-June 1989's "They Hunt for a Living".
2. Writers:
R. D. (Raymond Darwin) "Newt" Burroughs,
"resident botanist, seer, and philosopher" and author of
various articles but best known for his back-page essays from
May-June 1949 to July-August 1964 (described as "one of the
cleanest, easiest writing styles ever to issue from a
bureaucracy"). (short bio in the November-December 1963 issue,
shorter note on his book and retirement Sept-Oct 1965, short
article upon his death in Mar-Apr 1977). Burroughs also
authored a collection of his essays in a book "Peninsular
Country" (Grand Rapids MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.,
1965)
3. Illustrators:
Charles Schafer, art director 1945-1977. Probably the
most prolific illustrator in the magazine's history, his
beautiful paintings were on more covers than not during the 32
years he was on staff. I find his "cubist" period of the
mid-1960s particularly interesting. (retrospective article with
many illustrations Nov-Dec 1977, short article on his death at
the end of 1981 in the Mar-Apr 1982 issue)
Ozz Warbach, cartoonist and illustrator 1940-1977. Born
xx.xx.xx, died March 3, 2002. Retired from MNR staff 1970 and
DNR 1977.
John Gray dedicated most of his "Meander Line" editorial to Ozz
in the May-June 1970 issue. A nice little biography is here (or was there; too bad the SOM
website can't comprehend stable or logical URLs so stuff could
be revisited!). A few of his cartoons can be seen online here, (archived 2007 copy;
ignore the 'flash' parts & scroll to the bottom of the page
for links.
Here is a small but nice
little cartoon an admirer drew honoring him when he
died.
Here's the Worldcat bibliographic data for his archive
of drawings in the Michigan State Archives.
Jim Campbell, illustrator 1960s-1970s. Oddly, his name
never appeared in the credits section of the magazine and not
even always on the story credits or even illustrations yet his
art was integral to the magazines design and many story
illustrations. He was I believe a staff DOC graphic
artist/draftsman, and was also involved in the cartography of
the county maps produced by the DNR (need find reference to
this). His style is rather zany, full of exaggerated but subtle
detail, usually funny, a little surrealistic, and instantly
recognizable.
Owen Neils was assistant art editor and illustrator
(from the May-June 1978 issue)
Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen was art director and
illustrator from 1976-1993(here's his brief biography with more). For a
while in the late 1970s he was on staff together with Charles
Schafer - that was I guess the heyday of MC/MNR artwise;
what a pleasure to see the issues with both their
illustrations! He also illustrated five beautiful DNR 'Michigan
habitat' posters (Wetlands, Dunes, Rivers, Beech-Maple Forest,
and Jackpine plains) that used to be available for free from
the DNR; his painting showed typical and rare citizens (plants
& animals) of the habitat, and there was a 'key'
illustration naming them with extensive text - they're great!
(here are a few fragments I was able to find on the web:
wetlands poster, & dunes key) He is still an active author and
artist, and here's the website.
4. Photographers:
Robert Harrington (small write-up and photo in May-June
1966, larger "People and the Their Stories" article in Jan-Feb
1970; notes and photos from helicopter crash, Nov-Dec
1971).
5. Designers:
6. Other contributors:
Robert D. Burke, DNR "supporter" and advocate; instrumental
in establishment of the MNR magazine fund which for some time -
until the Engler regime's sell-off of the magazine reversed
this - promised the continuation into the future (short article
on his death, Mar-Apr 1978).
Website by Robert Liebermann | B) and last edit:
2021.05.27
location: http://michiganconservation.net/staff.htm