NPR's Brenda Box, An Excellent Editor, Wicked Wit And True Friend, Dies

Before The Two-Way launched in May 2009, a smart decision was made: We would sit with, and work closely with, the producers, editors and anchors on the NPR Newscast Desk. It made sense to put the hosts of a breaking news blog with the team that gets breaking news on the air. The Newscast team has helped us in countless ways.

The Two-Way lost a dear friend Thursday, someone who brought her sharp mind and editing skills to NPR's newscasts and always gave us good guidance. She also had a wickedly funny sense of humor that made it fun to come to work.

Newscast Executive Producer Robert Garcia writes this appreciation of Brenda Box:

We are deeply saddened to announce that our beloved and respected colleague, Newscast Editor Brenda Box, has died after a courageous four years dealing with pancreatic cancer. She was 58.

Anyone who ever worked with Brenda knows what a special and unique person she was: equal parts cynical and sensitive, outspoken and hilarious, brilliant and fun, and warm and self-deprecating.

Correspondent Carrie Kahn, who largely dealt with Brenda on the phone, but grew close to her anyway, put it this way in a recent note to Newscast staff: "Every time I called Newscast and she answered the phone, no matter how stressed or busy she was she always had a few moments for a quick chat, great banter and that memorable laugh. Not that filing spots is not fun enough, but Brenda made it something special, personal and among friends."

Newscast's Korva Coleman has a further explanation of Brenda's role in the unit: "Although you never heard her name on an NPR broadcast, she shaped what you heard. While you never heard her speak to you on the radio, she guided your understanding of events. Brenda Box was the editor that every journalist dreams of, one who elicits the best from reporters and quietly removes the errors. ... Brenda often concluded her conversations with her trademark, 'cool beans.' That was the indication that her exacting eye had reviewed the reporter's work and approved."

There is no justice served remembering Brenda only in the context of her health issues in recent years. But it must be said that in this particular respect, she taught us all the true meaning of gentle grace under great adversity.

Brenda graduated with a journalism degree from Colorado State University, worked as a Capitol Hill correspondent for USA Today Broadcasting/Gannett News Service, as an anchor for the UPI and NBC/Mutual radio networks, and as a reporter for West Virginia Public Radio and WTOP Radio before coming to NPR 10 years ago. Outside of broadcasting she worked for the Wilderness Society and the National Wildlife Federation, and she served as press secretary for the District of Columbia's City Administrator.

She was a long-time member of the National Association of Black Journalists, winning an NABJ Excellence Award for a series on Black Pioneers. The Gannett News Service honored her work for radio coverage of the 20th anniversary of the civil rights march on Washington.

Brenda is survived by her husband, Steve Johnson; her daughters, Chantel and Chanel; and her son, Anthony.

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