George Eugene “Gene” Bryson II, of Dover, and formerly of Smyrna, passed away suddenly on Tuesday June 17, 2008. He was 51.
He was born September 27, 1956, the son of Alice Jane Matthews Bryson and the late George E. Bryson.
He was a 1974 graduate of Smyrna High School. While serving as editor of the school paper, he received many awards in writing and journalism.
He attended the University of Delaware and Delaware State University where he graduated with a degree in history. While in college, he was a member of Phi Alpha Theta, an honor society for students of history.
Gene was employed by the News Journal as a sportswriter from 1979-1997, and served in both the Wilmington and Dover bureaus.
Among his assignments were coverage of the 1983 Major League Baseball World Series and Divisional Playoff Series, NASCAR Racing, Delaware State University football, and high school sports throughout Delaware. At various times in his professional career, he covered the Phillies, Orioles, and some NFL games.
In 1997-98 Gene collaborated on a project with photographer Kevin Fleming by writing the text to their book “Dover Downs”, a chronicle of the history of the track and a detailed chronology of the events of race week.
He joined the staff of the Delaware State News as a night editor in 1999. In recent years, he served as senior editor, leading the newspaper’s copy desk, news service team, photographers, and sports team. Gene was known for his headline-writing wit, sharp eye for details, and knowledge of the people, events, and history of Kent County, and unsurpassed knowledge of NASCAR racing.
In 1999, he was given the Smyrna-Clayton Heritage Association Award for Journalistic Talent. In 2002, the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association honored Gene with a “Best in Show” award in the headline category of the newspaper competition. His headline was selected best overall, too, meaning it was the best of all winners in the six divisions, which included metropolitan newspapers in Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. That same year, he was among a group that won second place for a tribute section to Dale Earnhardt.
This year, he won two awards in the MDDC contest, sharing a first place award for informational graphic for the preview pages for the NCAA Division I-AA football championship game between the University of Delaware and Appalachian State. He also earned a second-place award in the headline division.
He greatly enjoyed sports, history, music, and most especially his swimming pool.
In addition to his mother, he is survived by a brother and his wife, Matthew R. “Rick” and Carol L. Bryson, of Smyrna; and his beloved niece and nephew, Sarah E. Bryson, and Matthew R. Bryson Jr., both of Smyrna.
Rick Bryson (1983)
George Eugene “Gene” Bryson II, of Dover, and formerly of Smyrna, passed away suddenly on Tuesday June 17, 2008. He was 51.
He was born September 27, 1956, the son of Alice Jane Matthews Bryson and the late George E. Bryson.
He was a 1974 graduate of Smyrna High School. While serving as editor of the school paper, he received many awards in writing and journalism.
He attended the University of Delaware and Delaware State University where he graduated with a degree in history. While in college, he was a member of Phi Alpha Theta, an honor society for students of history.
Gene was employed by the News Journal as a sportswriter from 1979-1997, and served in both the Wilmington and Dover bureaus.
Among his assignments were coverage of the 1983 Major League Baseball World Series and Divisional Playoff Series, NASCAR Racing, Delaware State University football, and high school sports throughout Delaware. At various times in his professional career, he covered the Phillies, Orioles, and some NFL games.
In 1997-98 Gene collaborated on a project with photographer Kevin Fleming by writing the text to their book “Dover Downs”, a chronicle of the history of the track and a detailed chronology of the events of race week.
He joined the staff of the Delaware State News as a night editor in 1999. In recent years, he served as senior editor, leading the newspaper’s copy desk, news service team, photographers, and sports team. Gene was known for his headline-writing wit, sharp eye for details, and knowledge of the people, events, and history of Kent County, and unsurpassed knowledge of NASCAR racing.
In 1999, he was given the Smyrna-Clayton Heritage Association Award for Journalistic Talent. In 2002, the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association honored Gene with a “Best in Show” award in the headline category of the newspaper competition. His headline was selected best overall, too, meaning it was the best of all winners in the six divisions, which included metropolitan newspapers in Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. That same year, he was among a group that won second place for a tribute section to Dale Earnhardt.
This year, he won two awards in the MDDC contest, sharing a first place award for informational graphic for the preview pages for the NCAA Division I-AA football championship game between the University of Delaware and Appalachian State. He also earned a second-place award in the headline division.
He greatly enjoyed sports, history, music, and most especially his swimming pool.
In addition to his mother, he is survived by a brother and his wife, Matthew R. “Rick” and Carol L. Bryson, of Smyrna; and his beloved niece and nephew, Sarah E. Bryson, and Matthew R. Bryson Jr., both of Smyrna.