By: A former longtime managing editor of New Jersey's largest newspaper is being remembered as a consummate newsman whose passion and intellect helped make The Star-Ledger of Newark what it is today.
Henry "Andy" Stasiuk, who retired in 1992 after 27 years as managing editor of the newspaper, died Friday at a hospital in Las Vegas. He was 83; his family told The Star-Ledger that Stasiuk had suffered from heart problems.
"Andy Stasiuk was a newsman of the old school of front-page journalism - tough, knowledgeable, cynical, single-minded and fun," said Donald Newhouse, president of The Star-Ledger. "He covered the news as a happy warrior in an era of cutthroat editorial competition."
Stasiuk began his journalism career in 1945 as a sportswriter with the weekly Sunday Sun of Teaneck and joined what was then called The Newark Star-Ledger in 1948 as a part-time correspondent. He became a full-time reporter in 1952 and became the newspaper's city editor in 1956.
He was named managing editor in 1965, two years after the influential Mort Pye became editor of the newspaper. Pye died in 1995.
Former colleagues said the cigar-chomping, outspoken Stasiuk was a complement to the soft-spoken Pye.
"He was an old-fashioned, hard-nosed newsman," said Rick Everett, The Star-Ledger's managing editor for news, who was hired by Stasiuk nearly 30 years ago.
"He was a character," said William Kohm, a former Newark News reporter. "He was a tough newsman, a tough editor. This was a complicated man, a throwback to the 'Front Page' type of news reporter."
Public officials who dealt with Stasiuk said his passion for the news was paramount.
"They don't make them like him anymore," said state Sen. Richard Codey. "Even when there was a negative story that I didn't like, he would say, 'The facts are the facts; you take your lumps and you move on.' And he was right."
Former Gov. Brendan Byrne, who had served as Essex County prosecutor, said Stasiuk was never happy if his newspaper was beaten on a story.
"He was very warm and friendly, but if something bothered him, no punches were pulled," Byrne said.
Stasiuk was born in New York City and moved to New Jersey soon after. He was a decorated Navy fighter pilot during World War II, earning a Silver Star.
After he retired from The Star-Ledger in 1992, Stasiuk - an avid golfer - moved to Las Vegas and went to work in public relations for a casino.
Stasiuk is survived by his wife, three sons and two daughters.
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