Editor and Publisher of Burlington, Iowa, Paper Dies

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(AP) Bill Mertens, editor and publisher of The Hawk Eye, died early Wednesday of cancer at Great River Medical Center in West Burlington. He was 55.

""He was one of the sweetest, nicest guys that you ever met -- and one hell of a journalist, too,"" said John Lee, president of Harris Enterprises Inc., which owns The Hawk Eye.

He started reporting at the newspaper after he graduated from the University of Iowa in 1970. In 1977, he was named managing editor at a sister paper in Kansas, The Hays Daily News, and later became executive editor of another Harris newspaper in Kansas, The Salina Journal.

He returned to Burlington in 1984 to become The Hawk Eye's editor. He became publisher in 1985.

In 1995, he was honored by the Iowa Newspaper Association for his distinguished service, and in 2001 he was named the organization's Master Editor-Publisher. He was the immediate past president of the INA.

Mertens was involved with numerous other newspaper organizations, including the American Society of Newspaper Editors.

He also was involved with the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, examining college journalism programs.

Mertens is survived by his wife, Mary; three sons, Michael, Ryan and Andrew; his mother, a brother and two sisters.

Funeral arrangements are pending.