Thomas C. Benét, longtime Chronicle reporter and editor, dies
By Carl Nolte Published Friday, September 9, 2016 on SFGATE.com
Thomas C. Benét, a veteran San Francisco journalist who was a reporter, editor and chief editorial writer for The Chronicle, died at his San Francisco home Wednesday after a short illness. Mr. Benét, who was 89, had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in August.
Mr. Benét served with distinction at The Chronicle for more than 40 years. “He was a superb reporter,” said David Perlman, the paper’s senior reporter, who worked with Mr. Benét throughout his long career. Mr. Benét, who also served as an assistant city editor, was noted for his astute judgment and calm demeanor in the sometimes chaotic newsroom.
“I never heard him raise his voice,” Perlman said. “He was the very picture of a gentleman.”
Thomas Carr Benét was born in Paris on Sept. 28, 1926, the son of Stephen Vincent Benét and his wife, Rosemary Carr Benét. He came from a literary family — his father, was a poet and author, whose narrative poem “John Brown’s Body” won a Pulitzer Prize. His mother was a poet, and his uncle, William Rose Benét, was also a poet, writer and editor.
Thomas Benét graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy and earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 1949. He decided to go into journalism because it was part of the writing world he admired, said his daughter, Alice Benét.
After applying to several newspapers, he was hired by The Chronicle in 1950 as a general assignment reporter. He won several awards, including a Christopher Award for his work in reporting a story of how a young woman risked her life to save a companion attacked by a shark at Baker Beach in San Francisco.
He then served for several years on the city desk, went back to reporting briefly and was appointed the paper’s chief editorial writer. His editorials were much admired. “He kept the paper on a path of liberal Republicanism,” Perlman said.
Mr. Benét retired in 1994.
His wife, Joan, died in 1996. He is survived by two daughters, Rebecca Sawyer of Milburn, N.J., and Alice Benét of Santa Cruz; four grandchildren; and his good friend Ann Stone of San Francisco.
By Carl Nolte Published Friday, September 9, 2016 on SFGATE.com
Thomas C. Benét, a veteran San Francisco journalist who was a reporter, editor and chief editorial writer for The Chronicle, died at his San Francisco home Wednesday after a short illness. Mr. Benét, who was 89, had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in August.
Mr. Benét served with distinction at The Chronicle for more than 40 years. “He was a superb reporter,” said David Perlman, the paper’s senior reporter, who worked with Mr. Benét throughout his long career. Mr. Benét, who also served as an assistant city editor, was noted for his astute judgment and calm demeanor in the sometimes chaotic newsroom.
“I never heard him raise his voice,” Perlman said. “He was the very picture of a gentleman.”
Thomas Carr Benét was born in Paris on Sept. 28, 1926, the son of Stephen Vincent Benét and his wife, Rosemary Carr Benét. He came from a literary family — his father, was a poet and author, whose narrative poem “John Brown’s Body” won a Pulitzer Prize. His mother was a poet, and his uncle, William Rose Benét, was also a poet, writer and editor.
Thomas Benét graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy and earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 1949. He decided to go into journalism because it was part of the writing world he admired, said his daughter, Alice Benét.
After applying to several newspapers, he was hired by The Chronicle in 1950 as a general assignment reporter. He won several awards, including a Christopher Award for his work in reporting a story of how a young woman risked her life to save a companion attacked by a shark at Baker Beach in San Francisco.
He then served for several years on the city desk, went back to reporting briefly and was appointed the paper’s chief editorial writer. His editorials were much admired. “He kept the paper on a path of liberal Republicanism,” Perlman said.
Mr. Benét retired in 1994.
His wife, Joan, died in 1996. He is survived by two daughters, Rebecca Sawyer of Milburn, N.J., and Alice Benét of Santa Cruz; four grandchildren; and his good friend Ann Stone of San Francisco.
Thomas C. Benét, longtime Chronicle reporter and editor, dies
By Carl Nolte Published Friday, September 9, 2016 on SFGATE.com
Thomas C. Benét, a veteran San Francisco journalist who was a reporter, editor and chief editorial writer for The Chronicle, died at his San Francisco home Wednesday after a short illness. Mr. Benét, who was 89, had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in August.
Mr. Benét served with distinction at The Chronicle for more than 40 years. “He was a superb reporter,” said David Perlman, the paper’s senior reporter, who worked with Mr. Benét throughout his long career. Mr. Benét, who also served as an assistant city editor, was noted for his astute judgment and calm demeanor in the sometimes chaotic newsroom.
“I never heard him raise his voice,” Perlman said. “He was the very picture of a gentleman.”
Thomas Carr Benét was born in Paris on Sept. 28, 1926, the son of Stephen Vincent Benét and his wife, Rosemary Carr Benét. He came from a literary family — his father, was a poet and author, whose narrative poem “John Brown’s Body” won a Pulitzer Prize. His mother was a poet, and his uncle, William Rose Benét, was also a poet, writer and editor.
Thomas Benét graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy and earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 1949. He decided to go into journalism because it was part of the writing world he admired, said his daughter, Alice Benét.
After applying to several newspapers, he was hired by The Chronicle in 1950 as a general assignment reporter. He won several awards, including a Christopher Award for his work in reporting a story of how a young woman risked her life to save a companion attacked by a shark at Baker Beach in San Francisco.
He then served for several years on the city desk, went back to reporting briefly and was appointed the paper’s chief editorial writer. His editorials were much admired. “He kept the paper on a path of liberal Republicanism,” Perlman said.
Mr. Benét retired in 1994.
His wife, Joan, died in 1996. He is survived by two daughters, Rebecca Sawyer of Milburn, N.J., and Alice Benét of Santa Cruz; four grandchildren; and his good friend Ann Stone of San Francisco.
By Carl Nolte Published Friday, September 9, 2016 on SFGATE.com
Thomas C. Benét, a veteran San Francisco journalist who was a reporter, editor and chief editorial writer for The Chronicle, died at his San Francisco home Wednesday after a short illness. Mr. Benét, who was 89, had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in August.
Mr. Benét served with distinction at The Chronicle for more than 40 years. “He was a superb reporter,” said David Perlman, the paper’s senior reporter, who worked with Mr. Benét throughout his long career. Mr. Benét, who also served as an assistant city editor, was noted for his astute judgment and calm demeanor in the sometimes chaotic newsroom.
“I never heard him raise his voice,” Perlman said. “He was the very picture of a gentleman.”
Thomas Carr Benét was born in Paris on Sept. 28, 1926, the son of Stephen Vincent Benét and his wife, Rosemary Carr Benét. He came from a literary family — his father, was a poet and author, whose narrative poem “John Brown’s Body” won a Pulitzer Prize. His mother was a poet, and his uncle, William Rose Benét, was also a poet, writer and editor.
Thomas Benét graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy and earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 1949. He decided to go into journalism because it was part of the writing world he admired, said his daughter, Alice Benét.
After applying to several newspapers, he was hired by The Chronicle in 1950 as a general assignment reporter. He won several awards, including a Christopher Award for his work in reporting a story of how a young woman risked her life to save a companion attacked by a shark at Baker Beach in San Francisco.
He then served for several years on the city desk, went back to reporting briefly and was appointed the paper’s chief editorial writer. His editorials were much admired. “He kept the paper on a path of liberal Republicanism,” Perlman said.
Mr. Benét retired in 1994.
His wife, Joan, died in 1996. He is survived by two daughters, Rebecca Sawyer of Milburn, N.J., and Alice Benét of Santa Cruz; four grandchildren; and his good friend Ann Stone of San Francisco.
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